how to change to sat with essay

How to Change Your Test Essay Option

Both ACT and College Board have options for students who wish to add or remove the test essay option. The ease and certainty of the process depends on how soon you decide to make a change:

BEFORE LATE REGISTRATION DEADLINE Revising your essay option on either the SAT or ACT before the end of late registration is easy:

SAT : You can change to or from the SAT with Essay without a change fee, but you do pay the price difference between the two tests if you’re switching to the SAT with Essay.

ACT : Log in to your ACT web account and select “Make changes to your registration” no later than the late registration deadline for your test date. Fee adjustments depend on whether you are adding or removing the writing test and whether other services are required to find you a seat (for example, a Test Center Change).

AFTER LATE REGISTRATION DEADLINE Changing your mind about taking the essay once the late registration deadline has passed is even easier. Unfortunately, your change is not guaranteed:

SAT : You may be able to switch on test day, but it’s up to the test center coordinator and depends on whether they have enough materials, space, and staff. You will be seated after other students.

ACT : If you change your mind after the late deadline, you may attempt to change your test option on the day of the test. Tell the test coordinator at your test center that you want to change your Test Option before you are admitted to test. If there are materials, space, and staff available for your preferred test option, you will be allowed to make the change. If you change to the ACT with writing, ACT will bill you for the additional fee. Test takers should have no problem dropping the essay on test day but may have to take a loss on the extra Essay or Writing fee. Just be sure to express your preference when you arrive at the test center.

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The essay portion of the SAT has a somewhat lengthy and tumultuous history. After all, the very first College Board standardized tests delivered in 1900 were entirely essay-based, but the SAT had dropped all essays from its format by the 1920s and did not reappear again until 2005.

When another redesign of the SAT was announced in 2014, many wondered if the essay, as the most recent addition, would make the cut. The College Board, considering whether to keep it or not, reportedly sought feedback from hundreds of members in admissions and enrollment . Advocates of the essay felt it gave candidates more dimension. Critics believed that the essay was not indicative of college readiness. A review of assessment validity confirmed that the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT “is deeply predictive of college success,” whereas the essay is much less so.

Ultimately, the decision was made to make the essay an optional part of the SAT. This was an innovative move, signaling the first time that the College Board had made any component of the SAT optional.

Furthermore, the essay format has changed as well. Instead of arguing a specific side of a debate or topic presented in the prompt, you will now be asked to analyze a passage for writing style. This prompt is more aligned with the types of critical writing pieces that you can expect to be assigned in college.

As with all things new, the new SAT has taken some getting used to. Students, parents, teachers, and tutors alike have had to adjust to some significant changes in format and content. But the good news is that the new SAT is no longer an unknown variable. The essay in particular is now a well-known and understood piece of the puzzle, with the prompt remaining the same on each administration of the test. The only thing that has changed is the passage to be analyzed.

To learn more about the most significant changes on the SAT, read CollegeVine’s A Guide to the New SAT or review Khan Academy’s video overview of Content Changes to the New SAT .

Do I have to take the SAT with Essay?

As mentioned above, the essay is technically an optional section on the SAT — so no, you are not required to take it. That being said, some colleges or universities do require applicants to submit SAT with Essay scores. If you choose not to take the essay portion of the test, you will not be an eligible applicant for any of these schools. To find the essay policy at schools you’re interested in, use the College Board’s College Essay Policies search feature.

Should I take the optional SAT Essay?

If you are at all unsure of which colleges you’ll be applying to, or you know that at least one of the schools you’re interested in requires the SAT with Essay, you should go ahead and take the essay portion of the test. If you don’t register for the SAT with Essay at first, you can add it later through your online College Board account. Registration for the SAT with Essay costs $57 as opposed to the $45 for the SAT without the optional essay section.

What is the format of the new SAT Essay?

The new SAT Essay is a lot like a typical college or upper-level high school writing assignment in which you’re asked to analyze a text. You’ll be provided a passage between 650 and 750 words, and you will be asked to explain how the author builds an argument to persuade his or her audience. You will need to use evidence from the text to support your explanation. Unlike on past SATs, you will not be asked to agree or disagree with a position on a topic, and you will not be asked to write about your personal experiences.

You will have 50 minutes to read the passage, plan your work, and write your essay. Although this seems like an extremely limited amount of time, it is actually double the time allowed on the SAT Essay prior to March 2016.

The instructions and prompt on the SAT Essay, beginning in March 2016, are always the same. They read:

As you read the passage below, consider how [the author] uses:

Evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims
Reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence
Stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed

These instructions will be followed by the passage that you’re intended to analyze. After the passage, you will see the prompt:

Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [his/her] audience of [author’s claim]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of [his/her] argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author’s] claims, but rather explain how the author builds an argument to persuade [his/her] audience.

Although you can expect the passages to be different, they will all share some common characteristics. You can expect the SAT Essay to be based on passages that are written for a broad audience, argue a point, express subtle views on complex subjects, and use logical reasoning and evidence to support claims. These passages examine ideas, debates, or trends in the arts and sciences; or civic, cultural, or political life; and they are always taken from published works.

How will my essay be assessed?

Your essay will be assessed in three scoring categories, each of which will be included on your score report. Two people will read your essay and score it independently. These scorers will each award between one and four points in each scoring category. If the scores you receive in a single category vary by more than one point, an SAT expert scorer will review your essay.

The scoring categories are:

A successful essay shows that you understood the passage, including the interplay of central ideas and important details. It also shows an effective use of textual evidence.

A successful essay shows your understanding of how the author builds an argument by:

Examining the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and other stylistic and persuasive techniques
Supporting and developing claims with well-chosen evidence from the passage

A successful essay is focused, organized, and precise, with an appropriate style and tone that varies sentence structure and follows the conventions of standard written English.

Scores on the SAT Essay range from six to 24. To review a more specific breakdown for each scoring category, see the College Board SAT Essay Scoring Rubric .

Is my essay score always included on my score report sent to colleges?

Yes, your essay scores will always be reported with your other test scores from that day. There is no option to report only specific sections of your score. Even if you use Score Choice to choose which day’s scores you send to colleges, you can never send only some scores from a certain test day. For example, you cannot select to send Math scores but not Writing and Language or Essay scores.

What are the key strategies for the new SAT Essay test?

Remember the prompt.

On test day you will have only 50 minutes to read the passage, plan your analysis, and write your essay. Every minute will count. Because the prompt is the same on each SAT, you can save yourself some very valuable time by remembering exactly what the prompt asks you to do. That way, you won’t have to bother reading it on the day of your test.

Also remember that the prompt is asking only for your analysis. It is not asking you to summarize the passage or state your own opinion of it. Instead, while reading and creating a rough outline, you should focus on restating the main point that the author is arguing and analyzing how that point is made. Use only evidence taken directly from the passage and focus on how the author uses this evidence, reasoning, and other rhetorical techniques to build a convincing argument.

In short, when you begin your essay on test day, you should be able to skip reading the actual prompt and get straight to examining the author’s choices in presenting the argument. You should not waste any time summarizing the content of the passage or stating your own opinion of it.

Create a Rough Outline

When you’re under pressure to create a well-written essay in a limited amount of time, it can be tempting to skip the outline. Don’t fall into this thinking. While an outline may take some time to create, it will ultimately save you time and effort during the actual writing process.

The bulk of the outline you create should focus on the body paragraphs of your essay. You should have three main points you want to highlight, each being a specific method that the author uses to argue his or her point. These could include the use of logic, an appeal to emotions, or the style of diction or tone. As you read, identify the primary ways in which the author supports his or her argument. List the three most relevant methods in your outline, and then briefly cite examples of each underneath.

This very rough outline will shape the bulk of your essay and can ultimately save you the time it would take to remember these details during the actual writing process.

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Stick to the Standard 5-Paragraph Essay Format

By this point in your high school career, you should have some experience writing a five-paragraph essay. The format is probably already familiar to you. As a refresher, a five-paragraph essay is generally structured like this:

I. Introductory Paragraph

Give some very basic background about the topic (for example, why the author is writing this piece)
Restate the author’s argument clearly
Write a concise thesis statement summarizing three ways in which the author proves his or her point

II. Body Paragraphs

One body paragraph per method used by the author
Include two to three specific examples directly from the passage
Analyze how effective these are

III. Conclusion

Restate your thesis
Briefly summarize the effectiveness of the author’s argument

While you may feel that 50 minutes is not enough time to plan and write an entire five-paragraph essay, you are best off keeping each paragraph brief and to the point rather than writing a more detailed essay in a shorter format. Each body paragraph should be only five or six sentences, while your introduction and conclusion can be even shorter if you write them effectively.

Practice Reading and Critiquing Opinion Pieces

The best way to prepare for the type of thinking and analysis required by the SAT Essay is to immerse yourself in reading and critiquing similar opinion pieces. The passage for the SAT Essay will always argue one side of a debate or topic, so other opinion pieces, editorials, and persuasive essays are all similar in content.

Read lots of these to become familiar with the style of writing. As you read, make mental notes of the methods that the authors use to make their points. Recognize patterns in these methods across pieces. For example, you might notice that casual diction is used to create a feeling of communal cause. These are points that you could also use in your analysis on the SAT Essay if they apply to the particular passage you receive.

Be An Active Reader

This will take you right back to your early high school and even junior high years. To be efficient on the SAT Essay, you will need to read closely and carefully in a limited amount of time. Staying engaged in the passage and making effective notations that will aid your analysis are critical.

You are probably familiar with some active reading strategies, and if that’s the case, stick with whatever notation you usually use. There’s no right way to do it, as long as your markings keep you actively engaged in the text and make your writing process easier.

