The SAT writing section consists of both a multiple-choice section as well as an optional essay. This essay portion lasts 50 minutes and asks students to analyze an issue and make an argument regarding that issue. Strong SAT essays require careful planning, organization, analysis of the given argument, and clear communication of ideas.
Students are presented with a carefully crafted argument and must respond by agreeing, disagreeing, or qualifying their position while also analyzing the reasoning behind the given argument. It is important for students to thoughtfully consider various perspectives on the issue and support their own position using logic and evidence.
A successful SAT essay demonstrates the writer’s ability to understand complex ideas, establish and support a position, use logical reasoning, and control the elements of effective writing. While there is no single “correct” approach, reviewing strong SAT essay examples can help students understand what high-scoring responses look like and give them a model to emulate. Here are analyses of 4 sample high-scoring SAT essays:
Example 1:
The first sample essay responds to the following argument: “Schools should require students to perform at least 50 hours of unpaid community service each year before graduating from high school. This requirement would help teach students the importance of civic involvement and helping their communities.”
The writer agrees with the argument while also acknowledging reasonable concerns people may have. They first state their position clearly in the introduction: “While requiring community service has some benefits, schools should not make it mandatory for graduation.”
Then they analyze the argument’s reasoning and present counterarguments in an organized paragraph-by-paragraph format. The first body paragraph acknowledges the potential benefits of community service the argument discusses, such as teaching civic values. It also qualifies that mandatory service may reduce those benefits if students see it as an obligation rather than an opportunity.
The next paragraph addresses a key counterargument – that requiring service could infringe on students’ freedom and overwhelm those with extensive commitments. The writer acknowledges this is a valid concern but offers a reasonable compromise by suggesting schools support but not require service.
The conclusion restates the thesis that while community service has value, making it mandatory risks reducing those values or unfairly burdening some students. Overall, this essay demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the issue, anticipation of counterpositions, and logical organization – all hallmarks of a high-scoring response.
Example 2:
The second sample essay addresses this argument: “Colleges and universities should abandon the use of standardized test scores, such as the SAT and ACT, as criteria for admission. Standardized tests are not foolproof measures of student aptitude or potential for success in college-level work.”
The writer disagrees with the argument, taking the position that standardized tests should not be the sole criteria but can provide useful information when considered alongside other factors.
Like the first essay, this response is well-structured with clear statements of the thesis in the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. The body paragraphs each analyze a key element of the argument’s reasoning.
The first body paragraph concedes standardized tests are imperfect measures on their own but counters they still provide some predictive value. It cites research showing test scores combined with high school GPA can forecast college success better than GPA alone.
The next paragraph acknowledges other important factors in admissions like extracurriculars and essays but qualifies that standardized tests remain the most objective measures available for fairly comparing large applicant pools from varied backgrounds.
By not only disagreeing with the argument but also thoughtfully addressing its individual points, this essay demonstrates a sophisticated analysis aligned with high-scoring SAT writing. It qualifies rather than rejects opposing views to arrive at a nuanced, evidence-backed conclusion.
Example 3:
The third sample prompt asks students to consider this statement: “Advertisers have a constitutional right to advertise in any way they choose.”
While acknowledging advertising’s importance to commerce, the writer disagrees some restrictions are reasonable. Their introduction clearly states the thesis that while freedom of commercial speech deserves protection, it should be regulated if used deceptively or to target vulnerable groups.
The first body paragraph examines two U.S. Supreme Court rulings establishing commercial speech receives qualified rather than full First Amendment protection. It argues deceptive ads intended to mislead rather than inform consumers warrant limitation.
The next paragraph discusses the regulation of advertising targeting children, citing psychological research finding their cognitive abilities make them highly open to manipulation. It argues protecting youth is a legitimate role for government.
The conclusion restates the balanced thesis that some oversight is justified given advertising’s influence and certain groups’ vulnerability to harm or misinformation. This essay shows a nuanced command of both constitutional law and empirical evidence to engage seriously with opposing viewpoints – demonstrating sophisticated SAT writing abilities.
Example 4:
The final sample prompt concerns this argument: “School uniforms stifle student expression and individuality. Public schools should not require students to comply with uniform policies and dress codes because these policies infringe on students’ freedom of expression.”
In a well-structured response, the writer agrees uniform policies can limit self-expression to an extent but disagrees this infringement outweighs the potential benefits.
The introduction acknowledges valid concerns about freedom of expression and individualism but asserts order and safety are also priorities public schools must consider.
The first body paragraph considers research showing uniforms may reduce bullying, socioeconomic discrimination, and gang influence through outward signs of affiliation. It argues these effects serve important educational goals.
The next paragraph notes uniforms need not completely eliminate creative expression, as policies can still permit some personalization and accessory options. It qualifies the argument’s absolute stance by acknowledging reasonable compromises.
The conclusion restates the calibrated thesis that while uniforms impact freedom to an extent, their benefits for learning environments mean an outright rejection of all policies goes too far. By balancing multiple views logically and credibly, this essay also exemplifies strong SAT writing ability.
These SAT essay examples all demonstrate important hallmarks of high-scoring responses, including:
Clear introduction stating a qualified thesis
Thoughtful analysis of reasoning on both sides of an issue
Well-structured body paragraphs directly addressing argument points
Use of logical organization and transitions
Integration of credible evidence from varied sources where applicable
Qualified conclusion restating the nuanced position
By carefully examining essay examples like these, students can gain an understanding of what successful SAT writing looks like. Emulating qualities such as balanced perspective-taking, logical organization, and engagement with complex ideas enhances essays and can lead to higher scores on the optional SAT writing section.
Andrew Stroud