Sample Template

Q: Is honesty always the best policy?

Honesty is crucial to build and maintain trust. Several examples from history/current events/science/literary works clearly demonstrate that KEYWORD...

As demonstrated by EXAMPLE 10, . ……………….……………..(six sentences)………...……………………. Therefore/Hence/Thus ...

After a careful analysis of X, Y, and Z, KEYWORD is INDEED crucial to... Had X, Y, Z been KEYWORD, they would have/not have …


Universal Template

Make sure the template you build can be applied to all possible prompts. The key is to make it generic/broad enough. For example, Intro Plug-In: “Several examples from…” is generic enough that you can use it no matter what the prompt.

Time Management

Give yourself less time during practice; 16-18 minutes should do to simulate the real test. Trust me … when you take the real test, it is not going to feel like a whole 25 minutes. Because of all the pressure and anxiety, you will feel rushed – thus, 16-18 minutes are perfect to prep for this section.

Subjective Nature

Graders are humans after all, and there is no way of predicting how they will react to your essay. That is why relying on a proven template is a safer way to go than improvising during the test. Avoid using controversial examples such as those relating to religion, politics, race, and gender. You never know who will be reading and grading your essay.

Length

Simply put - length matters. No matter what the makers of the SAT say, it is a fact that longer essays reflect more profound knowledge of the subject matter. I find that length and thesis are the two most important factors in determining an essay’s grade. Do not leave any space if possible.

Legibility

Make sure your essay is readable. I have seen some horrible handwriting and I have given them mostly 6s and 8s, depending on what I could get from the essays. Write legibly and make sure that your writing is not too big or too small.

Vocabulary

Too many students make the mistake of using excessive SAT words in hopes of impressing the graders. Don’t be a pretender! only use those words that you are comfortable using. Sometimes, it is better to just use simple words as long as you can get your point across.

Grammar

You won’t be penalized severely as long as you don’t make obvious mistakes. Graders understand that you are writing under pressure and that you are only given 25 minutes to write a full-length essay. Therefore, spend the last a minute or so proofreading for obvious/silly mistakes.