131The Look ................................................................................................
The readers aren’t supposed to grade your essay based on your handwriting or the essay’s length, but the look
of your essay does count, as the scores just can’t help but be subjective in nature.
If a student hands me an essay I can’t read because her handwriting is sloppy, and I have to struggle to decipher
the first paragraph, I don’t even finish reading the essay; I just give it a score of 2. Keep in mind: if your SAT
tutor doesn’t have the patience to figure out your scribble, the reader certainly doesn’t have the time or the
desire to learn your cryptic handwriting. They have 2 minutes to spend on your essay. How about you help
yourself out by writing a legible essay that is easy for them to read? They will appreciate it, and your score will
reflect that appreciation.
Sloppy handwriting is not the same as an actual handwriting disability. If you have been diagnosed with
Dysgraphia go to the College Board website and find the Services for Students with Disabilities page to see
about getting accommodations, such as permission to write your essay using a computer.
Get the Look:
- Bring four sharpened #2 pencils. When a pencil starts to get dull, switch it out with a sharpened one.
- Create, shape, and write a 4-5 paragraph essay.
- Indent paragraphs using the length of your thumb.
- Don’t cross out. ERASE. That’s why pencils have erasers.
- Fill up the two pages as best you can. LENGTH LOOKS GOOD.
- If you need to add a thought use a caret (^) and write above.
- Write as NEATLY as you possibly can.
Where to write? Use the two lined sheets ETS includes in your test booklet. We’ve included sample sheets for
you at the end of this chapter. You only get two sheets so use your space wisely!
That’s the surface of your essay; now let’s talk about the substance!
Note: The following guidelines are for an SAT essay. Keep in mind that the format and
expectations of an SAT essay are considerably different from those of other types of essays,
such as those you write in school. While many of the concepts below can be applied to
academic essays, the simplicity is designed specifically for SAT purposes.
Note: We are shooting for a score of 5. Go back and look at the guidelines.
All we need to do is to write a Well Organized and Focused essay that Effectively
develops a point of view and demonstrates Strong critical thinking, uses Generally
Appropriate examples, Appropriate vocabulary, Varied sentence structure, and is
Generally Free of most grammatical errors.