This could include circling or bracketing off the thesis statement as you read. You might underline supporting details or come up with a system to mark for different literary devices (for example, a heart in the margin to denote an emotional appeal). If part of the argument seems unclear, put a question mark in the margin so that you can review it later.

Keep These Key Questions in Mind

It’s easy to get off track when you’re under pressure and rushing to complete a task. These are some good questions to keep in mind to ensure your essay stays on track:

Does the author use facts or logic to support claims? How does he or she do so? Is this effective? Could it be more effective? How so?

Discussing the author’s use of logic — often called an appeal to logos — speaks directly to an audience’s sense of reason. This is a very effective method of persuasion since it will just “make sense” to most readers.

What stylistic rhetorical devices does the author use to support claims?

Another common strategy used by authors involves the style and flow of their words. Does he or she make use of analogies, word repetition, or alliteration? These are all rhetorical devices about which you could write.

How does specific word choice contribute to the overall effectiveness of the piece?

Words are powerful. They can elicit emotions; they can create a sense of common cause; and they can use precision to draw pictures in your mind. What word choices are particularly powerful in the passage? Are there any patterns worth mentioning?

Of course, these are just a few of the many ideas you can use to get started with shaping and organizing your analysis. It’s a good idea to have a handful of possible questions to consider while reading. This will guide your thinking and can definitely help you out if you suddenly draw a blank.

Study the Glossary

This is the most straightforward way to guide you as you prepare for the SAT Essay. Khan Academy has compiled an official Essay Glossary of key terms for the essay, and having a solid grasp of this vocabulary will allow you to use the correct words to describe the literary devices you discuss. And beyond that, the glossary can help give you some ideas for possible features in analyzing in your writing.

Where can I find free study materials for the SAT Essay?

Because the new SAT Essay was just rolled out in March 2016, there are not tons of resources yet for preparation. Many of the SAT Essay resources were designed before the new test, rendering them obsolete now. As you look for study materials, make sure that anything you use was created after March 2016 to ensure you are getting relevant information.

Some great resources are:

Sample passages and scored essays from the College Board are available for your review. These will give you an accurate idea of the types of passages you can expect to read and how your response will be assessed. These include examples of high-, medium-, and low-scoring student responses to help you gauge the quality of work that is expected.

Khan Academy tutorials are also available to help you prepare specifically for the SAT Essay. These include video overviews and a message board where students share and discuss strategies.

Finally, don’t skip the Khan Academy Essay Glossary as discussed above. Memorizing key terms from this resource will legitimize your response and help shape your thinking.

If you still have questions about the new SAT Writing and Language Test or you are interested in our full-service, customized SAT tutoring, head over to CollegeVine’s SAT Tutoring Program , where the brightest and most qualified tutors in the industry guide students to an average score increase of 140 points.

To learn more about the SAT, check out these CollegeVine posts:

ACT vs SAT/SAT Subject Tests
Are PSAT Scores Related to SAT Scores?
What Should I Bring to My SAT?
A Guide to the New SAT
The CollegeVine Guide to SAT Scores: All Your Questions Answered
How to Register For Your SATs

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

Digital SAT Reading and Writing

Course: digital sat reading and writing > unit 1.

About the digital SAT
Digital SAT overview
About the digital SAT Reading and Writing test

Digital SAT FAQs

About the digital PSAT/NMSQT

Frequently asked questions

What is the digital sat, which version of the sat will i take.

Starting in 2023, students taking the test outside the United States and its territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands) will take the digital SAT.
Starting in 2024, the digital SAT will be taken by all students.
You’re taking it outside of the U.S., you should prepare for the digital SAT only by using Khan Academy’s Official Digital SAT Prep .
You’re taking it in the U.S. (or its territories), you should prepare for the paper-and-pencil test using Khan Academy’s Official SAT Practice .

What is the difference between the digital SAT and the paper-and-pencil test?

Calculator use: Calculators are now allowed throughout the entire Math section. A graphing calculator is integrated into the digital test experience so that all students have access.
Question word count: The average length of Math word problems has been reduced. In-context questions are still a big part of the test, but they’re not quite so wordy.
One test for Reading and Writing: While the pencil-and-paper SAT tested reading and writing in separate test sections, the digital SAT combines these topics.
Shorter passages (and more of them): Instead of reading long passages and answering multiple questions on each passage, students taking the digital SAT will encounter shorter passages, each with just one follow-up question.
New question types: With a greater number and variety of passages, the digital SAT includes new types of questions, with new prompts that require new strategies.

How should I start studying for the digital SAT?

Starting with a practice test will help you diagnose the areas where you need the most practice.
After taking each practice test, you can review your performance and read answer explanations for the questions you missed.
You can take full-length practice tests using College Board’s Bluebook app .
We recommend taking full-length practice tests at set intervals throughout your test prep journey. Doing this will help you gauge your progress, refine the focus of your skill practice, and build endurance and experience for test day.
The best way to practice individual skills is to explore both the digital SAT Math course and the digital SAT Reading and Writing courses on Khan Academy.
In these courses, you can read articles and watch videos that cover each skill, practice those skills, then test yourself in the related exercises. As you become proficient in more skills, you’ll become more prepared for test day.

How many practice tests should I take to be prepared?

What types of practice does khan academy’s official digital sat prep have.

The Math course is organized into 37 math skills and features three levels of difficulty in each skill.
The Reading and Writing course is organized into 11 skills and covers the full range of questions on the exam.

Will Official Digital SAT Prep show me where to focus when I study?

Change SAT with Essay to SAT

Hi guys! I have registered for Nov. 5th SAT with Essay. However, after the Oct.1th score came out on Oct. 27th, I have decided to change my Nov. 5th SAT with Essay to SAT. Then I realized the deadline of changing test type has passed. What do I do??? I read the instructions on my admission ticket, which states that the test center supervisor may permit my request on test day. What can I do to add my chances of getting permission? Do I have to arrive earlier than other candidates? If I don’t write my name and info on the essay paper on test day, will I get a 0 essay? Has anyone ever experienced this? Any suggestions? Thanks a million!

I called College Board when my kid considered not taking the essay, they said you just needed to tell the test center on the day of the test.

Thank you so much!

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., how to change your sat test date.

Life happens. Maybe your practice plans didn’t work out because too many urgent tasks popped up. Maybe the opportunity of a lifetime conflicts with your planned SAT date. Maybe you just don’t feel ready. Bottom line—you think you want to change the date you are scheduled to take the SAT.

Should You Change Your SAT Date?

First, decide whether you should change your SAT date. It is normal to feel nervous or stressed leading up to the SAT—it’s an important test that can have a big impact on where you go to college. The SAT includes content from many years of school (and some content you might not have covered in school at all). Even if you’ve mastered the content, you need test-taking strategies and a solid pacing plan to be successful on the SAT. All these factors make it perfectly reasonable that you’d feel uncertain about taking the SAT.

Even if you’re feeling the pressure of the SAT (and most people are!) you should go ahead and take the SAT. There are a number of reasons for this advice.

1. Nerves are normal when taking such an important test.
2. Taking the SAT is a skill, and, like any skill, improvement comes with practice. In fact, most students increase their scores when they retake the SAT.
3. Almost every school will consider your best score or your superscore when making admissions decisions, so there’s no real penalty to having a less than desirable SAT score on your record.
4. You may have a much better testing day than you expect. Especially given that there is little risk to taking the SAT, it probably makes sense for you to go ahead and take it.

Free Digital SAT Practice Tests & Events

Evaluate and improve your SAT score

Now, if you are far, far away from a “good score,” it may make sense to avoid spending a Saturday morning taking the SAT. If you’re more than 200 points away from your goal on recent practice tests, perhaps it does make sense to push off your SAT date and use that time for test prep.

Finally, perhaps something has come up that will make it impossible to take the SAT on the date you initially registered for. Maybe you qualified for a tournament or competition that you didn’t expect to make (congratulations!). Maybe something else has come up and taking the SAT just won’t work out. So, now it’s time to change your SAT date.

Changing Your SAT Test Date

To change your SAT test date (or location), you’ll need to:

a. Once you’re logged in, if you’re changing your test date, you’ll need to cancel your initial registration and reregister for a different date .
b. If you’re just changing your location, you don’t need to cancel your initial registration; you’ll be able to change the location by clicking on the registration link in your account.
c. Either way, there are deadlines to changing your test registration and location, and these deadlines are different depending on whether you’re located inside or outside the United States.

Preparing for Your New SAT Test Date

If you’ve decided to change your SAT test date, you’ll want to make sure that you are ready for that new test date. If you’re changing your SAT date because something came up, you might simply need to continue practicing.

If, however, you’re changing your SAT test date because you’re not prepared (or, after taking our advice above and deciding to retake the SAT), consider what steps you need to take to be successful. The Princeton Review has over 40 years of experience helping students increase their scores, offering books, self-study programs, courses, and tutoring options for the SAT. If you’re looking for expert advice, contact The Princeton Review’s Enrollment Advisors, who can work with you to determine the best option for you in your SAT journey.

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Colleges Rates and Requirements

Find the right college for you., core college requirements for competitive acceptance rates.

As you start thinking about which colleges to apply to and how to put together your college applications, don’t forget to familiarize yourself with current admissions requirements and acceptance trends. You may have seen recent headlines about college acceptance rates and how low they were for students who applied to the most selective colleges and universities. It’s important to remember that while admissions requirements for the most competitive schools didn’t change, the number of students applying to these types of institutions has gradually increased. As a result, acceptance rates of colleges, particularly elite universities, decreased. You should also keep in mind that due to the covid-19 pandemic, most institutions saw a spike in applications. This has caused acceptance rates to further decrease.

