The SAT The SAT Essay:Essay:

Adapted from Edison High School Adapted from Edison High School English Department and The English Department and The Princeton Review SAT essay Princeton Review SAT essay

writing tipswriting tips

How ItHow It’’s Gradeds Graded Two people score it, each out of Two people score it, each out of

6, based on 6, based on ““overall impression.overall impression.”” Your scores are added together Your scores are added together

to give you a number out of 12.to give you a number out of 12. Grammar/Spelling, Grammar/Spelling,

Organization/Structure, and Style Organization/Structure, and Style count (so does handwriting…)count (so does handwriting…)

Keep in mind: TheyKeep in mind: They’’re reading re reading THOUSANDS of essays… this THOUSANDS of essays… this makes it easy to give you a 12!.makes it easy to give you a 12!.

The 3 Things You The 3 Things You NeedNeed1.1.LengthLength

2.2.StructureStructure

3.3.Appropriate ExamplesAppropriate Examples

Managing Your Managing Your TimeTime

3 Minutes: Brainstorm and 3 Minutes: Brainstorm and plan.plan.

20 Minutes: WRITE!!!!20 Minutes: WRITE!!!! 2 minutes: Write your 2 minutes: Write your

conclusion.conclusion.

A Sample PromptA Sample PromptDirections:Directions: Consider carefully the following excerpt and the Consider carefully the following excerpt and the

assignment below it. The plan and write an essay that assignment below it. The plan and write an essay that explains your ideas as persuasively as possible. Keep in explains your ideas as persuasively as possible. Keep in mind that the support you provide—both reasons and mind that the support you provide—both reasons and examples—will help make your view convincing to the examples—will help make your view convincing to the reader.reader.

A popular song says, A popular song says, ““You donYou don’’t know what you got t know what you got ‘‘til ittil it’’s s gone.gone.”” And Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, accepting the And Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, accepting the Nobel Prize, said Nobel Prize, said ““No one is as capable of gratitude as one No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night.who has emerged from the kingdom of night.””

Assignment:Assignment: What is your view of the claim that we often What is your view of the claim that we often appreciate the things that we have no when we gain them appreciate the things that we have no when we gain them but when we lose them? In an essay, support your position but when we lose them? In an essay, support your position by discussing an example (or examples) from literature, by discussing an example (or examples) from literature, the arts, science and technology, current events, or your the arts, science and technology, current events, or your own experience or observation.own experience or observation.

Writing the Way They Writing the Way They WantWant

Length is important. Use most of the booklet! Length is important. Use most of the booklet! DonDon’’t ramble but fill up the lines on the page. t ramble but fill up the lines on the page.

Depth is better than breadth. Make sure to Depth is better than breadth. Make sure to develop your ideas at length. Dondevelop your ideas at length. Don’’t just list a t just list a whole bunch without support.whole bunch without support.

Grab the readerGrab the reader’’s attention right from the s attention right from the beginning! beginning!

DonDon’’t worry about accuracy; they dont worry about accuracy; they don’’t have t have time to fact-check! Yep, this is a real tip. time to fact-check! Yep, this is a real tip.

Use the PromptUse the Prompt Make sure you stay on Make sure you stay on

topic (duh, right? Not so topic (duh, right? Not so much…). An off topic much…). An off topic essay gets a score of essay gets a score of ZERO! ZERO!

You need to agree or You need to agree or disagree, and itdisagree, and it’’s okay to s okay to do either as long as you do either as long as you are are EMPHATICEMPHATIC!!! Do not !!! Do not agree with both sides. agree with both sides.

Address the prompt Address the prompt directly so that the reader directly so that the reader knowsknows you you’’re answering it.re answering it.

StructureStructure If you love the Five If you love the Five

Paragraph Essay (vomit), Paragraph Essay (vomit), youyou’’re in luck…but this re in luck…but this could also work for a 3 or could also work for a 3 or 4 paragraph essay. 4 paragraph essay.

1.1.IntroIntro2.2.Topic Topic

Sentence/Example 1/ Sentence/Example 1/ Support/ TransitionSupport/ Transition

3.3.Topic Topic Sentence/Example 2/ Sentence/Example 2/ Support/ TransitionSupport/ Transition

4.4.Topic Sentence/ Topic Sentence/ Example3/ Support/ Example3/ Support/ Concluding SentenceConcluding Sentence

5.5.ConclusionConclusion EverythingEverything has to tie back has to tie back

to the intro.to the intro.

