Here’s what happens after students finish the test. Two graders–generally college and high-school English teachers–will read each essay and place it on a scale of one to six. College Board officials emphasize that graders will see examples of stars and duds for each topic and be checked for consistency in their scoring.
If the two graders disagree by more than a point on an essay–a four and a two, for example–a third, more experienced grader will weigh in. The essay will count for about one third of the total score on the SAT writing test; the rest will be multiple choice.
Here are a few tips, based on interviews with consultants and counselors:
Practice. Take time to read good books (summer novels probably don’t qualify), and frequently try your hand at writing. Practice does help make perfect. You might get a test-prep book or ask a teacher for a few sample topics.
Think first, write second. California test-prep coach David Benjamin Gruenbaum teaches the 2-21-2 method. Spend two minutes planning your answer, 21 minutes writing and the last two minutes proofreading. Those bookend minutes can help you make the most efficient use of the middle time.
Penmanship. You won’t be graded on handwriting, but scorers must be able to read your work, and their time is obviously limited.
Use many paragraphs. Busy graders will probably skim. Paragraph breaks make a page of text easier to read and may get your essay more attention.
Make a clear argument. “On the one hand” and “on the other hand” isn’t the best approach. Pick one side and make your case, then use the most specific examples you can find to back it up.
Andy Lutz of the Princeton Review says, somewhat cynically, that the SAT measures nothing. But even he concedes that if the new test forces college applicants to write better, it might not be so bad.
