What Are Some Examples for the SAT Essay?

[apples]

i'm taking my SAT for the second time this november, and this is my last chance.
I've not read a lot of literature, so i;m not good at quoting from books
But amidst all the confusion, chaos, and panic in 25 minutes, i can't think of any examples to support my essay (opinion).
In my last sat i couldn't think of anything either, i just wrote 3 personal anecdotes as examples, that too i made up. I ended up with a 7.
does anyone have any bright ideas or suggestions?

 

[Werg22]

https://www.amazon.com/Increase-Your-Score-Minutes-Day/dp/0071440429/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9365526-6515821?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190916711&sr=8-1

 

[oedipa maas]

I just looked at the collegeboard website and the sample essay question:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/essay/pracStart.html

Making up anecdotes is really the only way to approach arguments dull enough for the SAT. Could there be a more milquetoast topic than "Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present?"

Sample Essay

As a junior neuroscientist at my local university, I worked on a project which involved uploading my memories to a computer file. Some of the memories that I uploaded were happy. And some of theme were sad. The night that my beautiful girlfriend was killed in a car accident I climbed in the window of the lab and downloaded the memory of kissing her 248 times. My parents made me go to school the next day, but I downloaded the memory on to my iMind and skipped all my classes watching my memory replay in the last bathroom stall. When the batteries ran out, I was truly bereft and I wept inconsolably. The terror of memory is that you can't distinguish between your recollection of the past and your recollection of representations of the past.

PS - the scoring scheme on the college board website only goes up to 6 - how did you get a 7 ?

 

[Werg22]

I just looked at the collegeboard website and the sample essay question:
PS - the scoring scheme on the college board website only goes up to 6 - how did you get a 7 ?

Two correctors each assign your essay a grade on 6 that must not differ by more than 1 point. The score is the sum of these grades - he got 3/6 and 4/6.

 

[apples]

A lot of people quote from books they've read through out high school.
i need ideas or some examples from literature or history that would easily fit in a lot of different places.

 

[Werg22]

The best way to prepare for the SAT essay, in my opinion, is to try to sort out essay questions in categories. Then write one essay for each category; on the test, it will be easy to recycle your essay to accommodate the essay question.

 

[apples]

nice...
now where do i get the different categories from.

 

[Werg22]

Get yourself a book with sample questions, it helps.

 

[sahar_hadad]

hi everybody i am new here and i am about to have my first S.A.T test and i have no idea how is it going to be like or what shall i do ,so please if anyone knows how shall i prepare myself please tell me!

 

[G037H3]

SAT is really really easy...you should know all of the material on it by the time you reach grade 9 o.o

 

[ephedyn]

From how you've described your problem, I suppose you always fall short of filling up the space that you were given. You don't have to put a lot of quality into the anecdotal stuff, just make sure you use every line that they've given you. It's been studied and shown that the very first and most important factor that decides your essay score is the length your essay, even if you had come up with fictitious quotations and historical statements. It isn't very ethical to advise you to do this just for the sake of score, but I don't think a 25min limit encourages quality essay writing anyway; and of course, I don't think you have to resort to fictitious writing to fill up the space.

I did a 12/12 on my essay with nothing said about my personal experience, but if you find it easier to relate your personal experiences, by all means, whatever gives you more content in the shortest time.

 

[sahar_hadad]

Thank u all ,that is great but what r the other parts of the exams , i mean essay and WHAT?? i am sorry but i am an egyptian girl and it is my first year in an american school i am in grade 10 now and i am so confused and i really need help!:P

 

[sweetpotato]

sahar_hadad, look at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT

The SAT has 3 parts: critical reading, math, and writing (essay).

You say you're in 10th grade, so I'm not sure why you're taking the SAT this early, unless it's just for practice. Remember, you can re-take the SAT if you don't do well the first time.

Good luck!

 

[ephedyn]

Just a slight correction to what sweetpotato has said, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, but *some* schools do explicitly state that it starts to count against you once you take it more than 3 times, e.g. University of Pennsylvania.

I would latest (any earlier is better, provided you are ready) start taking the SAT 5 test dates before the date of application to university, to give myself a comfortable margin of 3 takes at the reasoning test and 2 takes at the SAT subject tests. Of course, most likely you wouldn't need to take it that many times.

 

[Energystrom]

A few easy steps to a 12/12 (in my experience):

1) Clear, obvious, thesis in your introduction paragraph specifically taking a side; now's not the time to be ambivalent.
2) Fill up every line. Quantity over quality in this case, though preferably both.
3) Copious evidence; feel free to make up books, movies, and life experiences. A mix of different sources helps, and a clear relation to your thesis.
4) A conclusion with a new, unifying idea.

Consider that a overworked (and underpayed) teacher looking to make a bit of extra money is probably scanning your essay in less than a minute or two. All they're going to have the time/desire to do is read your intro, conclusion, and a few bits of the body. As long as the form and content is good enough for a quick glance, chances are you'll do fine. Now is the time to demonstrate a control of a simple 5-paragraph essay.

 

[sahar_hadad]

sweetbotato: thank you sooo much for the link it helped me so much
ephedyn & energystorm :: thanks 4 the advice i will follow it
thank you all 4 help

 

[sahar_hadad]

okay guys i need another favoure , does anyone know on what wepsite can i find a model for a pre. sat book?