<p>My sister is in a fit because she got an email from college board that her daughter got a zero on the essay part of the SAT! Apparently, she wrote the essay in pen! </p>
<p>It sounds like the SAT is going to re-grade it eventually, but she is concerned because they had the scores sent to some schools already. Since she is a junior, and will probably take the SAT again (I didn't ask about the other scores, but sister seemed happy with them), I told her I didn't think it would matter because the schools who received it won't do anything with it now anyway (until they receive a completed application). Am I right about that?</p>
<p>you are correct, they will just put them in a file folder and await an app. But, when CB regrades, will they resend scores automatically showing the correction? If so, no harm no foul.</p>
<p>Pls educate me. Am I to assume the essay must be written with a #2 pencil only? I can understand why a number 2 pencil is used for the multiple choice tests, so they can be read by the scoring machine. But the essays are read by humans..... aren't they? It's bad enough that they are grading a speed written essay. But it must also be written in pencil? What do they do with hard to read writing? It seems particularly absurd to start requiring a hand written (pencil) essay in 2005, after kids have been using computers exclusively to write papers for the past 10 years. This only fuels my pre-existing condition: A dislike of the SAT institution/bureaucracy.</p>
<p>Really, the entire SAT test should be taken on a computer, including the writing/essay portion. This technology (obviously) already exists. Many standardized tests are administered at testing centers using computers. All of the securities tests (SEC, NASD, futures, series 7 etc etc) are given that way.</p>
<p>It has something to do with scanning the essay and sending it via email or soemthing to the readers, I guess in our day and age, pens aren't good enough....they can scan our eyeballs, but not pen</p>
<p>This writing sample is a headache. DD is sure she did a good job on her writing sample. Her score was average. There are hundreds of graders of these essays and the reality is that this year's kids are guinea pigs. The trainers were trained online using sample essays and a rubric. STILL there is likely wild variation in the scoring. This is a new venture for the CB and involves the reading and grading of many thousands of essays...many more than were graded for the SAT 2. We have visited 17 colleges with DD, a junior, and ALL have said that they will not be using the writing section for admissions. Most have indicated that they don't know if they will be using it at all, others say they don't know how they will be using it, and others say they "might" look at it. DD says she doesn't like being a guinea pig.</p>
<p>I don't see how anyone can write a good essay in such a short amount of time anyway--in pen or pencil. I wonder what they do when they have to write so fast that it becomes unreadable...</p>
<p>Yes, the essay must be written in pencil only, because the scanners they use do not always completely pick up pen. It would be worse to have bits and pieces sent to the graders than to defer the score until it could be transcribed. It is my understanding from some of S2's friends caught in this situation that a corrected score will be entered. Since the essays are also sent with the scores to schools, the reproduction must be clear.
IMO, this new format is simply the combination of the old SAT I and SAT II writing that virtually all selective colleges required anyway. The worst thing about it is that it makes the single sitting so long, the kids are really tired by the time they get to the last section.
Bluealien, if the handwriting is completely illegible, the essay gets a zero. The key to writing a good short essay in 25 minutes is twofold: learn to write a functional outline, and practice. I held an informal SAT practice class for my son & his friends. I made them practice, over and over, spending 5 minutes writing an outline for a 5-6 paragraph essay. 20 minutes to write the verbiage is plenty of time (including checking spelling and punctuation) IF you have an outline to follow so that you are organized, don't lose your train of thought, and don't leave things out. All five of the boys (some just B, B- students) scored 10 or better on the essay. If your school doesn't teach this & you would like some ideas, pm me.</p>