<p>Hi! I'm kind of new to CC, but I just took the SSAT today and I wanted to know everybody's thoughts on the SSAT essay. I've been wondering if the AOs look over it kind of quickly or if they actually read over it. I remember an AO at a reception in my area saying that they use the essay to see how well you write, and then compare it to the essays you write and submit at home (to make sure no one's parents are completing it for them, perhaps?). Is this true? Oh, and congratulations to everyone who took the SSAT today! It's finally over with haha:). Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m really not sure how important the essay is, all I know is that it is sent with your scores. When I took the test in october I felt that I didn’t really do well, since you are given only one sheet and about twenty minutes. I don’t think my SSAT essay really reflected my personal writing style very much. My applications sound much more sophisticated just because I’m not rushed and I have time to think, so I’m hoping they don’t think that someone else wrote my app=/</p>
<p>I don’t think the essay plays role in the admissions. A/O probably look at it to make sure the writing style is similar to the essays you submit in the application, but aside from that I would not worry too much about them. Personally I know my essay most likely was horrible, yet I still gained admittance into schools, so my advice is don’t stress it!</p>
<p>I took my SSAT’s yesterday too. TG its OVER!!! I can’t wait 6 weeks to get the results though… XP! I keep thinking about the questions and wondering if I got them right or wrong…</p>
<p>The essay tests how good you are at writing at the snap of a finger. The only purpose it serves is to see your actual writing talent, compared to the hours and days and weeks you’ve had to polish and groom you application responses.</p>
<p>I think I did alright. My topic was pretty interesting, but I only gave one example, and I suck a spelling. Other than that, pretty good.</p>
<p>@WillemS - Yeah, same here. It’s crazy how you only get one page! I thought we’d get the back. In the beginning I wrote regular size but toward the end my words werethisclosetogether. Haha:)</p>
<p>@lionprid3 - Good to know, and to not worry! What school are you at, if you don’t mind me asking?</p>
<p>@jerseygirl312 - I’m not sure if all the tests had the same topic in different locations (though I’m pretty sure it is) but I think I had the same one as you - it was interesting, but I couldn’t think of more than one example, too! :)</p>
<p>i heard from GemmaV (an admissions officer at “Hogwarts”) last year that if the essay is good, then it helps you a lot because not many kids can write a good essay in a short amount of time. However, if your essay is ok or good, then its fine and not a concern. Won’t help you won’t hurt you. And like the above poster said, if your ssat essay is drastically worse than other essays, it will raise some eyebrows!</p>
<p>Oh goodness, I still have to take the SSAT again. Last year was a nightmare! I ran in 10 minutes late and sat by myself while all the other kids stared at me like I was some freak show… On the essays, I spent about 15 of the 20 minutes pre writing and when she announced five minutes till the end, I started panicking, scratched everything I was working on, and just wrote for me life. Probably done some studying, eh?</p>