Your Intro Your Intro ParagraphParagraph

Short and sweet... No more than three or Short and sweet... No more than three or four sentences (one is a thesis).four sentences (one is a thesis).

It wonIt won’’t score you points; it can only t score you points; it can only costcost you.you.

You need to do three things – write this You need to do three things – write this down:down:

I. IntroductionI. Introduction1.1. State your positionState your position

2.2. Interpret the promptInterpret the prompt

3.3. List the examples that youList the examples that you’’re going to use (aka re going to use (aka – Thesis Statement)– Thesis Statement)

‘‘GoodGood’’ Intro Intro I agree that sometimes we learn the I agree that sometimes we learn the

most from failure. In fact, sometimes most from failure. In fact, sometimes failure makes us realize things that failure makes us realize things that enable us to act differently the next enable us to act differently the next time. This important lesson can be time. This important lesson can be seen in World War II, seen in World War II, The CrucibleThe Crucible, , and the failure of the American peace and the failure of the American peace mission in Somalia.mission in Somalia.

Not As Good…Not As Good…

It is totally true that sometimes It is totally true that sometimes failure teaches us. Life is full of failure teaches us. Life is full of situations where if we would situations where if we would just learn from our mistakes, just learn from our mistakes, we would do better.we would do better.

Body ParagraphsBody Paragraphs Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that

also works as a transition sentence.also works as a transition sentence. Make sure it connects back to your position (thesis) Make sure it connects back to your position (thesis)

in your intro.in your intro. Use only one example per paragraphUse only one example per paragraph Write this down: Write this down: II. Body Paragraph(s)II. Body Paragraph(s)

1. Topic Sentence1. Topic Sentence2. Example2. Example3. Support3. Support4. Counterargument (persuasive prompt)4. Counterargument (persuasive prompt)5. Rebuttal (persuasive prompt)5. Rebuttal (persuasive prompt)6. Transition6. Transition

DepthDepth is the key!!! is the key!!! You You mustmust make sure that you develop your make sure that you develop your

ideas if you want to score well.ideas if you want to score well. Spend two or three sentences explaining Spend two or three sentences explaining

the example.the example. Use three or four sentences to Use three or four sentences to connectconnect the the

example to your position.example to your position. Use a counterargument and rebuttal, if Use a counterargument and rebuttal, if

possible.possible. Then move on to the next paragraph!Then move on to the next paragraph!

Examples and SupportExamples and Support Rankings –Rankings –

1.1. LiteratureLiterature2.2. HistoryHistory3.3. Current EventsCurrent Events4.4. ObservationsObservations5.5. Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience

What not to do?What not to do? Hypothetical situationsHypothetical situations

Ex. For example, a high school student could Ex. For example, a high school student could appreciate having a driverappreciate having a driver’’s license but then miss s license but then miss it if he or she loses it for some reason. He/she it if he or she loses it for some reason. He/she might get in a few accidents and get a ticket for might get in a few accidents and get a ticket for driving recklessly. Then when his/her license is driving recklessly. Then when his/her license is revoked, he/she would really miss it. revoked, he/she would really miss it.

Examples: SOOO Examples: SOOO CrucialCrucial

These are the bread and butter of your These are the bread and butter of your essay. You MUST have them!essay. You MUST have them!

Make them accessible and understandable Make them accessible and understandable for the reader.for the reader.

Tie them to your position and the prompt.Tie them to your position and the prompt. You can pick them out You can pick them out beforehandbeforehand… …

Seriously.Seriously. Try to use examples from two or three Try to use examples from two or three

different different ‘‘categories.categories.’’

Examples: Examples: LiteratureLiterature Stick to the Stick to the ‘‘Classics.Classics.’’ If you If you’’ve ve read it in your high school English read it in your high school English class, itclass, it’’s fine.s fine.

I know you may love Gossip Girl, I know you may love Gossip Girl, but it probably wonbut it probably won’’t get you a t get you a good score.good score.

DonDon’’t spend too much time t spend too much time explaining the plot; focus on the explaining the plot; focus on the themesthemes..

Examples: Examples: To Kill A MockingbirdTo Kill A Mockingbird, , Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies, , Things Fall ApartThings Fall Apart, , Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men

Examples: HistoryExamples: History They should be events that They should be events that

are taught in almost every are taught in almost every high school in the US.high school in the US.

