SAT PreparationSAT Preparation

Writing Section:Writing Section:

The EssayThe Essay

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

20-25 minutes: Review SAT essay scoring 20-25 minutes: Review SAT essay scoring rubric, strategies, and sample essays.rubric, strategies, and sample essays.

25 minutes: Write the essay.25 minutes: Write the essay. 5-10 minutes: Swap essay with a partner 5-10 minutes: Swap essay with a partner

and score them according to the rubric.and score them according to the rubric.

Why do we have to write an essay?Why do we have to write an essay?

According to According to www.collegeboard.com, the , the official website of the people that make the official website of the people that make the SAT, the essay measures your ability to:SAT, the essay measures your ability to:– Develop a point of view on an issue presented Develop a point of view on an issue presented

in an excerptin an excerpt– Support your point of view using reasoning and Support your point of view using reasoning and

examples from your reading, studies, examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observationsexperience, or observations

– Follow the conventions of standard written Follow the conventions of standard written EnglishEnglish

How is the essay scored?How is the essay scored?

The essay will be scored by trained high The essay will be scored by trained high school and college teachers. school and college teachers.

Two teachers will read and score your Two teachers will read and score your essay.essay.

The highest score each teacher can give you The highest score each teacher can give you is a 6, so the top combined score you can is a 6, so the top combined score you can receive is a 12.receive is a 12.

What do I have to do to get a 6?What do I have to do to get a 6?

According to According to www.collegeboard.com, an , an essay that scores a 6 demonstrates essay that scores a 6 demonstrates clear and clear and consistent masteryconsistent mastery, although it may have a , although it may have a few minor errors.few minor errors.

A typical “6” essayA typical “6” essay

A typical “6” essay…A typical “6” essay…– Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on

the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its positionand other evidence to support its position

– Is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating Is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideasclear coherence and smooth progression of ideas

– Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabularyaccurate, and apt vocabulary

– Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structureDemonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure– Is free of most errors in grammar, usage, and Is free of most errors in grammar, usage, and

mechanicsmechanics

Time ManagementTime Management

Here is how I would budget my time while Here is how I would budget my time while writing the essay:writing the essay:– 3-5 minutes: Brainstorm as many examples as 3-5 minutes: Brainstorm as many examples as

you can from your reading, studies, experience, you can from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. Then pick the example you or observations. Then pick the example you think would make the best essay.think would make the best essay.

– 15-20 minutes: Write the essay. Shoot for at 15-20 minutes: Write the essay. Shoot for at least 3 solid paragraphs.least 3 solid paragraphs.

– 2-5 minutes: Reread the essay; clean up errors.2-5 minutes: Reread the essay; clean up errors.

Tips from the College BoardTips from the College Board

According to According to www.collegeboard.com, these , these are things you can do to boost your SAT are things you can do to boost your SAT essay score:essay score:– Read the entire assignment.Read the entire assignment.– Don’t oversimplify.Don’t oversimplify.– There’s nothing wrong with “I.”There’s nothing wrong with “I.”

A Sample Essay PromptA Sample Essay Prompt

Think carefully about the issue presented in the Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.following excerpt and the assignment below.

Many persons believe that to move up the ladder Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they must forget the of success and achievement, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present.and present.

——Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've I've Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and LiberationKnown Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation

A Sample Essay PromptA Sample Essay Prompt

AssignmentAssignment: Do memories hinder or help : Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or your reading, studies, experience, or observations.observations.

Student WorkStudent Work

Let’s check out a few Let’s check out a few actual actual student essays student essays which earned scores of a 6.which earned scores of a 6.

Let’s discuss what Let’s discuss what in particularin particular made these made these solid essays, and consider how we could solid essays, and consider how we could apply this to our own writing.apply this to our own writing.

The EssayThe Essay

Now it is time to write your own version of Now it is time to write your own version of this essay.this essay.

You have 25 minutes.You have 25 minutes. Shoot for a 6!Shoot for a 6!

ScoringScoring

Now, exchange essays with a partner, and Now, exchange essays with a partner, and give his/her essay a score on the 6 point give his/her essay a score on the 6 point scale.scale.

Give them feedback in the praise-Give them feedback in the praise-suggestion-praise format.suggestion-praise format.

Tonight’s HomeworkTonight’s Homework

Take 25 minutes and use today’s strategies Take 25 minutes and use today’s strategies to write an essay in response to the essay to write an essay in response to the essay topic on the board.topic on the board.