Should I Take the SAT Essay?
The College Board decided to stop offering the SAT essay in June 2021. Presently, the SAT essay is only available to and required of students in a select few states and school systems. Certain students participating in the SAT School Day program, among other groups, are subject to this requirement. You can read our guide to learn more about why the college board did this.
The SAT essay section may not be an option for you, but you should still improve your essay-writing abilities. Due to this development, some institutions now require an essay as part of the application process.
What is the SAT Essay?
During the SAT essay, students are given a written argument to evaluate. It will take the students 50 minutes to read, organize, and write the response essay. The majority of effective responses follow the conventional five-paragraph essay pattern and you can see our writing essay guides here to get your best possible score:
How to Write a Great SAT Essay
5 Tips for Concise Essay Writing
The Essay is graded in three categories—Reading, Analysis, and Writing—on a scale of 2 to 8. After combining these results, you will earn three scores for the SAT Essay. The mean essay score is 5/3/5; if you score higher than this, your score is above average. A perfect essay score would be 8/8/8.
It’s crucial to understand that your SAT essay score is independent of your overall composite SAT score. It has no bearing on the score displayed on your score report, which ranges from 400 to 1600. In fact, it is given in addition to your composite score instead of being a part of it.
Should I Take the SAT Essay?
See our points below to determine if you need to take the SAT essay. If you’re anxious about the essay because your writing skills might not be up to par, you can reach out for help through us today. We can prepare you for any upcoming test you may have to take throughout your high school career.
It is a Requirement for Your Chosen School
In general, while many state schools do, most do not require the SAT with essays. There are numerous strange variations, though, even between states. For instance, the SAT with the essay is required for all California schools. Yet, the majority of California State Universities don’t require it. Remember to check with the schools, as things like this are ever-evolving.
Regardless of other factors, you should take the SAT essay if even one of the schools you are considering requires it. If you take the SAT without the essay and then decide you need an essay score for a school you’re applying to, you must retake the entire test because there is no option to take the SAT essay separately. Searching for “[school name] SAT essay requirement” on Google or visiting each school’s admissions page directly are the two easiest ways to find out this information. Or look below for a short list of schools that may require the essay:
- Benedictine College
- Delaware State University
- City University of London
- University of DeSales
- California Dominican University
- Agricultural and Mechanical University of Florida
- Howard College
- All of the universities in California
- Kentucky State University
- John Wesley University
- Southern California Institute of Architecture
- Martin Luther College
- Molloy College
- Schreiner Uni
- Soka Uni of America
- United States Military Academy (West Point)
- University of North Texas
- West Virginia Institute of Technology
- Texas A&M University—Galveston
- Western Carolina University
To Be Safe
By taking the SAT essay, you guarantee that you will satisfy all of the SAT requirements for every institution to which you apply. Because you will have taken the SAT essay, it won’t be a problem if you apply to a new school that demands it. Being prepared for the unexpected is a good skill to have going into college.
To Showcase Analytical Skills
This test allows students to demonstrate their growth as writers. The optional essay on the SAT might be used by students who struggled as analytical writers in high school to gauge their improvement. Students who received subpar marks in English or Literature can benefit from excelling in the essay.
To Strengthen Application for a Specific Major
Many academic subjects consider writing skills crucial, English being the most obvious. But it is also important in many branches of science, mathematics, and humanities. These skills are significant since colleges require research papers. Good writing skills can thus secure college acceptance.
You Haven’t Shown Any Analytical Writing Skills
Several schools do not provide CLEP, AP English, or equivalent subjects. As a result, the SAT essay provides an alternative method for demonstrating progress in college-level writing. The SAT essay also allows all applicants to demonstrate their writing ability.
Should You Learn to Write Essays Before College
Composing essays helps students develop important educational abilities and functions. It allows students to practice and polish abilities that will be useful throughout their schooling journey and into their vocation. Learning this skill well can help somebody improve their capacity to read and write, think, organize thoughts, and communicate effectively. Whether you need to write an essay for the SAT or not, you should work with a tutor to strengthen this skill, as it will help you for the rest of your college career and life.
Get Help Today
If you’re ready to start your studies, look into Jantzi Test Prep’s online SAT instruction.
You will feel prepared and confident for the test when you work virtually with one of our professional tutors. Our staff is eager to assist you, so contact us today.
