<p>must the SAT essay be a 5-paragraph essay? thanks</p>
<p>Hm, I don't think so. Mine was 4 paragraphs and I received 10/12.</p>
<p>I did a 5-paragraph essay and got a 12/12</p>
<p>There is no required format, but typically those who write 5 paragraphs seem to better express themselves and therefore recieve better scores.</p>