The headlines shouldn’t deter you from moving ahead with the application process. Although it might feel seem like there’s more competition than ever before, it’s important to remember two things: Acceptance rates vary among colleges, and most colleges accept two-thirds of applicants. Once you understand what college entrance requirements are and how to interpret college admission rates, you'll be better prepared to find the right school for you.

Understand These Key Requirements for College Applications.

Each college uses its own formula when evaluating applicants, and these practices vary from school to school. In addition, many colleges over the last few years have begun instituting "test optional" and "test flexible" policies for the SAT and ACT. Despite these factors, colleges still look for certain key requirements. You can learn more about admissions requirements for individual colleges in College Search .

Standard Core Curriculum and Beyond

All colleges emphasize GPA requirements, but they focus particularly on performance in core subject areas such as mathematics, science, English, and history. Colleges look at your grades, curriculum, and the courses you take as indicators of your ability to be successful in college. To get a better understanding of which colleges might be the best fit for you, research the GPA requirements for colleges you’re interested in. Also look at the range of GPAs accepted at those institutions on the BigFuture College Search tool. Consider taking more advanced coursework such as AP courses if it fits with your career goals and if your school offers them.

Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars are where you can really stand out, especially from others with similar grades. Extra academic activities show off your personal strengths and interests to admissions officers. Ideally, they want to see students who were deeply involved in school activities outside of the classroom and held leadership positions. Learn more about how extracurriculars matter to you and colleges .

Application Essay

For colleges that require it, the application essay can be a very important part of your application and is your pitch to the university. This is your opportunity to show the school of your dreams the unique individual you are, something that may not necessarily be conveyed in your transcript. It indicates how your talents will contribute to their community. Find tips for writing your college essay here.

Standardized Test Scores

Though the trend in some U.S. colleges has been to put less emphasis on SAT scores, make no mistake: They still play an important role in the college admissions process. Test scores are still used by many colleges for course placement and merit aid. High test scores can also help you stand out and strengthen your college application. If you’re not sure if you should submit your scores, talk to your school counselor or the college’s admissions officer for guidance.

Letters of Recommendation

Although not required by all colleges, letters of recommendation can give admissions counselors insight into who you are beyond just your grades and activities. If letters are required by the institutions you’re applying to, the college will let you know who they want letters from. It’s usually a teacher or counselor. Pick someone who knows you well.

Keep on Top of College Application Deadlines.

Application deadlines can sneak up on high school seniors like a tiger in the night. It’s of utmost importance that you double-check your prospective school’s application deadlines and submit everything you need sooner rather than later. Most college application deadlines fall into the following categories:

Understand the College Application Platform.

There are two main types of college applications : The Common Application and the Coalition Application, which allow students to apply to multiple schools using a single application platform. You should check with the institutions you’re interested in applying to see which application platform they prefer.

How Do College Acceptance Rates Work?

A college’s acceptance rate is actually a ratio. It's the total number of applicants in relation to the number of students who were accepted. For example, Harvard received applications from 61,220 students in 2022─the highest-ever number of applicants to the school. Of those, only 1,214 received admission, leading to the school’s lowest-ever acceptance rate of 3.19%.

This illustrates the point earlier that college acceptance rates are on a decline as the number of applicants increases, saturating the pool with more competition than ever before.

Acceptance rates are based on the number of spots available at a college. This is a set number of applicants who can be admitted to that class of graduates, and it's not subject to change based on the volume of applicants. As you can imagine, more competitive schools, such as Ivy League colleges and universities, have fewer spots available and are thus affected more by the number of applicants.

This same logic applies to private and public colleges. Public colleges, which are characteristically larger institutions, will admit greater numbers of students, leading to higher acceptance rates. However, public colleges have also been impacted by a larger number of applicants. When you’re building your college list, it’s advisable to include a balance of reach, match, and safety schools to improve your chances of acceptance.

It's important to keep in mind that college admission rates don’t necessarily reflect the quality of education or the quality of students who apply, and you shouldn’t be discouraged from applying to schools based on these numbers.

What is the Difference Between Admission Yield and Enrollment Rate?

Admission yield is the percentage of students who accepted enrollment into a college after being granted admission. These vary significantly from school to school. For example, the University of California, Berkeley’s yield rate for 2022 was just 40% while the yield rate for Yale was a whopping 83%.

As students apply to greater numbers of colleges and have more options, yield rates decline.

Review the Latest College Acceptance Rate Stats.

Students faced competitive acceptance rates in 2022. Common Application public colleges and universities saw a 24% surge of applicants since 2019-20 and 17% for private institutions. Meanwhile, the acceptance rates continue to decline. For example, Emory University’s acceptance rate fell 8 percentage points between 2020 and 2022.

Students who are eyeing colleges with highly competitive acceptance rates must focus more than ever on the things that will set them apart: exceptional performance beyond the standard core curriculum, strong extracurricular participation, powerful application essays, letters of recommendation, and excellent standardized test scores. However, even with all of these differentiators, it’s important to remember that none of these can guarantee acceptance, especially at selective institutions. Be sure to build a balanced college list that gives you options.

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5 tips for ivy league applicants following harvard’s return to the sat.

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A student reading outside Harvard's Widener Library. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images ... [+] Group via Getty Images)

Harvard has announced that it will require standardized test scores from all applicants to the college, starting this fall. As a Harvard Crimson editorial said, “The timing of the announcement is hardly ideal.” The following tips may help you or your teenager cope with the stress and prepare for the test.

Why Did Harvard Reinstate Standardized Testing?

"In its press release, Harvard referenced a study from Harvard-affiliated initiative Opportunity Insights, led by Brown University economist John N. Friedman ’02 and Harvard economists Raj Chetty ’00 and David J. Deming, which found that SAT scores are a particularly strong predictor of college success – much more so than a student’s high school grade point average,” The Crimson wrote .

This is the same reasoning presented by Brown, Dartmouth and Yale to justify their recent return to the SAT.

The startling fact is the timing: Harvard is no longer test optional as of this fall. Students are scrambling to cope. Here are some tips to get you through the shock and onto the right track.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, do not waste time lamenting.

It is certainly tempting to join a collective wail of resentment. Colleges that admitted older siblings, friends or schoolmates without requiring standardized tests now expect the next class of applicants to quickly add SAT prep to their busy schedules.

Higher education experts have the responsibility to analyze this decision and some will object to it. However, this fall’s cohort of college applicants do not have a choice. Students who wish to pursue admission to colleges that require standardized testing must follow the rules.

Wallowing in the unfairness of it all will not change the college’s decision. Students need all the energy they can muster to prepare for standardized testing.

Do Not Neglect Final Exams

Do not let concerns about the new SAT requirement get in the way of studying for final exams and end-of-year projects.

While the return of standardized testing is in the news, this should not detract from the other components of successful applications to highly competitive universities. Solid grades in rigorous academic classes bolstered with significant extracurricular activities remain the core of a student’s high school record.

Do Start Studying

Students sometimes think that studying for the SAT means mastering an arcane set of tips and tricks, or mindlessly running through a seemingly endless battery of practice questions.

While familiarity with the format of the test certainly helps, it might be more valuable to think of SAT prep as a chance to finally focus on basics you may have missed.

Remember, the research cited by Harvard and other colleges shows that the better you do on the SAT, the higher your grades are likely to be in college. So, use these last weeks of the semester to strengthen your command of mathematics and critical reading. These skills will benefit you long after the test.

Do Reserve A Seat Now

Last, but far from least, register for whatever test dates are appropriate for your prep schedule. The news from Harvard may prove to be a wake-up call for students who assumed they would simply skip standardized tests, and test centers may be filling up.

Some students are reporting difficulty finding seats to take the SAT, now that four Ivies (plus MIT and CalTech) have reinstated standardized testing requirements.

Andrea Sparrey, a past president of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, wrote in correspondence on LinkedIn, “There were no tests in all of Washington State in June (when I looked in March).” In such a case, it is advisable to book whatever is open, but remain persistent. “I kept checking the site and a spot opened up in May,” Sparrey says.

Bear in mind that the cohort of students applying in 2025 may see the writing on the wall. Next fall may see not only seniors, but also juniors, lining up to take the SAT or other standardized tests. If you foresee wanting to take a test next fall, it would be wise to sign up as soon as that schedule is posted.

Above All, Do Not Despair

As announced on its website, “Harvard College will require the submission of standardized test scores from applicants for admission as part of the comprehensive application process that takes a whole-student approach.”

It’s important for students to do their best on the SAT, but standardized test scores are only part of the picture.

Because things are changing so rapidly, it is critical that students check the official website of each college to which they plan to apply, to be sure they have the most up-to-date information on application requirements.

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I'm a low-income high school student. I worry colleges reinstating the SAT requirement will ruin my admissions chances.

The college admission process concerns me as top colleges reinstate the SAT requirement.
As a low-income minority student, I can't afford expensive resources like test prep and tutoring.
I am striving to make my college application impressive without having the best test scores.

College applications are something that stays on my mind all the time. As a high school sophomore, I have taken every AP class that is offered by my school, gotten straight A's, and maintained a high GPA to ensure my work pays off come college decision day.

But even doing everything I can, I feel my fate is still uncertain and anxiety-inducing. Do I have enough clubs? Am I as impressive as some of my other high-achieving peers? Recently, a new concern has taken over my college apprehension: SATs.

In 2020, many top colleges made standardized testing optional for the college admission process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in January, Yale and Dartmouth reinstated standardized testing — like the SAT and ACTs — as a requirement for college applications.

This change makes me increasingly worried about my chances at some of my dream schools — especially as a low-income, minority student .

