<p>Which method is the best since they all seem to contradict with each other? Grammatix? Rocket Review? or how to write a 12 essay in 10 days? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>i think Yes coz i used it ( made up sum fantasy example on Nov Test ) i gave 2 examples and couldnt complete da essay </p>
<p>but i got a 8 on essay </p>
<p>( Note my freind wrote complete essay by his own way and got a 7)</p>
<p>Edit: i used ( gramatix + academic hacker ) a bit of combo</p>
<p>thanks but im confused because they seem to contradict each other RR says only lit examples and not cliches i have alot of lit examples but they are all the typical to kill a mockingbird ect… anyone is that ok? I really want at least a 10 prefrebly higher I consider myself a good writer but apparently the Sat is diffrent</p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>I know this thread is pretty old, but some people may find it useful. I did the Testmasters SAT prep course and thought it was absolutely useless; however, the essay method they thought was excellent. It was the only helpful thing I learned there. The method is basically as “formula” you will memorize and fill in the blanks. I wrote what I thought to be a mediocre essay, and I got a 10. If anyone wants the formula, I will post it. If not… well I guess this thread will die out again.</p>
<p>Remember that five paragraph ‘sandwich’ essay style you learned in 5th grade? Now is when you apply that, minus the third body paragraph. </p>
<p>Here’s my advice: research 2 UNIQUE examples beforehand (i.e. not The Great Gatsby, not The Scarlet Letter, not JFK, not Gandhi, not Hitler). Seriously, go to your local library, and read one of those 100 page simple biographies or informative books on the topic. Try to take in one or two specific examples within those stories.</p>
<p>For instance, I studied Jefferson, Jackson, and Roosevelt intensely. I took one event from each presidency that had a lot to it, and simply practiced applying those examples to any essay prompt I got my hands on. When you start the SAT essay, spit out your examples and tie in some sort of conclusion tieing in with the prompt. </p>
<p>Use some flashy words, end with some made up quote, and show some logical conclusions when you can.</p>
<p>I did this, and I got an 11 on the January SAT Essay.</p>
<p>The how to write a 12 essay in 10 days is by far the best guide I’ve ever read. I got an 11 thanks to it on January’s SAT. Just have a few examples you think could be applicable, for me it was 1984, one of the best books I’ve ever read and incredibly versatile and useful. Most books you read for school should work as noteworthy examples. If you’re missing an example, a personal anecdote is always a viable option. </p>
<p>Finally, if you know someone’s story or something that relates perfectly to the subject but can’t remember stuff such as names, dates, or places INVENT them! Yeah, that’s right.
I used a real guy’s life as an example, but invented his name because I couldn’t remember his real name. It’s much better to invent stuff like that rather than just leave it out and call him “that guy.” I’ve yet to hear of someone who got a bad score for inventing stuff. </p>
<p>I think studying voc is also important. Using a few big words correctly, just to show your mastery over them (or else you’ll look pretentious and foolish). This is probably what cost me the perfect score on my essay. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say you need to use a method like that to get a 12. I wrote in the same way I always do, in a normal structured essay with a thesis at the end of the intro, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. I got a 10, I’m normally really organized and a good writer anyway. I think the main reason I didn’t get an 11 or 12 is I had some horrible grammar errors, such as writing “they” when referring to one person in the first paragraph then going on to write “he” instead for the rest of the essay. I didn’t have time to change it.</p>
<p>I also didn’t use very specific examples. They were all theoretical, fictional, and crafted in a few minutes as I went along. You don’t need to find historical figures or facts to write about, you just need to be able to write a well structured essay with a solid, convincing argument. If you’re not a good writer then grammatix and these other guides will probably help you with that.</p>
<p>On the topic of grammatix, though, how effective is the rest of the guide? It seems like a really valid and useful guide, has anyone had success with it and does it still apply to today’s SAT?</p>
<p>@cornelliot, could you post your formula?</p>