SAT essay is one of the major aspects of the assessment process; it checks how the students frame arguments and provide solutions to various problems. As announced by the College Board, from June 2021 onwards, there would be no essay portion of SAT. However, some schools still require a SAT essay submission as a part of School Day administration. Some states including Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma, will be using SAT with Essay in 2022. Although the rules are ever-changing, the students should keep tracking any new regulations or notices.
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Overview of SAT Essay Writing
SAT essays require the candidates to complete a write-up using proper grammar vocabulary and analysing arguments in an exciting and engaging tone.In addition, with essays for SATexams, students also prepare for their college essays. Essay topics for SAT focus on issues like politics, culture, science, or arts. This is because most essays need to be supported with arguments and examples.For those looking for a guide to writing excellent essays, here are some tips and tricks to help you win the game.
Basic Structure and Purpose of SAT Essay Writing
- A passage of 600- 750 words is given to the applicant.
- Students need to read them and respond accordingly.
- Fifty minutes are given to complete the essay.
- The SAT essay evaluates the applicant’s ability to reason and understand an author’s argument.
- Task remains the same for every essay, the only part of analysing changes in the reading selection.
- You must remember your goal is not to agree or disagree with the author. Rather than explain the argument and how it persuades its audience.
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Stages of Writing a SAT Essay
- Take the first 5-10 minutes to read the passage.
- Invest the next 7-12 minutes in analysing and planning your points.
- Do not take more than 35 minutes to write the essay.
- In the remaining 2-3 minutes, revise thoroughly to avoid mistakes.
SAT Essay- Step by Step Guide
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Read properly
Not all of you have the same pace in reading, so it is better to follow your speed. Students who can read quickly without getting into too many details go for it. This is a proven strategy that works for fast readers.Some of the students who are slower readers can adapt to the method of reading only important parts of the section. This strategy works effectively as well.Another tip is to read the passage once without analysing then go through it the second time to frame your pointers. When reading the same for the second time, try to build arguments and remain objective. You can also highlight the important words or phrases.
Draw a structure
Before writing, planning is very important. Some students feel that planning the essay is not required since the time is limited. On the contrary, having a structure or framework saves time.For instance, roughly write which sections you are going to focus on. This will save you a lot more time than you expect.
Jot down details
Some prefer writing key points while reading; others accumulate important notes after reading. Both the methods work; you can choose anyone according to your preferences.Scribbling notes while reading is very helpful for writing. If you have the highlights of the passage, you will be clear about what to put in the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Add an introduction
Now you can start writing. Begin with a brief introduction. You need not pour in all the details in the beginning. The style of the introduction will decide the flow of the essay. As the time is limited and you will have to make it one-shot-okay, be careful about the diction. You must not sound rude or lecturing in your essay.
The body must contain details
Some students prefer to start with the body and then add the introduction. If this process works for you, continue with it. Those who want to maintain parity and follow a methodological structure follow the same. As a writer, you must remember the body of the essay contains most of the details; thus, frame sentences accordingly. Use transitions and examples to make your essay richer and more authentic.
Add a concluding note
In conclusion, make sure the tone of the essay remains the same. In order to make an argument or analyse the author’s point of view, students sometimes tend to change the tone of writing.Concluding notes must have a brief mention of the author’s argument along with examples that have been used in the body. Do not miss the conclusion; it is more than enough, even if you are writing two-three sentences.
Revise
Now, as you’ll have some time left, check your essay. Some students skip this step to save time for the next question. However, this increases the chance of making silly mistakes in the essay. If you have a habit of revising after writing, you write faster as you need not worry about making it absolutely perfect. You can change the vocabulary spelling and fix other mistakes while revising.These are some of the basic tips to follow during SAT essay writing.
SAT Essay Format
The basic SAT essay format includes-
- A brief introduction
- Facts and evidence to support the body
- Acknowledgement of the arguments
- Providing counter arguments with proper reasoning
- And a conclusion
SAT Exam Essay Sample
The question for SAT essays is provided in a particular format. It is generally an excerpt from any passage followed by asking the students to plan and write an essay after analysing the issue presented. It demands the students to develop their viewpoints and examples to support the arguments. Students are then required to read, observe and share their outlook on the topic.
SAT Essay Writing Score
SAT essay is assessed on three metrics, namely – reading, writing and analysis, and each section is marked on 1-8.Two examiners will evaluate one’s essay, and each of them will award points for the three sections mentioned above. The score is briefly explained in the table below:
| Level | Marks |
| Advanced | 4 |
| Proficient | 3 |
| Partial | 2 |
| Inadequate | 1 |
After the evaluation is complete, marks given by both the examiners are combined. One will receive three scores for the essay.Moreover, one might ask oneself, ‘What is a good SAT essay score’. The answer to this question is explained below in further detail:
| Score | Reading | Analysis | Writing |
| 4 | 5% | 2% | 4% |
| 3 | 46% | 22% | 45% |
| 2 | 41% | 42% | 42% |
| 1 | 8% | 34% | 9% |
Candidates attaining 19 out of 24 is considered to be a good score, whereas those obtaining 22 out of 24 are perceived to be excellent.Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago and Stanford University expect their applicants to score a minimum of 6 in Reading out of 8, 4 out of 8 in Analysis and a minimum of 6 out of 8 in Writing. The breakdown of SAT essay score percentile is shown in the table below.
| Score | Reading | Analysis | Writing |
| 8 | 99 | 99 | 98 |
| 7 | 96 | 99 | 93 |
| 6 | 70 | 93 | 53 |
| 5 | 48 | 79 | 33 |
| 4 | 18 | 51 | 9 |
| 3 | 8 | 32 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Apart from the above mentioned, several other colleges also accept the SAT essay score. They are:
- Benedictine University
- City University London
- Delaware State University
- DeSales University
- Dominican University of California
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Howard University
- John Wesley University
- Kentucky State University
- Martin Luther College
- Molloy College
- Schreiner University
- Soka University of America
- Southern California Institute of Architecture
- Texas A&M University—Galveston
- United States Military Academy (West Point)
- University of North Texas
- West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Western Carolina University
- City University London
- United States Military Academy (West Point)
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the SAT essay optional?
June 2021 onwards, SAT essays are declared as not compulsory. However, if you are applying for a college that requires SAT essay scores, it becomes mandatory to appear for it.
2. What is the highest SAT essay score?
The SAT essay score is given in three separate sections, out of 8 each. Thus, the highest is 8 in each section.
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