By now, every parent of a high school student knows that the College Board totally revamped the SAT I last March. While I will not go into the details as to why this was done (money), I will go into the details of the new SAT I Essay.
The prior version of the Essay was quite easy to prepare for, if one had the proper assistance: it could be written prior to even going into the test, memorized and written out with only a few minor adjustments. The new Essay, however, is as far from that as a Red Sox fan is from a Yankee fan.
The new Essay is not a piece of fluff; it is an analytical one which requires prior understanding and preparation in order for all but a very few to earn superior scores. The student is given 50 minutes to complete the assignment which is to read a passage (750 words max) and then to write an Essay in which he/she analyzes the argument of the writer. The student earns scores on a scale of one to four for the quality of his/her reading, analysis and writing as evidenced in the Essay. A perfect total score is 24 (8/8/8) but an average score will be in the vicinity of a fifteen (15).
Find out what's happening in Lexingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
For many students, the assistance of a knowledgeable and experienced tutor will make a significant difference in their score. While it is possible to practice and to hone one’s Essay writing skills, doing this alone is like trying to become an Olympic gymnast without a coach. As the Coach Vince Lombardi one said, “practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”