Wouldn't it be nice if your SAT essay prompt asked you something you really wanted to write about, like whether you're on Team Edward, Team Jacob, Team Nobody, or Team Dan? Or whether Modern Warfare 2 or Assassin’s Creed 2 is a better video game? But no, when you take the SAT you'll be given generic essay prompts like these:
1. Is it always best to follow one's own belief of right and wrong, or should one sometimes consider society's opinions?
2. Is talent or dedication a more important factor in achieving one's goals?
3. Is it important to be truthful all of the time no matter what, or is deceit acceptable in some circumstances?
As many of you know, it’s AP exam season. If thinking about taking your AP tests makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Here’s an email we received from one worried Sparkler:
I am currently taking AP USH and AP Eng. However, I am not doing so well when it comes to writing essays. The AP exams are coming up soon, and I would like to know what you guys would suggest I do to better prepare myself. I write plenty of essays, but I don’t get them back until many weeks later, and by that time, I've all but forgotten what the topic was over. Thanks for the advice!
Though it can seem like a challenge to prepare for the essay portion of any test when you don’t know what the essay topic will be, there are some simple things you can do to improve your AP essay scores. Here they are:
This week, we're discussing sources of students' stress. A comment from KaurA123 serves as a reminder that the SAT and ACT aren't the only stressful parts of applying for college:
i'm a senior...and college apps r like due at the end of this month which is totally strssing me out!!! I hv started filling the apps out but they r pretty confusing ....idk WHT 2 DO!!!!!
We’ve been talking a lot lately about strategies for writing the best introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions you possibly can in the 25 minutes you’re given to compose your SAT essay. What we haven’t discussed is how to actually come up with your essay topic after reading the prompt.
Let’s say that the prompt is “A good leader should be feared rather than loved. Do you agree or disagree?” If you're like us, your first response might be something like I have absolutely no idea what position I should take on that issue. Here's a method to help you quickly figure out what stance you should take.
If you’re like many SAT essay writers, you struggle to come up with a great way to wrap up your essay. You might end things by repeating the thesis statement and main points, sometimes word for word. Or you might take the opposite route and bring up a bunch of new information in the conclusion, which will only leave the graders scratching their heads, wondering, what did that have to do with the rest of the essay? Neither technique is ideal.
It’s the morning of the SAT test and you just got your essay prompt. You’ve come up with a thesis, three solid reasons to support your thesis, and examples that will perfectly illustrate your reasons. It should be a snap from here, right?
Not necessarily. Even when you know what you want to say in your essay, knowing how to present it in your introduction can be a challenge. Just getting that first line down on the blank page can feel like a Sisyphean task. The struggle to start your essay often leads to two problems: either you write a jumbled introduction that includes every thought you have on the topic at hand, or you simply write your thesis and move on to your supporting paragraphs.
