Question regarding honesty in essays -- can it affect your score?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>So, I have a little problem...</p>

<p>I took the SAT for the last time today. I wanted to do better, but I'm not in a situation where I have to, as I did well enough on the ACT for most of the schools I'm applying to.</p>

<p>I am going to adhere to the SAT's rules and not discuss the test itself, but instead pose a question regarding their grading that has probably been asked before...do you have to be honest in your essays, and can blatant dishonesty affect your score?</p>

<p>Why am I asking this? Well, today when writing my essay, I got stumped at the beginning, and ended up almost running out of time. So, my last example involved something that was very, very, very, VERY obviously made up. Whoever reads the essay will instantly realize I'm lying about what I'm talking about, even if it is in good writing form.</p>

<p>I just checked the SAT site's rubric, and no where in the listed criteria does it say you HAVE to be honest in your essay and CAN'T make things up. This leads me to believe that they will grade my essay and simply look at the form, and ignore this very blatant dishonesty. But as they say, you can't believe everything you read, and I find it very hard to believe that the College board would simply disregard statements like "The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 by Hitler and the Nazis show how hatred can be a learned trait." or "In the book the Queen of the Flies, little girls stranded on an island show the innante hatred that all humans possess." (Note, this is not what I wrote, just examples.)</p>

<p>Anybody know what graders would think of stuff like this?</p>

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<p>They'd probably laugh their heads off and slap a 2 for your grade.</p>

<p>Joking, I don't think it matters that much. I completely made up my whole essay with George Washington fiighting the French and got a 10. Who knows, maybe I would've gotten a 12 if I had told the truth.</p>

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<p>I'm pretty sure you can make up stuff... one of my whole examples of whatever it was I was writing about on October 14 was totally made up--though not obviously. It follows that if you can make up ambiguously fake things, then you can make up obviously fake things, too--because where are they going to draw the line? It's easier just to let you get away with it.</p>

<p>But just to be on the safe side, I'd make it hilariously ridiculous. ;)</p>

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<p>Im interested in knowing what exactly you made up, if you dont mind telling of course.</p>

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<p>You won't get deducted for making up your example. Alot of people even encourage it, for personal experiences anyway, since then you can make it work exactly with your point.</p>

<p>Of course, placing "THIS IS MADE UP" or making it completely unrealistic probably isn't such a good idea, in the future. As long as your example is semi-plausable though, I wouldn't worry about it. Even if it isn't, don't stress over it, the essays are fairly quickly skimmed over since the readers don't have time to sit down & drink a cocoa while reading your essay. xD</p>