1. A FEW EASY STEPS TO HELP YOU BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THE WORLD OF WRITING BEYOND FCAT WRITES Writing on the SAT and ACT:

2. The ACT Essay The SAT Essay Optional, but most schools require it Last section of the exam, 30 minutes Score is separate from ACT Composite score – out of 12 points Students should examine both sides of an argument Essay is graded on a rubric Questions based on high school Included in every SAT First section of the exam, 25 minutes Score is a part of SAT Composite score, also listed separately – 12 pts Students should pick a side and defend it Essay is graded holistically Fortune cookie style questions ACT and SAT Essay Differences

3. Sample SAT Essay Question Consider carefully the issue presented in the following quotation and the assignment below. Essay question  There’s an old saying: “Every cloud has a silver lining.” When I first heard it I thought it wasmerely literal—simply referring to that silvery edge that first revealed the sun breaking through. But gradually I came to see its optimistic message. We know that clouds and other negative events are always temporary and that good things can result from them. Marianne McGonagle, All that Glitters Assignment: Can an event that appeared at first to be negative lead to unexpected positive results? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

4. HOW CLEARLY YOUR POSITION HAS BEEN STATED SOLID ORGANIZATION LOGICAL PRESENTATION OF IDEAS THE QUALITY OF YOUR SUPPORTING EXAMPLES SENTENCE VARIETY VOCABULARY CLARITY OF EXPRESSION What will you be graded on?

5. Sample ACT Essay Question Educators debate extending high school to five years because of increasing demands on students from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities and community service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extending high school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five years because they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop in the fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years? In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

6. AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR ESSAY, MAKE SURE READERS WILL SEE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE. EXPLAIN YOUR POINT OF VIEW IN A CLEAR AND LOGICAL WAY. IF POSSIBLE, DISCUSS THE ISSUE IN A BROADER CONTEXT OR EVALUATE THE IMPLICATIONS OR COMPLICATIONS OF THE ISSUE. ADDRESS WHAT OTHERS MIGHT SAY TO REFUTE YOUR POINT OF VIEW AND PRESENT A COUNTERARGUMENT. USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. VARY THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR SENTENCES, AND USE VARIED AND PRECISE WORD CHOICES. MAKE LOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS CLEAR BY USING TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES. STAY FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC. END WITH A STRONG CONCLUSION THAT SUMMARIZES OR REINFORCES YOUR POSITION. How should I go about writing this essay?

7. WWW.THEPRINCETONREVIEW.COM WWW.COLLEGEBOARD.COM WWW.ACT.ORG WWW.SPARKNOTES.COM WWW.KAPLAN.COM For more information visit: