<p>What is a safe minimum amount of pages in order to score over 10-12 on the Writing portion of the ACTs? When I write at least 3 pages, most of my handwriting becomes scribble, but still somewhat legible. Would it be advised to write less, but neater, or lengthier but less neat?</p>
<p>It is not length that matters but content. If you wrote a ten page essay full of nothing, that would not get you an automatic 12. You have to write well and if you write well in a page and a half and you answer the prompt, nothing else matters.</p>
<p>As mentioned in a previous thread, I received a perfect score (12) on both the SAT and ACT essay portion, so I figure I’m doing something right.
I filled up 2 and a half out of 3 pages on the ACT and all of the pages on the SAT for the essay.
On AP Language I filled up 8/12 and received a 5.
It’s about length moreso on the ACT/SAT, however, I believe. The ACT requires less style than the SAT and is more about logical reasoning and structure. This is not to say, however, that the value of a streamlined essay should be null on the SAT.
I wrote in cursive (it helped me get ideas down more quickly in the time frame one’s allotted).
I did not do a separate outline on paper. I organized my thoughts in my head before I started BUT I did break down the prompt by underlining and “working” with it for at least 3 minutes on the SAT. The ACT was too straightforward to even fathom a prompt breakdown.<br>
I also made up anecdotal evidence about Louis Pasteur on the SAT and an entire study (from which I derived a statistic) on the ACT. Facts don’t matter too much. </p>
<p>EDIT: I respectfully disagree with spiritualwitch. They only have a set amount of time to view over each and every essay. There is a correlation between length and a higher score (I don’t have the link but if somebody could dig it up that would be great…) . Even if you must fluff up your essay with anecdotal evidence or metaphorical comparisons it is not scrutinized nearly as closely as, say, an AP English exam.</p>
<p>In an SAT Essay, you want to refer to 3 different things from history/literature/anecdotes/etc…, do you want to do that as well on the ACT? Is the idea exactly the same?</p>
<p>From what I have picked up it’s:
- Intro
- Reason 1
- Reason 2
- Reason 3
- What someone might say to argue against you (refuted)
- Conclusion</p>
<p>Is this right?</p>
<p>“While my classmate plays violin for a symphony orchestra, I’ll actually be contributing to the world, designing the most innovative and safe bridges in human-history.”</p>
<p>“SLightManifesto goes up for the layup, AND THE FOUL!”</p>
<p>Yes, I know it’s first person, but it’s not in the same context as illegal-first person (“I think…”)</p>
<p>THIS EXACT QUESTION WAS IN A PRACTICE TEST!
I literally smiled ear to ear when I saw it — beasted ;]</p>
<p>My arguments against required music and art: (the first two are made up)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Last year, my dear friend had only one wish: to attend Princeton. After failing art, he was rejected. The day after he received his rejection letter, he was found dead, hanging by a rope. </p></li>
<li><p>It is rumored George W. Bush failed art. If he had been taking a class in economics, society would have been better off</p></li>
<li><p>If we specialize in what subjects we study, like Henry Ford specialized manufacturing, our society can progress more rapidly.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I just tried to have fun with it, but my writing was actually pretty elegant. I hope they don’t penalize me for my examples</p>
<p>I have a question about the use of 1st person in these essays…
When our school read us an example of a 12, the writer used a lot of personal experiences to try to enhance the impact of the essay
Since I’m a future music education major, I obviously had a lot of stuff to write about from my own life
I’m just worried that I might have been too passionate; do you think they’d take off for that?</p>
<p>I wrote against students required to take art and music class and here were my reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Students who work hard in all their other classes and are forced to take a class that they don’t necessarily consider important can cause them to struggle which can make their grades suffer and their gpa to decrease.</p></li>
<li><p>Students who don’t have an interest in the subjects can become frustrated and teenagers can all agree that they don’t need anymore stress. Mozart and Beethoven and Picasso and Da Vinci all had passions for their work and were dedicated to work harder because they loved the subjects while students who don’t have a passion for it will do poorly.</p></li>
<li><p>Students who had an “okay” interest in art and music can lose all interest in art and music, proven by psychological tests and research, if bad feelings such as stress and frustrations are correlation to the subjects.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I obviously elaborated a lot more but those are my main points. Opinions?</p>
<p>I wrote against music/art requirements</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Students forced to take a class like music or art may feel there is no need to try, therefore their gpa suffers.</p></li>
<li><p>It is unfair to the students who actually want to be in the class. They are there to actually learn the subjects, whilst students forced into the class detract from the learning experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Unfair to teachers. They are not hired to babysit unmotivated students that do not actually want to be there.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have no clue how I did on the essay. I’m nervous!</p>
<p>i talked bout how art teaches us to appreaciate culture and shows us intangible emotions in a more tangible manner. and how music teaches us history (i.e.: the roaring 20’s and how african americans got freedom through pursuing music and the whole harlem Renascence)</p>
<p>I thre in sm literature by using Walden and talked a little about divinci and picaso</p>
<p>does the essay impact you composite score or you english subscore??</p>