I can't afford SAT prep

Being a low-income student, doing well on the SAT is not easily achievable because of how the exam is structured. To me, it seems like the exam measures your ability to beat the test instead of your knowledge of the material.

The SAT doesn't offer an equal playing field

It doesn't feel like an equal playing field. Unlike me, students from higher socio-economic backgrounds can afford the SATs because they have the resources to do well on the exam. I fear that my inability to afford prep will make my college applications look sub-par compared to my higher-income counterparts. My goal is to have an application that matches other high-caliber students, but I am not sure how I can do that with lower test scores .

However, I am not someone who easily gives up, especially on lifelong dreams. In recent months, I have begun working harder in my classes, extracurriculars, and SAT studies — through every resource I can find and afford.

At the end of the day, it seems that college admissions will always come back to money. For immigrant, low-income students like myself, it seems as if we always end up with the short end of the stick when it comes to our education and, more importantly, our futures.

But when my background becomes discouraging or admissions feel like they are taking over my life, I remind myself that it's not important that I attend a top college . It only matters why, and that is to fight for better opportunities for people like me.

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California Student Journalism Corps

Should colleges and universities bring back SATs and ACTs?

The california student journalism corps, april 12, 2024, 10 comments.

When the Covid-19 pandemic seriously disrupted the ability of students to take SATs and ACTs, many colleges and universities, including the University of California and California State University systems, either made standardized tests optional or dropped the requirement for admissions. Now, Dartmouth is the first to say that either SATs or ACTs will be required again for fall 2024 applicants, and a few other universities , including Harvard , are following this path.

Even before the pandemic, equity concerns were often cited as reasons these tests should not be required; both the UC and Cal State systems have maintained that they will continue to be SAT- and ACT-free.

To learn what university students think about the potential return of standardized testing, EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps asked them the following questions at seven California colleges and universities:

“While UC and Cal State have said there are no plans to change their test-free policy, in place since 2020, do you think standardized tests such as these should return? Why or why not?”

Below are their responses.

(Click on the names or images below to read what each person had to say.)

Alex Soriano

Third-year accounting major at san diego state university.

Alex Soriano opposes the return of standardized tests, suggesting that there should be “more holistic ways” to evaluate students equitably. However, he is unsure of what an alternative might look like.

“In my opinion, based on evaluating different skills … I feel like (the test) doesn’t really evaluate knowledge on the same level,” he said. “I think bringing back standardized tests would bring back [equity] issues.”

To showcase the disparity of standardized test scores, Soriano references EdGap.org . The website features a map that displays the median household income of neighborhoods and the average SAT and ACT scores in those areas. The map indicates that high-income areas exhibit well-performing test scores in comparison to those from low-income areas.

“Coming from the upper-middle-class area of San Diego, my area was super high (in SAT and ACT scores), and it made sense,” Soriano said. “A lot of my friends could afford to pay for the extra tutoring; they could pay for a counselor that can come in and work on standardized test prep, and not everybody is able to afford those services.”

By Jazlyn Dieguez

Chase Rodriguez

Third-year kinesiology major at san diego state university.

“I think they should (return) just because I think it’s a good (performance assessment) other than grades for colleges because some high schools inflate their GPAs,” Rodriguez said. “It’s kind of a middle ground.”

After taking the SAT exam once, Rodriguez was satisfied with the “OK” score he received since he wasn’t planning to apply to any universities with a high SAT requirement. Instead, he opted to attend Modesto Junior College and has since transferred to San Diego State University.

“It’s weird because I know some people are not great test-takers and some students haven’t had the luxury of being in certain classes or receiving tutoring,” he said. “Some people were spending crazy amounts of money to have a good SAT and ACT score. I wasn’t one of those guys, I was just happy with whatever I got.”

Ayah Kattaa

Junior studying psychology at uc davis.

“No, I do not believe standardized testing should be reinstated,” Kattaa said. “The SATs are a disadvantage for most college applicants.”

Kattaa believes that “a student’s GPA, extracurriculars, admission essays, and letters of recommendation speak more (about) a student’s academic and personal achievements. They are more than just one test.”

Kattaa also believes that the absence of required standardized tests has increased diversity on college campuses.

By Aya Mikbel

Javeria Naseer

Freshman studying civil engineering at california state university, sacramento.

“I believe that standardized tests such as these should not return due to the amount of pressure it puts onto students and the possible disadvantage regarding admission status,” Naseer said. However, she sees the advantage of the tests being provided “for those who want to show more dedication.”

She understands that colleges and universities are looking for “well-rounded students; academics certainly play a greater role when applying to college.”

But Naseer is concerned that when students don’t have high scores, “It may cause them to be looked down upon, (and) there are other factors such as general academics or volunteer service that should be prioritized as well.”

Naseer continued, “As a student who didn’t take these tests, I feel that doing so allowed me to focus and improve on other areas of my studies/experience.”

Denise Garcia

First-year biochemistry major at university of california, los angeles.

“No, I don’t think these tests should be brought back,” Garcia said. “I think there should be a different type of examination process. I didn’t take the ACT or SAT and got in (to UCLA). I think they don’t really evaluate the student as a whole.”

Garcia added that she thinks the tests don’t “give a very good evaluation of students, academically speaking.”

By Delilah Brumer

Nikki Wolin

Fourth-year english major at university of california, los angeles.

“We got rid of the SAT and ACT requirements a few years ago, and I honestly think that it’s more fair for people to not have (these tests) as a requirement,” Wolin said.

Wolin said she was able to get SAT tutoring, but it was expensive for her family, and she’s “very aware that not everyone can afford that.”

“While I did have a leg up, I know that it wasn’t fair to everyone,” Wolin said. “I think abolishing that requirement was a step in the right direction. I wish I had a better solution for a replacement, but I don’t. At least now, I know they’re focusing on a more holistic approach, which I think is more fair.”

Fourth-year math major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

“I think it depends on the college,” Bar said. “For a school like Cal Poly, where a majority of what they are going to take into account is your GPA and test scores, it is different from a private college where they are going to take a more holistic approach.”

As a student who participated in examinations for his admission into Cal Poly, Bar said that he believed the university could benefit from reinstating test scores in exams, to add more depth to applications.

“Right now, Cal Poly doesn’t use essays, so all the application really consists of is biographical information and GPA,” Bar said. “I think there should be another component, like SATs or ACT scores. I think for a school that requires just such minimal information about the applicants, they should require it.”

By Arabel Meyer

Andrea Martinez

First-year student studying sociology and statistics at uc berkeley.

“They should be test-free because it makes admissions more equal, and all higher SAT scores usually come with higher preparation,” Martinez said.

Martinez said she hopes UCs and CSUs would not require test scores because she finds inequality when colleges use standardized test scores for admissions. The SAT takes preparation and financial resources that not all students can access, according to Martinez.

“I came from a low-income community and rural community,” she said. “There was no such thing as SAT prep.”

Martinez only realized the importance of SAT preparation when her peers began to discuss private tutoring and other resources they had access to. She hopes that remaining test-free will provide greater opportunities for students, regardless of their financial position.

By Kelcie Lee

Alyssa Chiu

First-year student studying applied mathematics at uc berkeley .

“Having it is a good idea,” Chiu said. “However, the SAT, when you take it, you can learn how to get a good score. So in a way, it’s almost rigged.”

She had mixed feelings when it comes to the SAT and ACT; she understands the purposes of assessing students, but also acknowledged flaws of using standardized tests for admissions.

“Even if you do get a good score, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re meant to go to one of these top schools.”

She believes a better option would involve the UCs making their own test that is “more knowledge-based,” as opposed to the memorization involved in prepping for the SAT.

“Ultimately, it’s a weird in-between of whether you should have it or not,” Chiu said.

Kate Williams

Third-year communications student at sonoma state university.

“I personally think the tests aren’t necessary or helpful. I don’t think they are proof of intelligence.”

Williams transferred from Berkeley City College to Sonoma State in 2023. She did not have to take a standardized test to get admitted.

“I know people in my life that have told me about their experiences, and that they felt that the test was not concrete proof of whether or not they are intelligent.”

By Ally Valiente

Bryce Bernales

Second-year business student at sonoma state university.

Bernales said that he does not support standardized tests making a return because “the tests favor those that have access to more resources.”

He is dissatisfied with the inequity. “Families with money can get tutors to help educate their kids to do better and can afford for them to take it multiple times to improve, while some families may not be able to afford it,” Bernales said.

“Along with that,” he continued, “the [high] school’s funding also can affect the results of the test since a better funded school tends to have higher scores.”

Maddy Mlouk

First-year psychology major at cal poly, san luis obispo.

“No, because I think a lot of people just aren’t good test takers, and a lot of it’s just really generalized knowledge,” Mlouk said.

Mlouk said she did not get a good score on the SAT, but she had a high GPA, which helped her.

“I consider (myself) a pretty smart person, but the test does not reflect that at all,” she said.

Mlouk said standardized tests like the SAT and ACT aren’t helpful for people who are not good test takers.

“It would limit their chances even though they could excel at that school,” Mlouk said.

By Ashley Bolter

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Paul Muench 3 days ago 3 days ago

The best predictor of college success is college success. Switch to a system of open enrollment with the current high school graduation minimums. Many CSUs effectively already have open enrollment, so just need to work on the most selective CSUs and UC. We are so close to automated grading this should be feasible very soon.

John B. 3 days ago 3 days ago

What's doubly tragic for students who couldn't otherwise get into a Cal State or UC school is that, once they graduate, the value of their diploma will not have the currency in our capitalistic system that it once did. It's totally unfair that they received poor public educations, and they have every right to expect the same quality of life as their peers from affluent neighborhoods. But "fairness" has little to do with the reality … Read More

What’s doubly tragic for students who couldn’t otherwise get into a Cal State or UC school is that, once they graduate, the value of their diploma will not have the currency in our capitalistic system that it once did. It’s totally unfair that they received poor public educations, and they have every right to expect the same quality of life as their peers from affluent neighborhoods.

