How to Ace the SAT Essay: A Skilled Tutor Teaches the SAT Writing Test
1/5
()
About this ebook
Learn how to create a dynamic hook and thesis, budget your time, and make killer outlines. Write quality paragraphs full of specific facts and clever insights. Learn where to get your information by reading the right books, visiting the right websites, and even watching the right movies! With a bonus section on Grammar, Idioms, and Verb Forms for the SAT Writing Test, this book has everything you need to succeed. Worksheets on grammar, style, and content, exclusive essay prompts available nowhere else, and much more.
Valerie Estelle Frankel
Valerie Estelle Frankel has won a Dream Realm Award, an Indie Excellence Award, and a USA Book News National Best Book Award for her Henry Potty parodies. She's the author of 75 books on pop culture, including Doctor Who - The What, Where, and How, History, Sherlock: Every Canon Reference You May Have Missed in BBC's Series 1-3, Homages and the Highlands: An Outlander Guide, and How Game of Thrones Will End. Many of her books focus on women's roles in fiction, from her heroine's journey guides From Girl to Goddess and Buffy and the Heroine's Journey to books like Women in Game of Thrones and The Many Faces of Katniss Everdeen. Once a lecturer at San Jose State University, she's a frequent speaker at conferences. Come explore her research at www.vefrankel.com.
Read more from Valerie Estelle Frankel
Songbirds, Snakes, & Sacrifice: Collins’ Prequel References and Philosophies Explained Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsScots, Sassenachs, and Spankings: Feminism and Gender Roles in Outlander Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bloodsuckers on the Bayou: The Myths, Symbols, and Tales Behind HBO’s True Blood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKatniss the Cattail: An Unauthorized Guide to Names and Symbols in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5History, Homages and the Highlands: An Outlander Guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Henry Potty and the Pet Rock: An Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Harry Potter and Myth: The Legends behind Cursed Child, Fantastic Beasts, and all the Hero’s Journeys Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Remember All Their Faces A Deeper Look at Character, Gender and the Prison World of Orange Is The New Black Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWinning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Empowered: The Symbolism, Feminism, and Superheroism of Wonder Woman Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChosen One: The Heroine's Journey of Katniss, Elsa, Tris, Bella, and Rey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOrphan Black and the Heroine’s Journey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Marvelous Metafiction: Investigating the Literary in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSymbols in Game of Thrones: The Deeper Meanings of Animals, Colors, Seasons, Food, and Much More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsConquer the New SAT Essay: A Skilled Professor Teaches the 2016 SAT Essay Section Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Who Tells Your Story? History, Pop Culture, and Hidden Meanings in the Musical Phenomenon Hamilton Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWe're Home: Fandom, Fun, and Hidden Homages in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSherlock: Every Canon Reference You May Have Missed in BBC's Series 1-3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Avengers Face Their Dark Sides: Mastering the Myth-Making behind the Marvel Superheroes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCreating Your Magical World Workshop: For Writers of Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Games Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSelf Promo Stories: Authors’ Boldest, Cleverest & Wackiest Strategies to Sell their Books Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Rey of Hope: Feminism, Symbolism and Hidden Gems in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Pop Culture Holiday Sampler The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Buffy, Firefly, The Avengers, and More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe English Teacher’s Guide to the Hamilton Musical: Symbols, Allegory, Metafiction, and Clever Language Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHenry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage: The Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Red, Blue, and Bronze: Inside the Symbols of the Wonder Woman Film Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5
Related to How to Ace the SAT Essay
Related ebooks
Egghead's Guide to Vocabulary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Uncomplicated Essay: A Painlessly Straightforward Formula for Writing Effective Literary Analyses (Middle School Edition) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Read for the SAT Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsManaging the Classroom: Preparing students for a career-ready future Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClose the Achievement Gap: Simple Strategies That Work Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSurvival Skills for the New Elementary Teacher Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInterjections Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Seven S's of Developing Young Writers: Alphabet Sevens, #5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCalled to Teach: A Guidebook for the Journey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMake It Plain: Keys to Being a Successful High School Student Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Classroom to CEO in 30 Days Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Max Score AP Essentials English Literature and Composition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDavid Copperfield Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGirl on a Plane Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Keys to Effective Teaching: Culturally Revelant Teaching Strategies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings95 Timeless Stories for Middle School and High School Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlphabet Meditations for Teachers: Everday Wisdom for Educators Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Get the Most Out of School: A Practical Guide for Students and Parents Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Dream Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIf You Don't Feed the Students, They Starve: Improving Attitude and Achievement through Positive Relationships Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking: Grades 3-5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWorld Conflicts Since 1900: Passbooks Study Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBreaking the Word Barrier: Stories of Adults Learning to Read Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHelp Your Child Learn to Read Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Teaching Genius: Redefining Education with Lessons from Science and Philosophy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPeter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLanguage Arts Tutor: Capitalization and Punctuation, Grades 4 - 8 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret Lives of Teachers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Is for Inquiry: An Illustrated ABC of Inquiry-Based Instruction for Elementary Teachers and Schools Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
