Taking the SAT test can be a rather distressing experience for any student, but with the right help and guidance, every pupil has the potential to do well for their SAT test. So if the SAT Writing section is your weakness, then read on. Adopting the following tips may drastically improve your overall SAT scores.
1) Be prepared
This may sound like an obvious tip but it’s critical that you come prepared to the test. One way to be prepared is to memorise about six to eight quotes or historical events that you can use in your essay. You don’t have to use all of them, but try to include at least 2 of them in your essay. The topic is usually open ended. Including historical events or quotes are bound to impress the graders.
2) Take a stand in your essay
Decide whether you agree or disagree with the statement of the essay before you start writing about it. Don’t be wishy washy or feel afraid to explore just one side of the argument.
3) Manage your time wisely
This is one of the most important factors in determining that you will be able to finish the test on time. This is why SAT preparation is extremely important so you will be able to gauge how much time you need for each section. It is advised that you only give yourself about 5 minutes to outline your essay before spending another 10 minutes to write it out. Ideally, your essay should consist of one paragraph of introduction, 2 to 3 paragraphs each detailing examples to support your stand followed by one paragraph of conclusion. Then it’s advisable that you spend the rest of the time proofreading it to ensure that the essay makes sense.
4) If you are stuck, just make something up
The people who are checking your essays usually only take about two minutes to mark each paper. They simply do not have time to check your facts. So even though you are not sure about your history, make something up. Not only are you likely to get away with it, it’s still much more impressive to include ‘facts’ in your essay than not at all.
5) Write legibly
Don’t scribble on your essay. Help the graders read your essay by writing neatly and legibly. Not only will this please the graders, there will also be fewer risks of them mistaking your words for something else.
6) Don’t randomly guess for the multiple choice questions
Take note that while you will earn 1 point for each correct answer, each wrong answer will cost you ¼ of a point. So don’t randomly guess the answers. If you don’t know the answer to a multiple choice question, make an educated guess by eliminating the obvious incorrect choices.
Of course, besides adopting these tips, you should also build up your vocabulary and be familiar with the format for the SAT Writing section. Consider enrolling into an SAT course if you require more discipline in preparing for your SAT. If you don’t, then these tips provided will suffice.
Author Resource:
Joel Lee is an independent test preparation (http://www.icon-plus.com/ ) consultant specializing in SAT preparation, with over 8 years of experience. Apart from helping candidates to improve their scores through a customized SAT course, he actively contributes to websites related to SAT Singapore.
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