But “fairness” has little to do with the reality of the world. It’s almost for certain that students who couldn’t have made it into Cal Sate or UC on their own intellectual merits will have trouble finding college graduate level work outside of government jobs (which continue the same requirements “”hiring approach” as California colleges have). What will almost certainly happen is that non-public graduate school will become the new “college standard.” They will use the GRE or other such test, and few will be admitted.

Parents need to demand more from our public K-12 schools than just graduation and getting their children into college. We have tests that show how poorly our public K-12 students are doing. School leaders should have to worry about keeping their jobs when test scores fall. At present, they don’t.

Timothy Kral 6 days ago 6 days ago

There are two primary competing arguments regarding the SAT, with an underlying argument that is not generally visible to most people. The primary argument for is the SAT is a reliable predictor of students' success at a university. That argument that three hours in a testing room reveals sufficient data to be considered reliable once the student is accepted and enrolled. A countervailing argument made after Depaul University and the University of Chicago eliminated the … Read More

There are two primary competing arguments regarding the SAT, with an underlying argument that is not generally visible to most people. The primary argument for is the SAT is a reliable predictor of students’ success at a university. That argument that three hours in a testing room reveals sufficient data to be considered reliable once the student is accepted and enrolled. A countervailing argument made after Depaul University and the University of Chicago eliminated the SAT is that cumulative real GPA is at least as good an indicator or predictability.

We know that the SAT has embedded bias because wealthy families are able to afford (test preparation) for their children. Consider a high achieving 1st generation student whose parents are working two jobs just to put food on the table, versus an upper middle-class family who can afford the cost of test preparation. An underlying factor not seen by most student families and high school districts is that the SAT itself creates a construct affecting the “business model” for universities in that virtually all of them are wedded to (purchasing names from the testing agencies) of students who signed up to take the exam. This has created an artificial one-year recruiting cycle that is currently impacting thousands of universities because of the enrollment cliff.

Universities like Penn State whose CFO recently stated, “we need more than a balanced budget; we need a sustainable model.” Slowly we are seeing universities moving into the distressed category because enrollments supporting their annual operating budgets. Our organization working with Stanford University and UCSB have created a platform for pipeline engagement to increase yield over time with real cumulative GPA. To evaluate and enroll all students like if they are star athletes on a level playing field. Forward thinking superintendents in California see the value of making this direct connection to UCSB as critical for their community.

We also know the parents of our students, especially 1st gen, are highly engaged far beyond the SAT making these vital connections directly with university admissions. In sum the SAT has value, but we should be cognizant that the university and student families are gated by this pathology when cumulative GPA and direct connections are in fact possible.

Chris 6 days ago 6 days ago

As a retired English high school teacher, I am surprised how a few students only lightly mentioned the significance of the four UC personal insight questions required by all freshman and transfer applicants. In my opinion, the student written essays are more telling about the academic ability, character and maturity of each applicant. How holistic do you want to get???? UC is wise to eliminate the submission of SAT/ACT scores, artificial and superficial … Read More

UC is wise to eliminate the submission of SAT/ACT scores, artificial and superficial guidelines, factoring into their admissions process. They have enough evidence, in most cases, to make their admission decisions.

JudiAU 6 days ago 6 days ago

If the UC and colleges was evaluating essays written solely by students without the input of everyone from everyone from parents, caregivers, guidance counselors, family friends, paid consultants, affinity groups, school teachers, and the dog down the street that would be the true. However, many essays have been manipulated to the extreme even if the students has been lead to believe it was just "read" and "suggestions" were made. This happens across all income … Read More

If the UC and colleges was evaluating essays written solely by students without the input of everyone from everyone from parents, caregivers, guidance counselors, family friends, paid consultants, affinity groups, school teachers, and the dog down the street that would be the true. However, many essays have been manipulated to the extreme even if the students has been lead to believe it was just “read” and “suggestions” were made. This happens across all income and education brackets. The only way to see an actual writing sample is you guessed it, something like the SAT/ISEE/SSAT which is why schools prize them.

JudiAU 7 days ago 7 days ago

The SAT/ACT is another way to identify both talent and work ethic, and schools are right to understand that many kids are lost without those scores, particularly with rampant grade inflation. When my child was competing for a high school scholarship, he took all 11 practice SAT exams on Khan Academy as a 12 year old until he was sure he could earn the score he wanted. That is work ethic. Students do well … Read More

Students do well on the SAT because they study and they train and they are hungry. There are many free tools to help them do so. Expensive tutoring services do not lodge information into the brain. Those services merely make sure the studying happens in an overscheduled life. The real work still has to happen by the student. And there is talent everywhere in America, and frankly grades show nothing these days. They are practically making admissions officers choke, particularly when paired with lousy AP test scores.

So “when you didn’t study” and “only took it one time” but you “don’t test well” and “it isn’t fair” because you have a 4.0 GPA, what score do you really, actually think is the correct one?

Donna Lynn 1 week ago 1 week ago

It makes sense that students don't want the SAT or ACT to be reinstated, but I do not agree. I would love to hear from the faculty at the colleges to know what they think. After all, they are the ones who have to teach these students. My niece graduated high school in 2022 and was not at all prepared for college. In high school she received grades she did not earn and should have … Read More

It makes sense that students don’t want the SAT or ACT to be reinstated, but I do not agree. I would love to hear from the faculty at the colleges to know what they think. After all, they are the ones who have to teach these students.

My niece graduated high school in 2022 and was not at all prepared for college. In high school she received grades she did not earn and should have never been allowed to graduate. In college she could not handle the work she was given and failed every class her first semester. She was on academic probation and has now dropped out. Had she taken the SAT and done poorly, she would have realized that you can’t skate through life, and you have to do the work.

Jim 1 week ago 1 week ago

Many of your respondents have completely missed the point of standardized testing. The SAT is not an "intelligence test" and that is one of it's strengths. It is a measure of how well you prepare for a test. You don't have to be super smart to do well on the SAT however you do have to prepare. Only lazy kids need tutors to prepare for the SAT, there is a huge amount of material for … Read More

Many of your respondents have completely missed the point of standardized testing. The SAT is not an “intelligence test” and that is one of it’s strengths. It is a measure of how well you prepare for a test. You don’t have to be super smart to do well on the SAT however you do have to prepare. Only lazy kids need tutors to prepare for the SAT, there is a huge amount of material for free, including previous tests, books at the library, and YouTube videos.

The SAT measures preparation, not intelligence. You can also take it numerous times and improve your score. For low income students the test is free and widely available. Take it every month. Studies have shown that SAT scores predict college success better than any other metric.

“Holistic” come up several times. How would a college evaluate evaluate students from diverse backgrounds holistically? Applicants come from different school districts, home schooled, religious schools, and different countries. How do you evaluate across these different backgrounds?

el 1 week ago 1 week ago

In my experience, what the SAT measures is speed, confidence under pressure, and the ability to exactly align your mindset with the people who made the exam. A good score on the SAT is information – people who are good at the SAT are often very good at school. A good score from someone who comes from a disadvantaged background, either personally or educationally, is an indication to take another look. On the other hand, a … Read More

In my experience, what the SAT measures is speed, confidence under pressure, and the ability to exactly align your mindset with the people who made the exam.

A good score on the SAT is information – people who are good at the SAT are often very good at school. A good score from someone who comes from a disadvantaged background, either personally or educationally, is an indication to take another look. On the other hand, a mediocre or even a poor score is often not information. Talented people who really think a problem through, who don’t like to rush, who like to be careful and certain, these people are also at a disadvantage for the SAT.

Having dedicated time and space to prepare is essential no matter what category you’re in, and that is not always in the student’s control.

I don’t think it’s wrong to have an exam, but I do think there could be a better one. I was glad to see the trend to have it given in more schools and often during the school day, rather than how I had to take it, an hour’s drive from my home in a strange and unfamiliar location, early in the morning, full of anxiety that I wouldn’t find the right place on time.

I’m good at these tests, but I know a lot of smart and capable people who aren’t.

I disagree that "a mediocre or even a poor score is often not information". The SAT does not measure intelligence nor is it a prognostic for success in life. It is highly prognostic for identifying students who will do well at highly competitive universities. Not every student needs to go to a university, much less a highly competitive one. "Talented people who really think a problem through, who don’t like to rush, who like to … Read More

I disagree that “a mediocre or even a poor score is often not information”. The SAT does not measure intelligence nor is it a prognostic for success in life. It is highly prognostic for identifying students who will do well at highly competitive universities. Not every student needs to go to a university, much less a highly competitive one. “Talented people who really think a problem through, who don’t like to rush, who like to be careful and certain” these people are likely better off at a less competitive school that will allow them to pursue their interests in a less demanding way.

Agree with your remarks about venue and as I mentioned above students who are interested in attending an elite school should take the test repeatedly and try to improve their score each time.

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How to Double Space in Word for Your Essay: A Guide for Students

If you are a student working on an important essay, you would know how crucial formatting truly is, as a significant grade can be impacted by it if you don't comply with the formatting guidelines. Even if you weren't mindful of it before, you should prioritize it now. Many colleges require essays to be submitted in MLA or APA format, which necessitates double spacing among other specifications. In this article, we will explore the major formatting styles and explain how to double space in Word for your essay to ensure your formatting adheres to the standards.

Double-Space in APA and MLA Format

Double spacing is a requirement for both APA and MLA formats, the two most popular styles used for essays in academic writing . Here's why:

Improved Readability : Double spacing creates a clear visual distinction between lines of text, making your essay easier to read and follow.

