[DragonPaw]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary The SAT essay is not creative writing, the vast majority of writing that most peope will do requires little to no creativity, it simply requires them to make a statement and back it up with a few concise points.

Some creativity is needed to back up arguments. "Creativity" can simply mean finding a way to write the essay in a fashion that will prove the writer's points. For example, deciding how to best structure the essay with points or evidence - perhaps three ideas per body paragraph with each body paragraph focusing on one point of the argument; and three body paragraphs, an introduction, and a conclusion. Structuring an essay requires some creativity which requires some time. Even a standard five-paragraph essay structure needs to be mulled over and molded to fit the ideas that need to be stated, etc.. The time limit on this SAT essay does not allow one to think - the prompt is skimmed over and down goes the pencil to scribble out as much as possible, even nonsense that looks/sounds good.

Yes, the SAT essay has plenty to do with quantity over quality:

Longer essays consistently score higher. Shortly after the test was first administered in March, I looked at scored samples that were made public, including the set used to train graders. I discovered that I could guess an essay's prescribed score just by looking at its length — even from across a room. One verbose sample that received a perfect 6 concluded with the ridiculous sentence: "If secrecy were eradicated, many problems, such as internal division, but also possibly hate, might also be eliminated."

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by Dr. Les Perelman of M.I.T.

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary I've never met a teenager who was an amazing writer but couldn't do well under the time constraints, a person's writing ability will come through, even if it isn't as impressive, a great writer will almost always get a 6 unless they haven't been taught the five paragraph essay form, which thy should be anyway.

Is there time to organize and write the five-paragraph essay form? No. There is only time to string together as many sentences as possible into four or five groups of two to three sentences that look like paragraphs - hey, they do not even have to be well written, just long winded with made up facts.

He was also struck by all the factual errors in even the top essays. An essay on the Civil War, given a perfect six, describes the nation being changed forever by the "firing of two shots at Fort Sumter in late 1862." (Actually, it was in early 1861, and, according to "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James M. McPherson, it was "33 hours of bombardment by 4,000 shot and shells.") Dr. Perelman contacted the College Board and was surprised to learn that on the new SAT essay, students are not penalized for incorrect facts... How to prepare for such an essay? "I would advise writing as long as possible," said Dr. Perelman, "and include lots of facts, even if they're made up." This, of course, is not what he teaches his M.I.T. students. "It's exactly what we don't want to teach our kids," he said.

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It should be about knowing how to write well, not about how to score a six on the SAT essay. College essays have nothing to do with the SAT essay, but high school training for the SAT essay makes it appear so.

A good writer (who knows the "five paragraph essay form") that writes essays the way they should be written would fail the SAT essay without "training" because of a lack of time. Writing a good essay takes some form of planning and proof-reading, which, of course, takes time that the SAT does not allow.

Quote by: DragonPaw Sure, it may show a person knows how to write...

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary There, you've said it

What I meant is that is shows that a student can write, not that they can write well.

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary ...they're not looking for "true essay writing ability"

That is a shame then, because a real essay writing ability, not a "SAT essay writing ability" is needed in college.

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary That's because it's false, practice and some instruction obviously prepare you. Plus, guides bought by stressed out teenagers make money, which is what the company's ultimate aim is.

That is also a shame. Should a student's admission to a good college/university be so largely based on what a company, whose aim is to make money, says? If this company makes tests in such a way the SAT is made, a way that seems to require training and "official" coaching guides for students to get adequate scores for top schools to even glance at them, it indirectly determines who goes to a SAT-required college and who does not. What if you are a poorer student who cannot afford coaching guides/material (which can cost 750$+)? Doors are closed. Schools that do not like your SAT scores shut their doors on you. Not very fair to the student.

*Les Perelman
**The New York Times > Education > On Education: SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors