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BLURBS

Joanne Levy-Prewitt, syndicated columnist for the San Francisco ChronicleWOW! I am so impressed with this book. Talk about distillation. With incredible style and humor, Tom has managed to distill the essence of the SAT essay into 160 very readable pages.

RH, CaliforniaTom's book was a crucial part of my preparation for the SAT. It not only taught me how to write an essay but it also gave me the confidence to do so. I don't know how I could possibly face the SAT essay without this helpful information. In addition, my sister used this material and ended up getting a perfect score on her paper. Tom's book will relieve any fears you have about writing the SAT essay.

KW, CaliforniaWith Tom's guidelines, pet paragraphs, and transition sentences, writing the SAT essay was a breeze. Before even receiving the topic, I already had general supporting evidence sure to fit any prompt and transition and topic sentences for every paragraph. By making the essay into a universal outline where you can mix and match supporting points, Tom has created an ingenious method for writing an excellent essay in a short period of time, without the stress of trying to figure out structural details!

BK, IndiaI'm a grade 11 student from India and have my SAT next month. While searching for tips on acing the SAT essay, I happened to stumble upon a 2 chapter sample of your book, How to Write a Killer SAT Essay in 25 Minutes or Less. Barely 2 pages through the first chapter, I found myself thinking, "Haha. This guy is a genius." By the time I reached the end, I was sold.

SH, CaliforniaTom's book has a bunch of really simple strategies that are very applicable to the essay portion of the SAT. Since Tom had already helped me "prefabricate" and outline my essay before I even read the prompt, the first part of the SAT was a real breeze and I made it through without a whole lot of stress. The rest of the SAT test is evil, but Tom's book definitely simplifies the seemingly impossible essay. He's a real lifesaver!

AK, CaliforniaThis book was my SAT fairy godmother. Reading the previous years prompts and learning easy ways to develop a quick, concise, and intelligent essay lowered my stress level more than any other preparation could. Thanks to Tom I received a perfect score and blew those Readers away. The wit and wisdom apparent in this helpful guide gave me a healthier perspective on the overall SAT. It's all a game, and Tom will teach you to beat the inside tricks that the SAT essay writers create. Tom uses language that teens can relate to, dissecting the essay and making everything seem much simpler. He's the coolest tutor and writer around. Thanks, Tom!

4CW, CaliforniaYou need to know the system if you're going to beat it, and Tom's book is the best way to do so.

DD, CaliforniaGoing into the SAT, the part I feared most was the essay. Tom really put me at ease and I was able to apply all of the techniques to my essay. The pet paragraphs fit perfectly with any prompt and I feel like I would be prepared to take on any essay topic thrown at me.

JL, CaliforniaWhen it came time to write my 25 minute essay during the SAT, I realized how much of an advantage I had compared to the other students. Prior to even knowing the topic, I was well prepared to put my pen to work the second I was allowed to open my test booklet, and had confidence in the essay I was constructing.

NB, CaliforniaI went into my SAT test completely assured that I would receive at least a 10 on my essay with minimal stress. Thanks to Tom's book I was able to do just that. I breezed right through it. (Maybe one day everyone will use the Tom Clements technique and then the College Board would have to revise their test!)

SG, CaliforniaI thought it would be nearly impossible to prepare and write a solid essay in 25 minutes until I took Tom's SAT course and read his book about the SAT essay. Reading the book helped me enter the SAT feeling confident and prepared, and I surprised myself by getting a great score of 11. Tom's book is highly recommended. And don't think it's like any other boring SAT textbook, you'll stay interested in it and, in addition, learn a few fun facts that have nothing to do with the SAT!

SC, CaliforniaTom's book blew me away! When I started reading his book, I had no idea how to construct an essay in 25 minutes and I was scared to death of even trying. But he showed us how to structure the essay, add transitions, and prefabricate a lot of the content stuff we needed to support our thesis. His book is awesome! I came away totally prepared for whatever prompt the SAT was going to throw at me. Tom, you're the best.

HM, CaliforniaThe SAT people are certifiably crazy for making you write an entire essay in25 minutes. And yet, Tom has found some magical way to make it possible. Notonly do his strategies instruct you how to write an essay they want to readand beat the time crunch; most importantly they give you confidence in yourability to ace the test. And when you're sitting in that desk on the day ofthe SAT, confidence is invaluable!

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CONTEXT

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.Voltaire

Good artists borrow, great artists steal.Picasso

I think conscious, deliberate imitation of a piece of prose one admires can be good training, a means toward finding ones own voice as a narrative writer.Ursula Le Guin

Everything Ive ever written has bits and pieces of everything Ive ever heard. Any rapper that tells you different is a liar. You cant write a book if youve never read a book. And if youve read five books and you try to write a book, your book will mainly encompass the themes and the context of the five books youve read. Bun B, rapper, interviewed in The Believer.