Facilitates Editing and Feedback : Instructors (and you!) can easily add comments or edits between lines without overcrowding the document.

Standardization : Double spacing ensures consistency across different essays and disciplines, allowing for a professional appearance.

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Examples of Double Spacing in APA and MLA Formats:

Here are some examples of double spacing in APA and MLA formats:

APA Formatting Guide:

The entire document is double-spaced.

The margins are one inch on all sides.

Each paragraph in the body text starts with a hanging indent (the first line remains flush left, while subsequent lines are indented half an inch).

The title is centered at the top of the page, followed by your name and institution information centered below.

The font is 12-point throughout.

Page numbers appear in the upper right corner of each page.

MLA Formatting Guide:

Each paragraph in the body text starts with a half-inch indent.

The title is centered at the top of the page, followed by your name, instructor's name, course name, and date (all left-aligned in a block format).

The font is Times New Roman 12-point throughout.

There are no page numbers on the first page, but subsequent pages have page numbers placed in the upper right corner.

Preparing Double Spacing in Word Before You Start Writing Your Essay

There are specific formatting standards that students are generally required to follow when submitting their essays, one of which includes double-spacing in Word. As I will demonstrate to you on how to do double spacing in Word you will learn to maintain consistent formatting throughout your document.

I'll demonstrate using WPS Office because it is a free suite and ultimately the best option for students. It's compatible with all Word document versions and can even convert your papers to PDF without losing formatting, allowing you to follow along regardless of whether you are using Windows, Mac, or Android.

Using the Home ribbon

Let's take a look at the first method, which is available in the home tab and is relatively quicker to perform.

Step 1 : Open WPS Office on your system. Remember, WPS Office is available for both MAC and Windows, making it an easier option to work with.

Step 2 : Now, let's create a new document. Click on "New" in the left panel.

Step 3 : Next, click on "Docs" located in the left panel, followed by "Blank", to create a new blank document on WPS Office.

Step 4 : You will now have a fresh new document open on WPS Writer. To format our document to double space, click on "Home" in the ribbon menu.

Step 5 : Next, click on the "Line Spacing" icon, which is a double arrow with horizontal lines.

Step 6 : Now, the line spacing option is available in the drop-down menu. Click on "2.0" to set the line spacing as double.

And that's it! Your new document has now been formatted for both your APA style essays or MLA style. Using WPS Office has its benefits. It provides software compatible for both Mac and Windows, which reduces the likelihood of glitches or crashes compared to Microsoft Word, which is not compatible with MacOS.

Additionally, it allows users to save their files on the cloud. So, if you need to make changes to your document on the go, they are easily available. Plus, if you need to work on the go, you might be using your handheld device, and luckily, WPS Office is available on both Android and iOS for free.

Using the Context menu

The second option involves opening a few other dialog boxes, but the special feature of this method is that if you're formatting your document from scratch, you can also format indentation or alignment using the same steps.

Step 1 : So, we have our new blank document open in WPS Office, currently formatted with single spacing.

Step 2 : Let's right-click anywhere on the document to open the context menu, and then click on "Paragraph".

Step 3 : Now, we have the Paragraph dialog open. Go to the "Line spacing" field and change the Line spacing to "Double".

Step 4 : To exit the paragraph settings, click on "OK" to return to your document and start working on your essay.

How to Double-Space in Word for Your Written Essay

You've completed your essay but can't seem to find how to double space it? Often, when students try to double space using any method, only the current paragraph where their cursor is located gets double spaced, and it's due to a simple error. So let's see how to double space in Word in a written essay.

Since we are using WPS Office to demonstrate the steps, it would be wise to download and perform these steps on WPS Office to ensure that there is no confusion or error.

Step 1 : So, first of all, we'll open our written essay in WPS Office. To do this, simply open WPS Office and click on "Docs" in the left panel.

Step 2 : Now, click on "Open" and browse for your written essay document. Whether you've created your document in a writing software like MS Word, it will open in WPS Office because it is compatible with all document formats.

Step 3 : Once the document is open, you need to press the "Ctrl + A" shortcut key to ensure that the entire document is selected.

Step 4 : Now, simply click on the "Home" tab and head over to the "Line Spacing" option in the home ribbon.

Step 5 : Since we need our document to be double spaced, we will click on "2.0" to change our line spacing to double-space.

Step 6 : Make sure to save your document either by using the shortcut key; "Ctrl + S", or by visiting the Menu option in the top left corner and clicking on "Save" to save your work.

As a student, it's important to understand these small details while formatting documents because essays and assignments are crucial. Having an easy-to-use writing software like WPS Office can make a whole world of difference.

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Shortcuts for Double Spacing in Word

How to Double-Space in Word: Keyboard Shortcuts

While there are several ways to double-space your text in Word, keyboard shortcuts offer a quick and efficient method. Here are the shortcuts for both Windows and Mac users:

Windows : Press Ctrl + 2.

Mac : Press Command + 2.

Bonus Tip: How to Convert Word to PDF Without Losing Formatting

WPS Office is an exceptional office suite, offering everything from word processing to presentations and spreadsheets. It's particularly beneficial for students, providing them with the tools they need to create documents effortlessly, which they can then use for their academic pursuits. Committed to delivering an optimal experience for students, WPS Office is not only free but also user-friendly, making it a preferred choice. It's also incredibly lightweight, requiring minimal storage space.

Formatting essays can often be a hassle, especially when converting them to Word, where formatting is frequently lost. However, WPS Office addresses this issue with its robust PDF features, seamlessly converting essays into PDF format with ease. With WPS Office, students across all disciplines can streamline their academic tasks and enhance their productivity.

Here is how students can convert their written essays or any document to PDF using WPS Office, without the need for any additional software:

Step 1 : Open your document in WPS Office and go to the Menu button in the top left corner of the screen.

Step 2 : Hover over or click on the "Save as" option and then select "More formats" in the flyout menu.

Step 3 : Now, with the Save as dialog open, go to the "File Type" field and select .PDF as the file format.

Step 4 : Students can change the name of their file in the "File Name" field and then hit "Save" to save their document as a PDF.

FAQs about Double Spacing in Word

1. how to change the line spacing to single in word.

Following these simple steps will help you change the line spacing to single in Microsoft Word:

Step 1 : Let's open the document in Microsoft Word in which we need to change the line spacing.

Step 2 : If you have already worked on your document and need to change its formatting, it's important to first select all the contents of the document. To select everything in the document, simply use the "CTRL + A" shortcut key.

Step 3 : Now, to change the line spacing, click on the "Home" tab on the Microsoft Word ribbon.

Step 4 : In the Home ribbon, find the "Paragraph" section. This is where the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" icon is located, so click on it.

Step 5 : A drop-down menu will open. To set your document to single spacing, click on the "1.0" option, and your document will be formatted according to single spacing.

2. Should I double space the entire essay?

Yes, according to APA guidelines (2020), double spacing is recommended for the entire paper, encompassing the title page, abstract, main text, headings, block quotes, reference list, table and figure annotations, and appendices. Nonetheless, this guideline doesn't apply to the table body and figure imagery, footnotes, and presented mathematical expressions.

3. Are university essays typically double spaced?

Yes, university essays often use double spacing. However, it’s essential to follow your professor’s guidelines. They usually specify formatting preferences, including spacing and font choices. Always review instructions carefully to ensure your work aligns with the required standards.

Word is a great tool for writing your student assignments , but students' efficiency and easy to use tools at hand ultimately get great grades. For instance it is quite a hassle learning how to double space in Word for your essay. WPS Office delivers all of that with its Writer tool and integrated PDF tool.

Here, you can edit and print with ease, not to mention the formatting is completely easy to manage. Not to mention, the formatting is perfectly preserved when converting to PDF or sharing the file. Download WPS Office today to experience hassle-free formatting so you can focus more on your work and less on formatting!

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3. how to set up double sided printing in word ?
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6. How to remove space in Excel before text

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.

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The Language of Gender Identity

More from our inbox:, power over principle in the g.o.p., upgrading our electric grid, shakespeare’s insights, still relevant today.

A black and white photo of newborns in bassinets in the hospital.

To the Editor:

Re “ The Problem With Saying ‘Sex Assigned at Birth, ’” by Alex Byrne and Carole K. Hooven (Opinion guest essay, nytimes.com, April 3):

Mr. Byrne and Ms. Hooven argue that use of “assigned sex” terminology “creates doubt about a biological fact when there shouldn’t be any.” But sex characteristics are not “a biological fact”; they are rather a series of facts — anatomical, hormonal and genetic — that are not always in alignment.

The term “sex assignment” derives from the medical literature of the 1940s and 1950s, in which physicians grappled with what was then called “hermaphroditism” and is now called “intersex” or “D.S.D.,” for disorders or differences of sex development.

To conclude that the words “assigned at birth” are needless is to deny the complexity of biological sex and to erase both the history of intersex conditions and the embodied reality of the people who are born and live with them.

Barbara M. Chubak New York The writer is an associate professor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Transgender people like me do not exist as a topic of rational debate, something to be tossed around in discourse; we are people, and our lives exist far beyond your philosophizing. Articles like this are not only unnecessary, but they are also harmful, patronizing and dehumanizing.

The phrase “sex assigned at birth” is causing no one any harm, and it is not meant to replace “sex.” We are not advocating the end of “male” and “female.”

“Sex assigned at birth” is simply meant to convey the following notion: This individual was born as one sex, but their current body and/or lived experiences may contradict that. It allows trans people the very medical clarity this article claims to strive for. If I, a trans man far into his medical transition, were to walk into a doctor’s office and claim to simply be “female,” utter confusion could follow.

