Will I get points deducted for exceeding the 500 word minimum for a essay?

None. They just don’t want it shorter than 500 words. But they probably wouldn’t be thrilled if you turned in a 50,000 word essay either! LOL

Minimum means no less than. So going over 500 words is a good thing as long as you don’t go crazy with your writing. You probably won’t have any points deducted since your professor didn’t set a maximum number of words

That’s a good lesson on Interpersonal Communication right there. Some people don’t know what minimum means, and may go a long ways before realizing it doesn’t mean what they think it means.

Doubtful. Anyone who wants 500 words usually want at least 500. And it would depend on just how the words were counted, as in how many letters per word = a word.

“_…and it has to be a minimum of 500 words.” It has to be at least 500 words.
But don’t make it too much more than that. Don’t know many student’s are in in the class with you and that’s a LOT of reading for your teacher, and much of it will be unintelligible gibberish full of misspelling and poor grammar. Have mercy.