25 Minute Essay
The 25 Minute Essay The SAT® begins with an essay. You'll be asked to present and support a point of view on a specific issue. Because you have only 25 minutes, your essay is not expected to be polished - it is meant to be a first draft.
Tips:
The SAT essay measures your ability to:
Remember:
Sample Prompt for the 25 Minute Essay
Sample Prompt : Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Scenario: Most people think that contentment—being happy with the way things are—is the perfect state of affairs. After all, what could be better than being so satisfied with how things are that you don't want anything else? But contentment has disadvantages: if we are content with the way things are, we are not motivated to change things, to improve ourselves, or to do better. We must therefore always choose between being content and pushing ourselves to do better.
Assignment: Does being content with the way things are prevent people from improving themselves and doing better? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Typical Essay Topic Clusters
1. Technology
Several past examples of essays have been related to the impact of Technology on society. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
2. Social:
Several past examples of essays have been related to Social Issues. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
Several past examples of essays have been related to the importance of Ethics. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics
Several past examples of essays have been related to the importance of Heroes. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
The 25 Minute Essay The SAT® begins with an essay. You'll be asked to present and support a point of view on a specific issue. Because you have only 25 minutes, your essay is not expected to be polished - it is meant to be a first draft.
Tips:
The SAT essay measures your ability to:
- develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt
- support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations
- follow the conventions of standard written English
Remember:
- A pencil is required for the essay. An essay written in ink will receive a score of zero.
- Do not write your essay in your test book. You will receive credit only for what you write on your answer sheet.
- An off-topic essay will receive a score of zero.
- If your essay does not reflect your original and individual work, your test scores may be canceled.
Sample Prompt for the 25 Minute Essay
Sample Prompt : Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Scenario: Most people think that contentment—being happy with the way things are—is the perfect state of affairs. After all, what could be better than being so satisfied with how things are that you don't want anything else? But contentment has disadvantages: if we are content with the way things are, we are not motivated to change things, to improve ourselves, or to do better. We must therefore always choose between being content and pushing ourselves to do better.
Assignment: Does being content with the way things are prevent people from improving themselves and doing better? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Typical Essay Topic Clusters
1. Technology
Several past examples of essays have been related to the impact of Technology on society. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
- Has today's abundance of information only made it more difficult for us to understand the world around us?
- Should society limit people's exposure to some kinds of information or forms of expression?
- Are there benefits to be gained from avoiding the use of modern technology, even when using it would make life easier?
- Do images and impressions have too much of an effect on people?
- Is the most important purpose of technology today different from what it was in the past?
- Have modern advancements truly improved the quality of people's lives?
- Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?
- Is education primarily the result of influences other than school?
- Does a strong commitment to technological progress cause a society to neglect other values, such as education and the protection of the environment?
- Are all important discoveries the result of focusing on one subject?
- Do newspapers, magazines, television, radio, movies, the Internet, and other media determine what is important to most people?
2. Social:
Several past examples of essays have been related to Social Issues. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
- Is it sometimes necessary to be impolite?
- Do all established traditions deserve to remain in existence?
- Is the main value of the arts to teach us about the world around us?
- Should modern society be criticized for being materialistic?
- Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general?
Several past examples of essays have been related to the importance of Ethics. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics
- Does being ethical make it hard to be successful?
- Are people's actions motivated primarily by a desire for power over others?
- Should people always be loyal?
- Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the truth?
- Is it important to try to understand people's motivations before judging their actions?
- Can deception—pretending that something is true when it is not—sometimes have good results?
- Are established rules too limited to guide people in real-life situations?
- Should schools help students understand moral choices and social issues?
Several past examples of essays have been related to the importance of Heroes. Here are some previously used SAT Essay question topics:
- Should we limit our use of the term "courage" to acts in which people risk their own well-being for the sake of others or to uphold a value?
- Should we admire heroes but not celebrities?
- Is there a value in celebrating certain individuals as heroes?
The Official SAT Essay Scoring Rubric
How the Essay Is Scored: Each essay is independently scored by two readers on a scale from 1 to 6. These readers' scores are combined to produce the 2-12 scale. The essay readers are experienced and trained high school and college teachers. If the scores differ by more than a point, it is sent to a third scorer.
How the Essay Is Scored: Each essay is independently scored by two readers on a scale from 1 to 6. These readers' scores are combined to produce the 2-12 scale. The essay readers are experienced and trained high school and college teachers. If the scores differ by more than a point, it is sent to a third scorer.
Scoring Guide
- Score of 6: An essay in this category demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors. A typical essay:
- Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position
- Is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas
- Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate and apt vocabulary
- Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure
- Is free of most errors in grammar, usage and mechanics
- Score of 5: An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, although it has occasional errors or lapses in quality. A typical essay:
- Effectively develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates strong critical thinking, generally using appropriate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position
- Is well organized and focused, demonstrating coherence and progression of ideas
- Exhibits facility in the use of language, using appropriate vocabulary
- Demonstrates variety in sentence structure
- Is generally free of most errors in grammar, usage and mechanics
- Score of 4: An essay in this category demonstrates adequate mastery, although it has lapses in quality. A typical essay:
- Develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates competent critical thinking, using adequate examples, reasons and other evidence to support its position
- Is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas
- Exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, using generally appropriate vocabulary
- Demonstrates some variety in sentence structure
- Has some errors in grammar, usage and mechanics
- Score of 3: An essay in this category demonstrates developing mastery, and is marked by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:
- Develops a point of view on the issue, demonstrating some critical thinking, but may do so inconsistently or use inadequate examples, reasons or other evidence to support its position
- Is limited in its organization or focus, or may demonstrate some lapses in coherence or progression of ideas
- Displays developing facility in the use of language, but sometimes uses weak vocabulary or inappropriate word choice
- Lacks variety or demonstrates problems in sentence structure
- Contains an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage and mechanics
- Score of 2: An essay in this category demonstrates little mastery, and is flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:
- Develops a point of view on the issue that is vague or seriously limited, and demonstrates weak critical thinking, providing inappropriate or insufficient examples, reasons or other evidence to support its position
- Is poorly organized and/or focused, or demonstrates serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas
- Displays very little facility in the use of language, using very limited vocabulary or incorrect word choice
- Demonstrates frequent problems in sentence structure
- Contains errors in grammar, usage and mechanics so serious that meaning is somewhat obscured
- Score of 1: An essay in this category demonstrates very little or no mastery, and is severely flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:
- Develops no viable point of view on the issue, or provides little or no evidence to support its position
- Is disorganized or unfocused, resulting in a disjointed or incoherent essay
- Displays fundamental errors in vocabulary
- Demonstrates severe flaws in sentence structure
- Contains pervasive errors in grammar, usage or mechanics that persistently interfere with meaning
- Score of 0: Essays not written on the essay assignment will receive a score of zero