But we should not have to defend ourselves under the guise of rational discourse. We have bigger issues. In Texas, my parents would be possibly liable for child abuse for allowing me to transition as a teenager — so stop treating us as if we do not know what we are talking about.

When people tell you the language that makes them the most comfortable, you use it and move on. You may believe sex to be black and white, as it may be the most convenient reality for you to live in, but for many of us, our bodies are the gray areas.

Max Greenhill New York

I fully agree with this essay: Biological sex is accurately recorded at birth; it is not arbitrarily “assigned.”

The reason activists are pushing the sex-assigned-at-birth terminology is not simply that they want more empathy and inclusiveness for trans persons, but that they want the public to believe that one’s birth sex was, as the authors say, an educated guess at best. If the public accepts that idea, they will be more agreeable to the idea that one’s misassigned sex needs to be corrected later when the individual is old enough to determine their “true, authentic self.”

Most adults don’t care what gender someone declares, but biological sex is a scientific fact. The range of “genders” now being proclaimed is making the whole concept of gender meaningless. Every behavior, feeling, mood, attribute, sexual orientation or social statement does not constitute a gender.

Mark Godburn Norfolk, Conn.

The problem is not that we are confusing the male/female binary; the problem is that the human gender story is bigger than a simple binary, and our language does not reflect that, but it should.

Intersex people exist and have always existed. People whose gender expression doesn’t match their biological presentation exist and have always existed. The authors are correct that language is powerful, but in this case they have the power dynamic exactly backward.

When we adhere to strict binary language, we are asking gender-abundant people to amputate whole parts of themselves. We need to allow people to flourish in the language that fits them.

As my 9-year-old recently explained to my 6-year-old, “You don’t really know what gender a baby is when it’s born, because you know their parts, but you don’t know their heart.”

Meghan Lin St. Paul, Minn.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for publishing this guest essay by Alex Byrne and Carole K. Hooven. In a society inundated with well-meaning absurdities such as “sex assigned at birth” and “pregnant people,” this message desperately needs to be broadcast, received and acted upon.

Mark Featherstone Alameda, Calif.

Re “ Sununu Says Trump ‘Contributed’ to Insurrection, but Still Has His Support ” (news article, nytimes.com, April 14):

Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire now says he will support Donald Trump for president, even as he concedes that Mr. Trump “absolutely contributed” to an attempted insurrection on Jan. 6. Like many of his fellow Republicans, Mr. Sununu has chosen power over principle.

Ethics don’t flash on and off like neon lights. Integrity cannot be situational. And character isn’t a chameleon that shifts to secure political advantage. History will record all the elected officials who embraced Mr. Trump’s mendacity while looking away from the democratic principles they swore an oath to uphold.

Welcome to the club, Governor Sununu.

Maryellen Donnellan Falls Church, Va.

Re “ The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Scientists Have a Faster Solution ” (Business, April 10):

The nation’s current power lines that were built in the 1950s and 1960s have a 50-year life expectancy, meaning that they have surpassed their intended life span. As the U.S. evaluates how to meet new electric demand, the materials in the grid must not just be replaced, but also efficiently planned and upgraded.

To lower energy costs and improve reliable access to electricity, we should use new technologies that allow more power to be transported across the same size transmission towers that are currently in use. Further, the same amount of power could be transported across smaller, low-impact towers, which could reduce siting and permitting obstacles — thus saving time and money.

Significant transmission capacity is required to meet rising demands on the electrical system, withstand frequent extreme weather events and balance a changing resource mix. Deploying improved technologies in constructing a nationwide transmission grid is key to meeting these needs — because America needs a modern grid now more than ever.

Christina Hayes Washington The writer is the executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid.

With “ O.J. and the Monster Jealousy ” (column, April 14) and “ Trump’s Insatiable Bloodlust ” (column, April 7), Maureen Dowd evokes two of Shakespeare’s greatest characters — Othello and Macbeth — to demonstrate that the playwright’s insights remain as perceptive and significant today as they were more than 400 years ago.

As his friend and fellow dramatist Ben Jonson wrote of Shakespeare, “He was not of an age but for all time!”

Brad Bradford Upper Arlington, Ohio

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, sat essay prompts: the complete list.

SAT Writing , SAT Essay

On every SAT Essay, you'll have to read an argument meant to persuade a broad audience and discuss how well the author argues his or her point. The passage you'll have to read will change from test to test, but you'll always need to analyze the author's argument and write a coherent and organized essay explaining this analysis.

In this article, we've compiled a list of the 14 real SAT essay prompts that the College Board has released (either in The Official SAT Study Guide or separately online) for the new SAT. This is the most comprehensive set of new SAT essay prompts online today.

At the end of this article, we'll also guide you through how to get the most out of these prompts and link to our expert resources on acing the SAT essay. I'll discuss how the SAT essay prompts are valuable not just because they give you a chance to write a practice essay, but because of what they reveal about the essay task itself.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

SAT essay prompts always keep to the same basic format. Not only is the prompt format consistent from test to test, but what you're actually asked to do (discuss how an author builds an argument) also remains the same across different test administrations.

The College Board's predictability with SAT essay helps students focus on preparing for the actual analytical task, rather than having to think up stuff on their feet. Every time, before the passage, you'll see the following:

evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

And after the passage, you'll see this:

"Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his] audience that [whatever the author is trying to argue for]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed in the box above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author]'s claims, but rather explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his/their] audience."

Now that you know the format, let's look at the SAT essay prompts list.

14 Official SAT Essay Prompts

The College Board has released a limited number of prompts to help students prep for the essay. We've gathered them for you here, all in one place. We'll be sure to update this article as more prompts are released for practice and/or as more tests are released.

SPOILER ALERT : Since these are the only essay prompts that have been released so far, you may want to be cautious about spoiling them for yourself, particularly if you are planning on taking practice tests under real conditions . This is why I've organized the prompts by the 10 that are in the practice tests (so you can avoid them if need be), the ones that are available online as sample prompts, and the ones that are in the text of the Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT), all online for free.

Practice Test Prompts

These 10 prompts are taken from the practice tests that the College Board has released.

Practice Test 1 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Jimmy Carter builds an argument to persuade his audience that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry."

Practice Test 2 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust."

Practice Test 3 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eliana Dockterman builds an argument to persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology."

Practice Test 4 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved."

Practice Test 5 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eric Klinenberg builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to greatly reduce their reliance on air-conditioning."

Practice Test 6 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Christopher Hitchens builds an argument to persuade his audience that the original Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece."

Practice Test 7 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Zadie Smith builds an argument to persuade her audience that public libraries are important and should remain open"

Practice Test 8 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Bobby Braun builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to invest in NASA."

Practice Test 9 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Todd Davidson builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to fund national parks."

Practice Test 10 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Richard Schiffman builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to work fewer hours."

Special note: The prompt for Practice Test 4 also appears on the College Board's site with real sample essays written in response. If you've written a practice essay for practice test 4 and want to see what essays of different score levels look like for that particular prompt, you can go there and look at eight real student essays.

Free Online Practice

This prompt comes from the College Board website .

"Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in America will have a negative effect on society."

This prompt comes from Khan Academy , where it is listed as an alternate essay prompt to go along with Practice Test 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Leo W. Gerard builds an argument to persuade his audience that American colleges and universities should be affordable for all students."

The Official SAT Study Guide 2020

The Official SAT Study Guide (editions published in 2015 and later available online for free) contains all 10 of the previously mentioned practice tests at the end of the book. In the section about the new SAT essay , however, there are two additional sample essay prompts (accompanied by articles to analyze).

Sample Prompt 1:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States."

Sample Prompt 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Adam B. Summers builds an argument to persuade his audience that plastic shopping bags should not be banned."

Ready to go beyond just reading about the SAT? Then you'll love the free five-day trial for our SAT Complete Prep program . Designed and written by PrepScholar SAT experts , our SAT program customizes to your skill level in over 40 subskills so that you can focus your studying on what will get you the biggest score gains.

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How Do You Get the Most Out of These Prompts?

Now that you have all the prompts released by the College Board, it's important to know the best way to use them. Make sure you have a good balance between quality and quantity, and don't burn through all 14 of the real prompts in a row— take the time to learn from your experiences writing the practice essays.

Step By Step Guide on How to Practice Using the Article

#1: Understand how the SAT essay is graded .

#2: Follow along as we write a high-scoring SAT essay, step by step .

#3: Plan a set of features you'll look for in the SAT essay readings and practice writing about them fluidly. This doesn't just mean identifying a technique, like asking a rhetorical question, but explaining why it is persuasive and what effect it has on the reader in the context of a particular topic. We have more information on this step in our article about 6 SAT persuasive devices you can use .

#4: Choose a prompt at random from above, or choose a topic that you think is going to be hard for you to detach from (because you'll want to write about the topic, rather than the argument) set timer to 50 minutes and write the essay. No extra time allowed!

#5: Grade the essay, using the official essay rubric to give yourself a score out of 8 in the reading, analysis, and writing sections.

#6: Repeat steps 4 and 5. Choose the prompts you think will be the hardest for you so that you can so that you're prepared for the worst when the test day comes

#7: If you run out of official prompts to practice with, use the official prompts as models to find examples of other articles you could write about . Start by looking for op-ed articles in online news publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, LA Times , and so on. For instance, the passage about the plastic bag ban in California (Official SAT Study Guide sample essay prompt 2, above) has a counterpoint here —you could try analyzing and writing about that article as well.

