<p>Hi, all,</p>
<p>First post here, thanks for having me :) I read a couple threads on whether or not the SAT will grade markings made by No.3 pencils, but I was wondering about the essay portion. Since it is graded by a human, will it matter at all that I used a number 3 pencil on that portion (and not the rest: I caught it before I began the multiple choice)?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>My opinion is that there is no way the evaluator can notice the difference between the two pencils. And why should he ? He will probably be correcting a ton of essays, i do not see how it can possibly cross his/her mind that you used a different pencil. Moreover, number 2 pencils can be of very different quality, depending on where you buy them and which brand it is. And the writing style varies a lot from individuals due to the pressure applied on the pencil and angle of the pencil. My point is, even if the evaluator asks himself : “hmmm the writing seems strange, like a number 3 pencil…”, which is already highly unlikely, he cannot prove it, so he’ll just mark the essay and move on. </p>
<p>Note that an average Corrector only spends less than 1 minute correcting an essay. </p>
<p>Hope this reassures you :)</p>
<p>i agree with @meriks…</p>