This is what an 8 essay looks like

Test Preparation
1

<p>just for anyone wondering what an 8 essay looks like, if someone got a 9, 10, 11, or 12 please post your essay as well. this was the april essay question: </p>

<p>Assignment: Is it best not to change our ideas, opinions, or behaviors? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>

<p>Essay:</p>

<p>Life is constant forward progress as is time, time waits for no man. So, in order for humans to make effective use of their time they must adapt. Adaptation is essential to success and those who are unable to adapt will be left behind. Constant reflection and improvement of your ideas, opinions, and behaviors will allow you to become a better person.</p>

<p>Just by looking at our American society today we can see why change is good. Today, America is a land of great diversity and equal opportunity, just a few decades ago this was not the case. In the 1950s African-Americans were treated as second class citizens, in many areas denied the right to vote, and were subjected to ridiculous Jim Crow laws. Today, however, people of all races enjoy equal rights and opportunities in America.</p>

<p>If we continue to look back further into American history we discover that this country was founded on the basis of change and revolution. The Founding Fathers, being the visionaries that they were, created the government so that it would change to reflect the views of Americans. They felt that people should scrutinize the government and that it was a citizen's duty to overthrow a corrupt government.</p>

<p>Humans should be looking to make beneficial change all the time. Change is what keeps society moving and improving. It is sheer ignorance to not question ideas, even your own. As we can see, by using America as an example, change of thought serves as the catalyst for improvement. Change of ideas and opinions is essential for progress to be made.</p>

<p>OK, that was the essay I wrote for the April SAT. All the words and punctuation are exactly the same as they appear on the score report. Now that I look back at it, there were a lot of ways for me to improve it but half an hour just really isn't enough time for me to write a good essay. </p>

<p>Anyways, post your essays and the score you received on it...</p>

2

<p>i don't feel like posting my essay.</p>

<p>it takes too long to type.</p>

3

<p>if you don't feel like typing you could always upload the pics of your essay to photobucket or imageshack and just give us the links...</p>

4

<p>dont feel like typing mine....ive gotten a 10 the first time and 11 the second...if you want to see them ask</p>

5

<p>i got an 11 the first time. if you want to see, ask. although, it is definitely one of the worst essays i have ever written-- no doubt the readers were smoking good crack while grading.</p>

6

<p>I got a 8 the 1st time and 10 the 2nd.</p>

<p>the difference was length of writing.</p>

7

<p>obviously i wanted to see atleast one essay for each score above 8 and that's why I asked... but excel I am particularly interested in seeing both of your essays and examining it for myself to make the judgement if it was truly a case of quantity over quality...</p>

8

<p>first tip!
dont try and make yourself sound smart...and dont write anything political
i was definetely more liberal leaning in my first essay (not sure if this mattered) and i discussed William HOward Taft, John Kerry, and the Aeneid</p>

<p>second essay i compared Terrell Owens (whom we all know and love) to the Jamestown settlement....a fairly ******** analogy but it worked and i got a higher score (cant post my essay caz its not out til tomorrow o well)
....everyone told me i was going to fail this essay because I referred to T.O.(it was on whether it was better to be an individualist or to follow the group)</p>

9

<p>o ya i forgot the second tip.....
they really really like it if you have unrelated examples
i had two on my first essay (a 10....essentially all three historical)
on my second...i got an 11....i had one historical, one current event, one personal
i read that in my lovely CB bluebook as well</p>

10

<p>I got that coveted 12 on my essay. It was a pretty crap essay, I have to say - no originality whatsoever. It was on whether we should be consistent in our opinions, and I did the 4 paragraph essay thing, with a stupid conclusion, filled up two pages, and had one example being The Brothers Karamazov and the other with Gandhi and Stalin... I know. </p>

<p>My best advice is: don't use your average high school books (Gatsby, etc.), follow a rigid intro-para-para-conclusion format, FILL UP TWO PAGES TO THE LAST LINE, and throw in a properly used big word. Also, vary your sentence structure.</p>

<p>I really think the graders were crazy, btw.</p>

11

<p>well i took the april test too and i got a 12.</p>

<p>the essay was definitely not my best writing but i guess it was enough.</p>

<p>my examples were huck finn and a personal example. haha.</p>