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Thinking about tackling the SAT Essay? Here's what you need to know: you'll be asked to read a text (typically a speech or editorial of some sort) and discuss how the author effectively builds an argument. This might be a familiar task if you’ve done it in school, but if not, don’t worry. The format is straightforward, and with some practice, you can learn how to write a great SAT essay.

What is the SAT essay?

The SAT essay is optional and costs an additional fee of $17.00. Currently, only 25 colleges and universities require the SAT essay. You can find a searchable list of school requirements for the essay here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should sign up for the essay. If you are not sure where you will apply, you should strongly consider signing up for the essay. Your essay score will appear on every score report you send to colleges, regardless of whether or not the school requires an essay. 

Here are 5 tips for writing a killer SAT essay, should you decide to add on that section:

SAT essay tips

1. Stay Objective

The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your opinion on a topic or a text. So be sure to maintain formal style and an objective tone. Tip: Avoid “I” and “you.

2. Keep It Tidy

Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil matters. Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.

3. (Indented) Paragraphs Are Your Friend

Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay. Your conclusion should restate the goal of the passage/argument and sum up the points you made.

Read More: SAT Tips and Strategies

4. For Example…

Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points.

5. Don't Worry About the Exact Terms for Things

Blanking on terminology? When describing how the author builds his or her argument, “appeal to the emotions” is fine instead of specifically referencing “pathos.” And “comparison of two things” can be used instead of referring to a metaphor. If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them!

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IMAGES

  1. How To Write A Perfect SAT Essay

    sat essay tips

  2. Top SAT Tips and Tricks to Ace the Exam!

    sat essay tips

  3. How to Write a SAT Essay

    sat essay tips

  4. How To Write The New SAT Essay

    sat essay tips

  5. 20 Tips for Writing an Amazing Essay on the SAT

    sat essay tips

  6. How To Improve Writing Sat

    sat essay tips

VIDEO

  1. SAT Reading Tips and Writing Practice Strategies

  2. SAT Writing Section Walkthrough from a 1600 scorer (final two passages)

  3. Decoding the SAT Essay Prompt

  4. The SAT Essay Formula

  5. SAT Essay Scoring Explained

  6. 4 Steps to Beating the SAT Essay

COMMENTS

  1. About the SAT Essay: What to expect

    An overview of the SAT Essay. View more lessons or practice this subject at https://www.khanacademy.org/sat. Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world ...

  2. 5 SAT Essay Tips for a Great Score

    Try our Self-Paced Plus program - for FREE 1. Stay Objective. The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your... 2. Keep It Tidy. Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil... 3. ...

  3. Tips on How to Write the SAT Essay

    5 Essential SAT Essay Directions Tips. Your task is to analyze the argument, so you’ll need to focus on the author’s conclusion, and to consider how the author builds that argument. Note that the testmaker gives you a head start here, suggesting that you include analysis of evidence, reasoning, and stylistic elements.

  4. CHAPTER 14 About the SAT Essay

    The SAT Essay is a lot like a typical writing assignment in which you’re asked to analyze a text. To do well on the SAT Essay, you’ll want to have a good sense of what the test asks of you as well as the reading, analysis, and writing knowledge and skills required to compose a response to the Essay prompt.

  5. SAT Study Guide

    SAT Study Guide. The SAT Study Guide will tell you exactly what to expect on test day. You'll find practice tips, test-taking strategies, sample questions, and more. Practice tests are also available online so you can simulate test day and figure out how to focus your SAT study.