The SAT Essay: Shocking Secrets Revealed!

For second-semester high school juniors, SAT season is in full-thrust and many private SAT tutors are studying the latest modifications. With the March 12th test date only a few weeks away, many students are engaged in feverish cram sessions with tutors or test prep classes. Perhaps one of the most bewildering features of the upcoming test is the Essay. Students wonder anxiously, “How can I possibly write anything half-decent in twenty five minutes without ANY preparation?” As a seasoned SAT Verbal instructor, I can say with certainty that there are definitive methods for writing an excellent essay. Test-takers, do not despair!

In order to obtain a high score on the essay, it is important to first understand how the essay fits into the context of the exam and how it is approached by CollegeBoard graders.

The Facts:

• The SAT Essay is a fraction (about 1/3) of the overall Writing score - the bulk of the score is determined by a student’s performance on the two Grammar Multiple Choice sections. Nevertheless, the essay can be a terrific area for students to rack up points, particularly for those who are not “grammatically inclined.”
• The Essay is always the first section of the exam and lasts 25 minutes.
• The Essay is evaluated on a scale from 2 to 12. Two essay graders are assigned to review each essay and select a score from 1 to 6 based on their “holistic impression” of the writing. In other words, essay graders are more concerned with the overall content, organization, and cogency of the writer’s argument than minor mistakes in grammar, mechanics, or spelling. As a caveat, an accumulation of these mistakes can hinder a score if they obscure the clarity of the argument.
• The Essay prompt is not revealed until students sit down and take the exam; however, the prompt is broad enough to allow students to develop well-supported arguments within the allotted time.
• For an in-depth look at the scoring rubric used by the CollegeBoard, click here.

The Method

• Take a stand! Perhaps one of the greatest mistakes students make when writing the Essay is refusing to take a definitive stance on the prompt. Although advanced English students are typically rewarded for writing arguments that synthesize opposing viewpoints, this is NOT the case on the SAT. Students should save themselves the hassle of thinking too far outside the box and pick the side of the prompt that they feel most comfortable writing about. A well-defined argument forms the crux of a high scoring essay.
• Include two or three strong supporting examples! Another key to an exceptional score lies in the writer’s ability to pick relevant, specific supporting examples and expound. A common trap that students fall into is choosing supporting examples that sound “academic” that they actually know very little about. Although the plot and character development of Jane Eyre might be more palatable to an academe than, say, the events on the latest installment of “The Bachelor,” both of these things may provide grade-A fodder for a high-scoring SAT Essay. As long as the supporting example is detailed and well-linked to the argument, the source of the example is inconsequential.
• Create an Idea Bank! The number one complaint volleyed at the SAT Essay is the unknown-nature of the question; nonetheless, there are things a student CAN do to prepare himself before the tumult of exam day. With my past students, the best way to improve an essay score was to come up with an Idea Bank of potential supporting examples. As I mentioned earlier, the best supporting examples do not need to be drawn from scholarly sources. Many of my previous students who scored 11’s or 12’s on their essays had written about their favorite movies, books, television shows, or tabloid magazines (I am particularly reminded of a student who connected the proliferation of internet-based social media to the fall of Britney Spears. Brilliant!). The purpose of an Idea Bank is to devise five or six well-researched supporting examples that can be instantly recalled and connected to various essay prompts. Even the most glaringly “un-academic” sources (e.g. Jersey Shore, Twilight, SpongeBob) can be parsed for sophisticated themes (e.g. the perils of excess, the volatility of romantic love, the bliss of total ignorance). On test day, it is the student’s job to determine which examples in his Idea Bank can be manipulated to address the concerns of the prompt.
• Make it up! As a last resort, it’s better to improvise supporting evidence than to omit it entirely. Be creative and come up with a believable personal anecdote or an “imaginary” novel. Graders do not have the time to fact-check your essay. I was once fooled by one of my students who had written a fascinating account of her pilgrimage to the South American pyramids. Said pilgrimage NEVER happened, but the tale perfectly aligned with the prompt and her developing argument. I gave her a high-five.

And there you have it. Although daunting, the SAT Essay is totally beatable AND can be prepared for in advance. Test-takers should feel empowered to write about what they know rather than what might “sound good” to essay graders. Craft an Idea Bank and practice connecting supporting evidence to a variety of potential essay questions prior to exam day.

In Just Five Minutes...

When I was in high school, there were a few daily duties I had to complete everyday that I described as the “bane of my existence.”

In no particular order, here are the two I can recall as the “most annoying”:

1. Cleaning out my swim bag – including hanging up my towel, cap, and swim suit, replenishing the power bar pocket, and tossing my running shorts in the hamper

2. Studying Latin vocabulary flashcards (50 every week) and taking notes in my SAT tutoring sessions.

As an adult, this list has not changed much. Two of my least favorite chores are:

1. Doing laundry

2. Cleaning the kitchen (including vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher, and wiping off the stove top)

It’s funny how certain hatreds do not change much – thankfully, relatively early on I made a discovery that changed my approach to such despised responsibilities so that now, they don’t seem so painful anymore.

