Preparing for the SAT can be one of the most nerve-wracking times in a college-bound high schooler's life. In March of 2005, a writing section was added to the test. The writing section of the SAT lasts sixty minutes and includes choice questions and a short essay. This section is worth 200 to 800 points. The essay tests your ability to organize and express ideas in a clear manner, use appropriate word choice and sentence structures, and develop and support your main idea. It will be graded by a panel of high school teachers and college professors on a scale from 1 to 6. The multiple choice section tests your ability to identify common grammatical errors and if you can improve sentences and paragraphs. There are several ways to prepare yourself for this section of the test.
- Take a SAT prep course. Many schools and tutoring centers offer SAT prep courses. For a small fee, you can work with a teacher who will help you prepare for all parts of the SAT, including the writing portion. These courses can last anywhere from one session to an entire semester and there is usually a SAT prep book included in the cost.
- Buy a good SAT prep book. You don't have to take a course to study with a SAT prep book. You can find one at your local bookstore or online. There are a lot of SAT prep books out there so be sure to look through them before you buy. A good prep book will offer in-depth tutorials as to what the graders will be looking for during the writing section as well as practice questions for the multiple choice section and sample essay questions. It would be a good idea to write out the answers to those essay questions and ask a qualified person such as your English teacher or parent, to look over the essay and give you advice on how to improve it. A good prep book will also give you essay examples that will show you what to do and what not to do when answering the essay question.
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Author: Honey Denson