College Entrance Exams For You
LSAT For Dummies (with Free Online Practice Tests) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Easy Algebra Step-by-Step, Second Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Digital SAT Preview: What to Expect + Tips and Strategies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finish What You Start: The Art of Following Through, Taking Action, Executing, & Self-Discipline Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From 150 to 179 on the LSAT Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5GMAT Foundations of Math: Start Your GMAT Prep with Online Starter Kit and 900+ Practice Problems Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5LSAT PrepTest 81 Unlocked: Exclusive Data, Analysis & Explanations for the June 2017 LSAT Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLSAT Logic Games Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5MCAT 528 Advanced Prep 2023-2024: Online + Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLSAT NECESSARY: An LSAT prep test guide for the non-logical thinker Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay: 30 Essays That Won Over $3 Million in Scholarships Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5ACT Math & Science Prep: Includes 500+ Practice Questions Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2022: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLSAT Logical Reasoning Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5CLEP® Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2 (Book + Online) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5LSAT Reading Comprehension Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Premed Playbook: Guide to the Medical School Personal Statement Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Digital PSAT/NMSQT Study Guide Premium, 2024: 4 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings50 Real Law School Personal Statements: And Everything You Need to Know to Write Yours Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5AP Computer Science A Premium, 2024: 6 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLSAT For Dummies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Abnormal Psychology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5LSAT PrepTest 87 Unlocked Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLSAT For Dummies: Book + 5 Practice Tests Online Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCollege Admission Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing Colleges Who You Are and What Matters to You Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for How to Ace the SAT Essay
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
How to Ace the SAT Essay - Valerie Estelle Frankel
Scoring and Evaluating the SAT Essay
The first section of the SAT is always a 25 minute essay on a rather general prompt such as courage or honesty. Some are famous quotes or excerpts from essays. There’s a collection of sample prompts available in this book, and there are many on the web.
Some people have trouble preparing for the essay since it’s not graded as clearly as the grammar or math problems, but the graders have clear criteria. Two graders look over the essay and each gives it a score between 1 and 6. An off-topic essay earns a 0. If the graders give it a 4 and a 5, that’s a 9 out of 12. If they give it scores too far apart, such as a 3 and a 5, a third grader breaks the tie. This score out of twelve forms a large portion of the SAT Writing Score, which is determined by the one essay score plus the score on two SAT sections of grammar questions. This book focuses on the trickiest section: the essay.
Step One: Write a Good Essay
Basically, a 4 and above is a competent essay, while 3 and below is not a competent essay. That’s one of the first questions the grader asks: is this a qualified, proper essay, or not?
A good essay writer does all of the following:
Shows he/she understands the rules of grammar, spelling, and proper sentences with minimal mistakes.
Varies word choice and sentence style.
Includes a thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion
Logical progression of ideas to make an argument
Each sentence supports its paragraph topic, which in turn supports the thesis.
Step Two: Push it from Good to Phenomenal
To earn a six, the essay has to impress two different graders. It can’t just be acceptable – the reader must finish it and think, "Wow, now that’s an essay. Or
That was really clever – I never thought of it that way."
A Six essay does the following:
Demonstrates clear and consistent mastery – this author clearly knows all the rules of grammar and writing. (These rules are listed in this book.)
Develops a thoughtful point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clear and appropriate examples to support its position
Shows excellent organization with clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas
Varies word choice and sentence style skillfully, cleverly, and effectively.
Studies show that essays over 400 words in length receive better scores, as do ones with more literature, history, and scholarly examples.
College Board Official Scoring Guide with Sample Essays:
http://sat.collegeboard.org/scores/sat-essay-scoring-guide
Other sample SAT essays are available on many websites:
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/about/sections/essay
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/409070-sample-sat-12-essays.html
http://www.majortests.com/sat/essay-sample1.php
http://www.collegeadmissionsessay.com/sample_essays.asp
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/cavalcade/PDF/april2005/SAT_ACT_p32_33.pdf
http://www.education.com/reference/article/essay-1/
http://www.sat-essay.net/sample-sat-essays.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/newsat/chapter6section5.rhtml
Sample paragraphs are also used within this book.
Graders are looking for deep thought – a real understanding of the topic. There are several ways to do this: You can apply the topic to current issues and show how they’re affecting lives today. You might add