Maybe the adaption was organic, but when I was sixteen my dedication to cleaning out my swim bag every night and studying flashcards was sporadic and distracted by procrastination. I rarely did these things consistently (daily), and I often found myself cramming all 50 vocabulary flashcards in to one Sunday night study marathon study session or left with only damp dirty towels since I hadn’t done a wash in days.

Let’s be honest: nobody likes to study flashcards for two hours straight. So, somewhere along the line I tried something different: one day, I studied 25 cards on Saturday and 25 on Sunday.

And then I had an idea: what if I broke down my list of 50 vocabulary words in two groups of ten and studied a set of ten for five minutes every day?

Hence, the birth of what I like to call “the just-for-five-minutes-a-day” tactic for tackling “icky” jobs. Have a kitchen that needs to be cleaned? Give it a whirl for five minutes, everyday. I promise – you will be pleasantly surprised at not only how much you can accomplish in five minutes – but also, how you’ve just turned a seemingly daunting hour-long job in to a manageable and relatively stress-less accomplishment.

This isn’t to say you won’t spend the same amount of time doing the laundry or studying, per se – but it will lighten the anticipated dread to a level that makes any task seem absolutely manageable – and you won’t be left towel-less in a dirty kitchen.

When You Just Can't Concentrate

As I recall, getting through high school was no easy feat. Like many of you, I struggled to find time in the day for classes, homework, extra-curricular activities, a social life, and sleep. I battled fatigue, constant distractions, and the ever-present urge to procrastinate. On some days, I was victorious. I would turn off the TV, silence my phone, and sit in my orderly workspace, energized and motivated to tackle my work. But even then, I found that setting the stage for productivity wasn’t always enough. Despite my determination to complete the task at hand, my mind would sometimes wander.

What will I have for dinner? I can’t believe he said that! That was a good movie. My mom will be so upset when she finds out. Maybe I shouldn’t go this weekend…

There was always something to think about, and the fact of the matter is there always will be. Staying focused on work can be challenging at any age—in high school and beyond, which is why it is good to start SAT tutoring early. So, over the years, I’ve picked up a few strategies to help me stay on track. And if you’ve ever had a hard time concentrating, you’ll find them useful too.

Task lists: Write down everything you need to accomplish, and break large projects down into smaller, more manageable tasks. If you happen to lose focus, your task list—a sort of visual plan—will remind you of exactly what you should be working on. And the best part of making lists is the satisfaction you get every time you cross off an item.

Time boxing: This can be a very effective time-management tool. Instead of working on a task through completion, commit to working on it for a set amount of time. The idea behind time boxing a particular task is that you are excluding other tasks and unrelated thoughts from your radar during that window of time.

Breaks: Taking scheduled breaks is an important part of maintaining your concentration. A 15-minute break after an hour of studying, for example, can help keep your mind fresh and focused. Try to get a change of scenery during your break. Go outside, do stretches, walk the dog, etc. Exercise is a great way to clear your head of clutter and can even help you absorb what you’ve just studied.

Music: Sometimes noise is the best way to drown out other noise or unwanted thoughts. Be careful when listening to music while you work, though, as some types can be distracting. I recommend listening to something instrumental or even the sounds of nature, which should help relax you and aid concentration.

Launch Education Group Hires Two Associate Directors!

We are very excited to announce the addition of Matt Steiner and Erin Tanaka to the Launch Education team! Matt and Erin will be joining the Los Angeles office as full time Associate Directors. Their impressive academic backgrounds and professional experiences make them a great fit for our growing company. Learn more about Matt and Erin by reading their full bios below!

Matt Steiner, M.A., Associate Director (Los Angeles)
Matt earned his M.A. in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. Prior to his graduate studies, Matt was the head of classroom programs at Ivy West, LLC, a Los Angeles-based standardized test prep company. As a result of his extensive experience in the test preparation industry, Matt has become one of the most knowledgeable and empathetic experts in the field.

Matt received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he was awarded College Honors and Honors in the major. He has a penchant for interdisciplinary learning and can be found dabbling in books and journal articles pertaining to Psychology, Philosophy and Anthropology.

When off the clock, Matt spends some of his time scouring Los Angeles County for delicious new eateries. In between meals, he enjoys healthy doses of television and exercise - Bravo reality television shows are his greatest vice - and spontaneous trips to the Griffith Park Observatory. Eventually, Matt hopes to visit foreign lands - especially Barcelona, Tokyo, and Rome - and become “worldly” (i.e. well-versed in international cuisine).

Erin Tanaka, M.Ed., Associate Director (Los Angeles)
Erin earned her M.Ed. and multiple subject teaching credential from UCLA. Prior to graduate school, Erin received her B.A. from the University of California, Irvine where she graduated cum laude, majoring in Psychology and Social Behavior and in History, and minoring in Educational Studies.

Following graduation from UCLA, she was a founding teacher at John Liechty Middle School in downtown Los Angeles, where she taught English, History, SAT prep, and Advisory to 6th through 8th grade students. A highly dedicated teacher, Erin founded the school’s first leadership group, co-advised the first spirit team and completed the Los Angeles marathon with several of her students. She also has extensive one-on-one tutoring experience, privately working with students in Los Angeles, New York and Buenos Aires.

As a Santa Monica resident, Erin loves running along the beach, dancing with friends, practicing photography with her DSLR camera, indulging her inner foodie, and of course planning her next travel destination with friends.