25 minutes long Must write in pencil Off topic or illegible score will receive a 0 Essay must reflect your original and individual work

The essay measures your ability to: develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations follow the conventions of standard written English The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express ideas. Develop your point of view Present your ideas logically and clearly Use language precisely. Your essay must be written on the lines provided on your answer sheet. You will receive no other paper on which to write. You will have enough space if you write on every line, avoid wide margins, and keep your handwriting to a reasonable size. Remember that people who are not familiar with your handwriting will read what you write. Try to write or print so that what you are writing is legible to those readers.

The essay is scored by experienced and trained high school and college teachers. Each essay is scored by two people who won't know each other's score. They won't know the student's identity or school. Each reader gives the essay a score from 1 to 6 (6 is the highest score) based on the SAT essay Scoring Guide.

These readers' scores are combined to produce the 2-12 scale. If the two readers' scores differ by more than one point (a rare situation), a third reader scores the essay.

There are no shortcuts to success on the SAT essay. The high school and college teachers who will score your essay have seen it all before. These teachers are not going to give high scores to an essay just because it is long, or has five paragraphs, or uses literary examples. The scorers are experts at identifying truly good writing-- essays that insightfully develop a point of view with appropriate reasons and examples and use language skillfully.

So what can you do to write a successful SAT essay? Here are some strategies the College Board would like you to consider: Read the entire assignment Don't oversimplify There's nothing wrong with "I"

It's all there to help you. Every essay assignment contains a short paragraph about the issue, usually from a specific author or book. Don't ignore this important information in your rush to answer the question. Imagine that you are talking to the author of the paragraph about the issue. What would you say to him or her? Would you argue or agree? What other ideas or examples would you bring up? Answering these questions will help you develop your own point of view.

Developing your point of view doesn't mean coming up with as many examples as you can. Sometimes students cut a great example short to move on to something else, and end up oversimplifying. Take the time to really explain an example; that's the best way to fully develop your point of view. An essay with one or two thoughtful, well-developed reasons or examples is more likely to get a high score than an essay with three short, simplistic examples.

You are asked to develop your point of view on the issue, not give a straight report of the facts. This is your opinion, so feel free to use "I," and give examples that are meaningful to you, even ones from your personal life or experiences. Of course you need to support your ideas appropriately, and show that you can use language well, but remember: the essay is an opportunity for you to say what you think about an important issue that's relevant to your life. So relax and be yourself, and you will do just fine.

Timed writing Writing within a specific time period can be difficult. Learn the common structures used to write a persuasive essay. Knowing how to organize your writing can eliminate the time wasted on this step. Know how to organize your ideas quickly.

Understand Tone and Voice The SAT writing prompts are geared for persuasive writing. Persuasive writing requires the author to take and maintain a position. Your opinion will come through the tone and voice in your writing. Beware of coming across as too intense or passionate. A balanced position will not alienate or offend the reader. Remember to appeal to audience in order to be heard. Tone: Your attitude toward the subject Voice: Your style of writing

Grammar, Usage and Mechanics You can never be too familiar with how to use grammar, usage and mechanics. These rules and guidelines can make or break your writing. Do not be careless in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Know how to recognize and address these types of writing mistakes.

Know the Formula Know the formula for writing an essay. These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process: Decide on the topic, prepare an outline or diagram of ideas Write the thesis statement Write the introduction Write the body incorporating the key points Write the conclusion Add the finishing touches.

Look over the SAT Scoring Rubric 6 levels: 6 = Best, 1 = Poor Off topic/illegible = 0 Baker’s SAT scoring rubric has the 6 levels and is divided into subsections using A – H All of the “A” subsections are about the same topic = Organization and Focus What makes a 6 score and 5 score different in the subsection A? 6 = The essay is well organized with a clear focus 5 = The essay is organized and focused What makes a 6 score and 2 score different in the subsection A? 6 = The essay is well organized with a clear focus 2 = The essay is poorly organized and without focused Read through the rubric and underline the differences between subsections 6C & 5C are the same!

Get out: SAT Scoring Rubric, Sample Scored Essays & ½ piece of lined paper. On lined paper: Essay 1: Essay 2: Essay 3: Essay 4: Essay 5: Essay 6: Read over each essay. While reading the essays reflect on the SAT Scoring Rubric to help you gauge what the score might be. Apply a score for each essay. Each essay will have a different score. There are no duplicate scores. Get with a partner and see if you have the similar scores. Make changes if needed. DO NOT COMPARE WITH OTHER GROUPS!

Part of Star Testing Juniors must take an essay written portion You score will go onto your transcript! Yikes! Colleges will look for: Admissions Class selections/capability Can help you skip low level classes Freshman year of college