<p>In before "oh there is no clear format for the essay, do what's best for you!"</p>
<p>I am looking for your understanding of the perfect essay format. I have checked on Barron's and Sparknote's SAT books. I enjoyed the Sparknote "Big Mac" format. It's quite formulated, structured thesis, support and so on. They do suggest 3 topics though. On Barron's, it was quite similar, but they did 2 topics.</p>
<p>I went to collegeboard website and checked ou a couple of the sample 6 essays and it was an essay about 1 subject and one paragraph of reflection. Not surprisingly in the blue book it was a similar format! I was quite confused because I remember talking to an old English about the SAT essay and most of her creative writing students who are normally very good at describing themselves always fail because the "free form" format (as opposed to the 5p format, still has a thesis though) doesnt earn them a high score.</p>
<p>My friend who's really good at writing only got 10 this time. I am in shock because I know he's one of the best when it comes to articulating things and record them down on paper. He followed the barron's format with only 2 topics.</p>
<p>I am okay at writing, I always get 8's on my APUSH essay (the teacher grades very harshly, he normally grades a "9" collegeboard example essay a 7 or so). Those are just basically fact recalls and small bit of analysis. So I am quite confident about the essay section if I were only to write with a dead 5p format. </p>
<p>What's your take on this? I see most CC people writing in the 5 p format. I feel that the collegeboard put those personal essays with 1 personal event as a distraction which contradicts most unofficial sat prep products.</p>