<p>I know there's nothing I can do now, but I'm just curious - how heavily do colleges weigh essay grades? I'm applying to a lot of reaches (Ivies, Duke, MIT, Caltech...), but my essay grades are 8s and 9s. All of my other section scores are 800s and 34-36s, even my writing multiple choice is pretty spotless, I just could not write a good essay.
Is this excusable, or does it make my test score a low point on my app?</p>
<p>(Shameless bump) :)</p>
<p>I’m not taking the SAT anymore, but I’m a little doubtful that a formula can guarantee a 12. What if someone just has irreparably terrible grammar; would they still get a 12 with your formula? It also unnerves me that there are spelling and grammar errors in your sample page about the essay. Speaking of bad grammar, I would feel uncomfortable buying an SAT review book to help me with writing, when the FAQ that the authors wrote is written with grammar even worse than mine. In addition, I find it a little ironic that the suggestion “more detail” lacks so much detail that it’s of no help at all. Your writing formula sounds almost exactly like the vague and unhelpful formula that my English teachers tell me in class every year.
I still think your/Rupert’s thread is a phony testimonial, and I’m still annoyed that you’re trying to trick people into buying your ebook (which may very well be useful. If only it were legitimately marketed, I’d have some respect for it).
Glad I got that out of my system. I hope this doesn’t count as flaming. Eh, I actually don’t care that much if it does.</p>
<p>I might consider it flame, but not spam, since I brought up points about the ebook that whoever wrote it can use to improve it and that whoever’s reading it can take note of. That makes the post useful in my book.
I capitalized the “good” in the thread title, because although the other scores could carry me for other colleges, I’m not sure if they apply to one that would expect high scores anyway, you know? And yeah, I am bragging a little about my other sections; I’m proud of them, not gonna lie haha.</p>
<p>I didn’t buy it, I didn’t say anything about the content of the book, except for that the site creators seemed to be advertising it in a sketchy fashion. And honestly, I still think it’s sketchy. But you and another member claim to have read it and liked it, so if other people want to give it a try, they should. I pointed out what I thought looked like a scammy website and listed out my reasoning. I mean, I probably should’ve been nicer about it, but the message still would’ve been the same.</p>
<p>Thanks for your opinion, by the way. I’m not at all athletic, but I do other things, so it’s all good :)</p>
<p>(and to save me a post in the other thread, I said assumed you /weren’t/ a bot, and I said it non-ironically. I promise.)</p>
<p>The poster who posted about the ebook is now posting about it under a whole bunch of different usernames, which is extremely annoying. </p>
<p>@CanaryK: I don’t think 8s and 9s are that bad… I mean, they should understand that you had to write something in only twenty minutes and that it’s not really representative of your writing. In fact, (this is pure personal conjecture now), the admission officer probably won’t even take the time to check your essay score unless there is some specific reason for him or her to do so. Besides, isn’t there always this whole argument that the writing section is not as important as the other two or something like that? So you’ll be fine:)</p>
<p>Thanks, Calico! Although for some reason, I was under the impression that College Board sends the essay grade right alongside each of the section scores. I can’t remember why though, so I’m probably wrong.
And I would really love it if the writing section was not as important as the other two ahahah. I have a feeling that it’ll still count for a lot though… I’m thinking if I were a good college, I’d look for whatever I could find to distinguish the applicants from each other. It’s crazy thinking that only the qualified applicants would apply to each school, yet some of them still take less than 10% of the applicant pool.</p>
<p>Oh, so they were all advertisement accounts and I wasn’t just being paranoid? Whew.</p>
<p>Yeah, you’re right, they’re not ALL advertisement accounts, but that doesn’t change the fact that the few advertising accounts were extremely annoying. But most importantly, I never said you were one or that you’re an advertising account, did I?
I was just commenting on the situation in general, and you just happen to be advocating for the same product as those who were doing the advertising. I was denouncing the product, not you. Really, relax.</p>
<p>By the way, express one’s own opinions about any prep books from the point of view of a student is not in any way against the forum rules. I’m giving out random advice about the Wookie thing, just like you were. We’re all entitled to our own opinions.</p>
<p>^Mm, have you realized that all of their posts were deleted by the moderator? That’s why I was comfortable stating that they were advertisement accounts. Also, are we talking about same accounts here? I feel like we are. Because I checked the past posts of the accounts that I was talking about, and all they ever posted about was the Wookie SAT thing. When you’ve been on CC long enough, you’ll find now and then people who do sign up for a account for the sole purpose of adverstising some SAT product, usually posing as a student advocating for it, and you learn to recognize those based on their tones.</p>
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<p>That is different from the situation under discussion. I was stating a conclusion based on multiple evidences, not an irrational, groundless personal accusation on some random poster.</p>
<p>Anyway, though this argument is actually a lot of fun, I feel like we’re sort of hijacking CanaryK’s thread here :D. If you feel like responding to my post again please PM me instead.</p>