Any additional articles you use for practice on the SAT essay must match the following criteria:

ideally 650-750 words , although it'll be difficult to find an op-ed piece that's naturally that short. Try to aim for nothing longer than 2000 words, though, or the scope of the article is likely to be wider than anything you'll encounter on the SAT.
always argumentative/persuasive . The author (or authors) is trying to get readers to agree with a claim or idea being put forward.
always intended for a wide audience . All the information you need to deconstruct the persuasiveness of the argument is in the passage. This means that articles with a lot of technical jargon that's not explained in the article are not realistic passage to practice with.

What's Next?

We've written a ton of helpful resources on the SAT essay. I f you're just getting started, we recommend beginning with our top SAT essay tips for a quick overview of the essay task and what you need to know.

A little more familiar with the SAT essay but still not quite sure how to write one? Follow along with our step-by-step guide to writing the SAT essay .

Looking to earn a high score? Learn what it takes to get the highest score possible on the SAT essay here .

Plus, if you want a reference linking you to all of our great articles on the SAT essay, be sure to check out our ultimate SAT essay guide .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?

Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more.

Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice SAT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score.

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Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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IMAGES

How to Write a SAT Essay: Outline, Tips, Examples
Good sat essay examples to use. 8 Best SAT Essay Examples To Prepare
How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step
How To Write The New SAT Essay
How to Write the SAT Essay
How to Write a Good SAT Essay

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Change ! Saptco To Sat Bus Transportation
The SAT Essay Formula
EPIC WKND at NEW WALK #epicwknd #shorts
Overview of Digital SAT Essay
Goodbye SAT Essay
Unlocking the SAT Essay: Diving into the Author's Evidence and Reasoning

COMMENTS

Changing Your Registration Info
Change one or more aspects of your registration. Contact SAT support. Contact support by 6 p.m. ET on the Monday before your test date. Through your College Board account. To change the test date, you must cancel and register for a new test. See specific deadlines for U.S. and International. Through your College Board account.
SAT Changes 2023-2024: What You Need To Know
In case you haven't heard, there are some big changes happening to the SAT in 2024. As the SAT goes digital, you'll need to adapt to the new format and structure.. But in order to adapt to the new and improved SAT, you need to know more about how the exam is changing.In this guide, we'll walk you through all of the major SAT changes (2023-2024), including:
How to Change Your Test Essay Option
Revising your essay option on either the SAT or ACT before the end of late registration is easy: SAT: You can change to or from the SAT with Essay without a change fee, but you do pay the price difference between the two tests if you're switching to the SAT with Essay. ACT: Log in to your ACT web account and select "Make changes to your ...
Can You Reschedule Your SAT Date? Should You?
If you need to reschedule SAT test dates, it will cost you $28 per reschedule (This is in addition to the $45 or $57 you already paid when you registered to take the SAT.) This $28 reschedule fee is the same whether your change just the test date and keep the location the same or if you change both the test date and the location.
The SAT Writing Section (Essay): Here's What You Need to Know
For example, with this practice essay, it could look like this: Intro: Braun argues that continuing to invest in space tech and research keeps us competitive in the world economy. Devices: logos, imagery, allusion. Body 1: Logos (logic): paragraph 3, 5, 7. Body 2: Imagery: paragraph 4, 6. Body 3: Allusion: paragraph 8.
What Is the SAT Essay?
February 28, 2024. The SAT Essay section is a lot like a typical writing assignment in which you're asked to read and analyze a passage and then produce an essay in response to a single prompt about that passage. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your reading, analysis, and writing skills—which are critical to readiness for ...
How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step
This is the argument you need to deconstruct in your essay. Writing an SAT essay consists of four major stages: Reading: 5-10 minutes. Analyzing & Planning: 7-12 minutes. Writing: 25-35 minutes. Revising: 2-3 minutes. There's a wide time range for a few of these stages, since people work at different rates.
Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Essay
The new SAT Essay is a lot like a typical college or upper-level high school writing assignment in which you're asked to analyze a text. You'll be provided a passage between 650 and 750 words, and you will be asked to explain how the author builds an argument to persuade his or her audience.
SAT Essay Scoring
Responses to the optional SAT Essay are scored using a carefully designed process. Two different people will read and score your essay. Each scorer awards 1-4 points for each dimension: reading, analysis, and writing. The two scores for each dimension are added. You'll receive three scores for the SAT Essay—one for each dimension—ranging ...
Test Prep 101: Guide to the SAT Essay
There have been a number of changes to the SAT since the launch of the new exam in 2016, and our guide to the SAT Essay will help students better understand how to master this section should they choose to take it. SAT Essay Structure and Content. The SAT Essay went through a total transformation in the most recent redesign of the SAT.
Big Changes to the SAT
Critics of the College Board said the decision to drop the subject tests and essay was almost certainly driven by financial considerations. (In the past, the SAT has represented a substantial ...
Digital SAT FAQs (article)
Answer. Most notably, the test will transition from being taken with paper and pencil to being administered via a digital assessment platform accessed by computer. The digital SAT isn't simply a digital version of the current paper and pencil test — it will be easier to take, more secure, and more relevant. College Board's site.
Change or Cancel Your SAT Registration
Makeup Tests. If you're eligible for a makeup test, review these requirements. If needed, you can update or cancel your SAT registration.
Change SAT with Essay to SAT
crooked October 29, 2016, 7:23am 1. Hi guys! I have registered for Nov. 5th SAT with Essay. However, after the Oct.1th score came out on Oct. 27th, I have decided to change my Nov. 5th SAT with Essay to SAT. Then I realized the deadline of changing test type has passed.
How to Change Your SAT Test Date
Changing Your SAT Test Date. To change your SAT test date (or location), you'll need to: Access your College Board account. a. Once you're logged in, if you're changing your test date, you'll need to cancel your initial registration and reregister for a different date. b.
How can I enter my new SAT essay score?
Note that if you have taken the SAT multiple times, you may not combine different dimensions from different tests. Single test example: For your score, you receive a 6, 7, 8, for a total of 21. Enter 21 in the Highest essay score box. Multiple test example: For your first essay test score, you receive a 6, 5, 7, for a total of 18.
SAT Essay Tips: 15 Ways to Improve Your Score
This basically boils down to: don't be repetitive and don't make grammar mistakes. In addition, you should avoid using first person statements like "I" or "My" in the essay, along with any other informality. You're writing the equivalent of a school paper, not an opinion piece. Bad (Too informal):
Colleges Rates and Requirements
Application Essay. For colleges that require it, the application essay can be a very important part of your application and is your pitch to the university. This is your opportunity to show the school of your dreams the unique individual you are, something that may not necessarily be conveyed in your transcript.
5 Tips For Ivy League Applicants Following Harvard's Return To The SAT
Do Not Neglect Final Exams. Do not let concerns about the new SAT requirement get in the way of studying for final exams and end-of-year projects. While the return of standardized testing is in ...
PDF The SAT® Practice Essay #1
You have 50 minutes to read the passage and write an essay in response to the prompt provided inside this booklet. CD . 0 . REMINDERS • Do not write your essay in this booklet. Only what you write on the lined pages of your answer sheet will be evaluated. • An off-topic essay will not be evaluated. STANDARD TIME . Essay: 50 . minutes . This ...
High School Student: I'm Worried About Colleges Reinstating the SAT
I'm a low-income high school student. I worry colleges reinstating the SAT requirement will ruin my admissions chances. Essay by Marium Zahra. Apr 14, 2024, 6:47 AM PDT. Students should be picky ...
Should colleges and universities bring back SATs and ACTs?
When the Covid-19 pandemic seriously disrupted the ability of students to take SATs and ACTs, many colleges and universities, including the University of California and California State University systems, either made standardized tests optional or dropped the requirement for admissions. Now, Dartmouth is the first to say that either SATs or ...
Opinion
Guest Essay. We Don't See What Climate Change Is Doing to Us ... hotter school years led to slower gains on standardized exams like the Preliminary SAT exams. It may not seem a huge effect, on ...
How Israel and allied defenses intercepted more than 300 Iranian ...
Most of the more than 300 Iranian munitions, the majority of which are believed to have been launched from inside of Iran's territory during a five-hour attack, were intercepted before they got ...
'Lessons for Survival' reflects on motherhood, racial justice and
Author, photographer and professor Emily Raboteau wrote the new essay collection "Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against 'The Apocalypse.'"
How to Double Space in Word for Your Essay: A Guide for Students
Step 3: Next, click on "Docs" located in the left panel, followed by "Blank", to create a new blank document on WPS Office. WPS Office create New blank document. Step 4: You will now have a fresh new document open on WPS Writer. To format our document to double space, click on "Home" in the ribbon menu. Step 5: Next, click on the "Line Spacing ...
Should I Take the SAT Essay? How to Decide
Taking the SAT with the essay will also cost you a bit more money. Taking the SAT without the essay costs $46, but if you choose to take the essay, it costs $14 extra, raising the total cost of the SAT to $60. However, if you're eligible for an SAT fee waiver, the waiver also applies to this section of the exam, so you still won't have to pay ...
SAT Practice and Preparation
My Practice. Take full-length digital SAT practice exams by first downloading Bluebook and completing practice tests. Then sign into My Practice to view practice test results and review practice exam items, answers, and explanations. Download Bluebook.
Opinion
To the Editor: Re "The Problem With Saying 'Sex Assigned at Birth,'" by Alex Byrne and Carole K. Hooven (Opinion guest essay, nytimes.com, April 3): Mr. Byrne and Ms. Hooven argue that use ...
SAT Essay Prompts: The Complete List
No extra time allowed! #5: Grade the essay, using the official essay rubric to give yourself a score out of 8 in the reading, analysis, and writing sections. #6: Repeat steps 4 and 5. Choose the prompts you think will be the hardest for you so that you can so that you're prepared for the worst when the test day comes.