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SAT – Essay (optional)

What does the SAT Essay Section test?

The SAT Essay section is an optional section of the SAT exam that measures your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments and to communicate your ideas effectively in writing. The essay is scored separately from the rest of the exam, and it is not included in your total SAT score.

In the SAT Essay section, you are given a passage to read and analyze. The passage is usually a persuasive essay or an excerpt from a longer work that presents an argument on a particular topic. You are then asked to write an essay in response to the passage, analyzing the author’s argument and how they use evidence to support their claims.

Your essay should be well-organized and clearly written, and it should demonstrate your ability to analyze the argument presented in the passage. You should also use specific examples from the passage to support your analysis and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

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How is the SAT Essay Section organized?

There will be a 650 – 750-word passage for you to read and analyze in arts, sciences, government, politics, or culture.
The passage will involve a reasoned argument or point of view stated by the author that is backed by evidence.
Often, the author states their points and builds to a conclusion in subtle ways. The student writer of the essay will need to use inference skills and make connections to analyze the argument.
You’ll have 50 minutes to write the essay on a double-sided, lined page. Do not feel that you need to fill up all the pages. Focus on writing a quality essay.

SAT Essay Instructions:

1^st prompt (before the passage) As you read the passage, consider how the author uses:

Evidence such as facts or examples to support their claims,
Reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence,
Stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

After you read the passage, a 2^nd prompt instructs you to:

Write an essay in which you explain how the author builds an argument to persuade their audience that [whatever they claim]. In your essay, analyze how the author uses one or more features listed in the 1^st prompt (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of their argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.
Your essay should not explain whether you agree with the author’s claims, but rather explain how the author builds an argument to persuade their audience.

How is the SAT Essay scored?

Each essay is evaluated by 2 graders.
Each grader assigns a score of 1 – 4 in three categories: reading, analysis, and writing.
The 2 grader’s scores are added together to give a score of 2 – 8 on each of the three categories.
Reading score – how well did you understand the passage? Do you use the evidence effectively to demonstrate your understanding?
Analysis score – How well did you explain how the author built their argument to persuade the reader using evidence, reasoning, and other persuasive details? Does your essay pull relevant details from the passage to support your claims?
Writing score – What is the quality of your writing abilities? How effective was your use of language to support your points? Is there a clear thesis? Do you vary your sentences? Does the essay follow a logical path of ideas? Is your language use clear and concise? Are the paragraphs well crafted? Does the argument flow?

While the SAT Essay section is optional, many colleges and universities require or recommend it as part of the admissions process, so it is important to check the requirements of the schools you are applying to before deciding whether or not to take the SAT Essay.