<p>@andreea29: please send me your email. @jkjeremy: I agree on the point that memorizing and copying down examples distorts the true meaning of the writing section. However, that is what I did in the June test and CB seemed OK with it (I got an 11). As long as CB still approves of this method, many students will employ it. This fact is annoying, and some colleges, such as Swarthmore, claim that they will not read the SAT essay. But it can’t be helped, as long as CB remains unchanged.</p>
<p>So I’m gonna quote from someone else (whose name I have forgotten): Don’t get overly concerned about your SAT essay. Just follow whichever method you feel most comfortable with. Your true writing skill can be demonstrated in the college essay, which is much more significant.</p>
<p>@jkjeremy: I agree on the point that memorizing and copying down examples distorts the true meaning of the writing section. However, that is what I did in the June test and CB seemed OK with it (I got an 11)</p>
<p>UrsaWarrior, believe me when I tell you that you would have earned an 11 even had you not followed any of the kinds of formats and templates available here.</p>
<p>A score of eleven means that you answered the question in a logical way and did so while showing that you have mastered the elements of quality writing.</p>
<p>Against my better instincts, I clicked on the link to the tutoring website blog. That guy is a strong writer.</p>
<p>Not sure why it should be against anyone’s better instincts to inform himself about a topic before he offers advice.</p>
<p>My source is years sitting in the reading rooms scoring the SAT essay.</p>
<p>“Reading rooms”? What are you talking about?</p>
<p>To repeat, the preponderance of the evidence suggests that many or most students can do well–perhaps get to the 10 range–by adhering to a fairly formulaic, four- or five-paragraph essay structure, which will generally require detailed information about two or three examples. That is why students spend time preparing examples in advance.</p>
<p>Until there is some evidence in favor of dispensing with that approach, I don’t think many will be willing to do so.</p>