Think of events with Think of events with universaluniversal themes… things themes… things you can say a lot about.you can say a lot about.

Examples: The Holocaust, Examples: The Holocaust, The Civil Rights Movement, The Civil Rights Movement, WWII, The Revolutionary WWII, The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, etc.War, The Civil War, etc.

Examples: Current Examples: Current EventsEvents

Anything that has been in the news Anything that has been in the news lately will qualify here.lately will qualify here.

You may want to avoid controversial You may want to avoid controversial topics or opinions so that you dontopics or opinions so that you don ’’t t offend the reader (Iraq, abortion, the offend the reader (Iraq, abortion, the death penalty).death penalty).

Examples: the US Election, the Summer Examples: the US Election, the Summer Olympics in ChinaOlympics in China

Examples: Personal Examples: Personal ExperienceExperience

You can make these up! But iYou can make these up! But itt ’’s better if theys better if they’’re true! re true!

How are they ever going to How are they ever going to know if youknow if you’’re telling a true re telling a true story or not?story or not?

Try not to go Try not to go tootoo far far overboard though…overboard though…

Just make sure to relate your Just make sure to relate your ‘‘experienceexperience’’ to the prompt. to the prompt.

TransitionsTransitions These tell your reader that you are These tell your reader that you are

moving from one idea or from one moving from one idea or from one section of the text to another.section of the text to another.

ItIt’’s like holding their hand…s like holding their hand… ““Another example of (blank) is…Another example of (blank) is…”” ““This effort was very successful. Not This effort was very successful. Not

everyone, however, was so lucky.everyone, however, was so lucky.”” ““While beneficial to some, the new While beneficial to some, the new

program will harm others.program will harm others.””

Transition Words – Transition Words – write down a few write down a few examples: examples: HoweverHowever

WhileWhile AlthoughAlthough FurthermoreFurthermore DespiteDespite In additionIn addition

ThereforeTherefore ThoughThough MoreoverMoreover SimilarlySimilarly Another Another

(example, (example, reason, point, reason, point, etc.)etc.)

ConclusionConclusion Make sure you Make sure you havehave one! one! Again, youAgain, you’’re not going to gain re not going to gain

too many points here, but you too many points here, but you can lose them.can lose them.

Approx. three sentences.Approx. three sentences. Wrap up your idea and leave Wrap up your idea and leave

the reader thinking about the the reader thinking about the brilliantbrilliant lesson on life that you lesson on life that you have just pointed out. Write this have just pointed out. Write this down: down:

III. ConclusionIII. Conclusion1. Re-state thesis1. Re-state thesis

2. Summarize main points2. Summarize main points

3. Universal theme (cheesy is OK!)3. Universal theme (cheesy is OK!)

How How ‘‘CheesyCheesy’’ Can I Can I Be?Be?

““Perhaps we can all learn from the loss of others and Perhaps we can all learn from the loss of others and start to truly appreciate the wondrous gifts that life start to truly appreciate the wondrous gifts that life has bestowed upon us now, before it is too late.has bestowed upon us now, before it is too late.””

““Life is too short to live with the regret caused by Life is too short to live with the regret caused by the failure to do something that is within the grasp the failure to do something that is within the grasp of each of us.of each of us.””

““Although it seems that appreciating what we have Although it seems that appreciating what we have only once weonly once we’’ve lost it is a prime example of ve lost it is a prime example of ‘‘20/20 20/20 hindsight,hindsight,’’ perhaps the pain of our past losses can perhaps the pain of our past losses can sharpen our focus so that we can truly cherish what sharpen our focus so that we can truly cherish what we have today.we have today.

Odds and EndsOdds and Endsstar-nosed moose star-nosed moose

Use your SAT Hot Words. A Use your SAT Hot Words. A ““light pepperinglight peppering”” of strong vocabulary in the intro and of strong vocabulary in the intro and conclusion can make a big impact. conclusion can make a big impact.

Make sure to vary your sentence structure, Make sure to vary your sentence structure, but donbut don’’t worry about making every sentence t worry about making every sentence long and complicated… remember, they long and complicated… remember, they have to read have to read THOUSANDSTHOUSANDS of essays! of essays!

Make it look Make it look ‘‘prettypretty’’… indented paragraphs, … indented paragraphs, even margins, neat handwriting, etc.even margins, neat handwriting, etc. A reader will lower your score if he/she A reader will lower your score if he/she

cannot easily read your essay. cannot easily read your essay.