<p>Is it a good idea to make stuff up for the SAT Essay for 'personal experience' examples as long as it's believable? </p>
<p>I've heard conflicting information. I've heard it's okay as long as it's believable, but I've also heard that colleges may use it as another personal statement (which would be bad to lie on).</p>
<p>what? why would colleges look at an essay that we have less than half an hour to write?!</p>
<p>i remember when I took the SAT the lady who read the directions said "... you may use fictional information for your essay..." so yea you can use fictional info...</p>
<p>I made up a story about me and got a 9 on the essay.</p>
<p>Colleges are allowed to see the essay that you write for the SAT to give them a more accurate look at you. For your admission essay, you're likely to have people read it and critique it but the SAT essay is all you.</p>
<p>fake it 'till you make it.</p>
<p>i did and i got a 12.</p>
<p>I faked a story both times i took the SAT and got a 12 both times. You gotta learn how to play the game.</p>
<p>no you shouldn't make up stuff for your essay because the collegeboard will run a background check on everyone, from his/her birth date to the day before the test, who takes the test to see if that person was being one hundred percent honest about their essay examples.</p>
<p>Why the hell do the universities look at your SAT essay.... this system just gets stupider and stupider.</p>
<p>Colleges won't see your SAT essay unless you decide to submit it for some bizarre, unfathomable reason. I wrote complete lies (even fact-lies) twice, and got an 11 and a 12.</p>
<p>Lie away. It makes for great essays. Just be sure that you write well (that's what they're really looking for...).</p>
<p>I don't understand where I went wrong but I got a really crap mark.. I chucked in a whole load of examples, there were no errors, it was readable, and I had intro, main, conclusion etc.</p>
<p>Maybe the quality of my examples was lacking.. I wonder how one goes about improving one's 'example technique'?</p>
<p>Do you reckon it makes much difference if you only make two main points as opposed to three?</p>
<p>I went in determined to use Lord of the Rings and my imaginary class-mate Janet for whatever topic that may come out. Final score: 10. Couldn't find a decent third example.</p>
<p>That's quite a good idea actually, I'll prepare some odd ones for my next attempt.</p>
<p>I only used 1 main point in my first essay, 2 in my second. Again, 11 and 12. Variety and complexity in sentences, interesting vocabulary, and focus matter.</p>
<p>Why do they expect you to make sentences varied and complex? Writing styles vary from individual to individual, this ain't science. Gave that up as soon as I could.</p>
<p>I made up a book also and I got a 11. I think they look for more structure than anything else. So making up a book/ idea to fit the thesis of your essay would help a lot.</p>
<p>I did real life both times and the first time I got a 12 and the second time an 11. I referenced literature and the legal system, for the most part, but sometimes the scores seem so arbitrary because everyone else does that and we all get varying scores. I used Jane Eyre but and I thought it worked but I bet that's where I went wrong the second time. I'm happy with an 11, though.</p>
<p>no they won't</p>