All writers stand on the shoulders of other writers. All writers use unoriginal research. Not all stories arrive pure and complete in the mind. Its all part of the stew.Jon Carroll, San Francisco Chronicle columnist

Fact is like clay. You shape it to your own ends.John Gregory Dunne

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: White Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11BasketballJones .................................. 12Sampling........................................ 12SATStructure .................................... 13WhiteSpace...................................... 14

ReadersWhoareThesePeople?..................... 14RulesofEngagement.............................. 15

Chapter 2: Snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19SampleEssay .................................... 19

BuildingBlocks ...................................... 21KeyPointaboutPrompts ............................. 22

Chapter 3: Prefab Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25ThePrompt ...................................... 26Introduction ..................................... 26

SampleIntros ....................................... 27Conclusion ...................................... 30

SampleConclusions .................................. 31

Chapter 4: Prefab Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35RawMaterial..................................... 36

CivilRights ......................................... 36ScarletLetter........................................ 39PersonalExperience .................................. 40

PetParagraphs................................... 42

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PopCulture.........................................43Technology .........................................45

TransitionswithinParagraphs ...................... 47Epilogue ............................................48

Chapter 5: Real SAT Essays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49October,2005Prompt ..............................50

AlexsEssay(score=12) ..............................51April,2006Prompt ................................ 54

TarasEssay(score=12)...............................56May,2007Prompt ................................. 59

AlaizahsEssay(score=12)............................60March,2008Prompt ............................... 62

ZachsEssay(score=12) ..............................63March,2009Prompt ............................... 65

CraigsEssay(score=12)..............................65October,2010Prompt ..............................63

MikesEssay(score=12) ..............................67LessThanPerfect ....................................69

Chapter 6: Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71ListofFamousQuotes ................................71FamousQuotesinContext ............................72

Chapter 7: Pet Paragraphs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Literature...........................................76Movies .............................................85Music ..............................................90Sports ..............................................95Technology .........................................98Art ................................................103History............................................105PersonalExperience .................................117

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Chapter 8: Spin the Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125Interpretation................................... 126

SamplePrompts.................................... 127CoupleofToughies ................................. 131Nospinzone ....................................... 133OneFinalTwist..................................... 135WhatsNext........................................ 137

Chapter 9: Go Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139EssaysthatWork ................................... 140

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1White Space

AsGeorgeOrwellpointedoutinAnimalFarm:Allanimalsarecreatedequal,butsomeanimalsaremoreequalthanothers.SoitiswiththeSAT,nominallycomposedofnineequalsections,oneofwhichtheessayisdefinitelymoreequalthantheothers.

NotonlyistheessaythefirstsectionyouencounterontheSAT,butyoureexpectedtoconstructinarushadazzlingpieceofprosefromscratchontwopagesofblankpaper.Bummer.

Intermsofthesheerterroritevokesamongtesttakers,theessayiseasilyeveryhighschoolstudentspersonalnightmareonElmstreet.Infact,FreddyKruegersgotnothingonthefolksatETS,thecompassionchallengedacademicswhoadministertheSATtestfortheCollegeBoardwiththeclearintentofmessingwithyourplansforcollege.Andnowhereisthatmoreapparentthaninthewaytheyveriggedtheessay.

Imagine:youvegot25minutestocomposeuneditedamasterful,structurallysound,intellectuallysolid,vocabularydenseprosepiecethatshowsbothyourcommandoflanguageandyourunderstandingofliterary,historicalandtechnologicaltrends.Right.

Truthbetold,itsascamfromtoptobottom.AndinthisbookImgoingtoteachyouhowtoscamthescammers.Inthesepages,IveassembledacollectionofrealworldtricksandtechniquesthatenableyounotonlytoeliminatethefearandloathingassociatedwiththeSATessaybutalsotobeattheclock,acethepromptandbagatopscoreof11or12.

Andthisisntjustmetalking.IvetrainedhundredsofstudentstoproducehighqualitySATproseunderpressurecookerconditions.Infact,over30%ofthestudentswhohavetakenmySATwritingcourseshavereceivedscoresof11or12ontheirSATessays.Nomeanfeat.

And,tohelpshowyoutheway,manyofthesesuccessfulstudentessaysarereproducedhereinfullandinpartsothatyoucantakeadvantageoftheinsightsprovidedbyyourpeers.

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Imafirmbelieverinteachingbydoing.Andthefirststepindoingisseeingitdoneright.

Basketball JonesCaseinpoint:IbecameanAllLeaguepointguardinhighschool(whicheventuallyledtoafullridetocollege)afterspendingthesummerofmysophomoreyearwatchingArtDiaz,thestarplayeronourbasketballteam,snakehiswaythroughcountlesspickupgames,leavingmostopponentsclutchingforairasheblewbythemonhiswaytothebasket.

Overthesummer,Istudiedhismoves,practicedhisroutines,playedalongsidehimandeventuallyincorporatedhismagicintoastyleIcouldcallmyown.Imitation,inotherwords,isthesincerestformofflattery.Notonlythat,butimitationisthefirststepinlearninghowtodevelopandperfectyourownindividualstyle.

WatchingDiazplay,Icouldseethepossibilitiesformyowngamestartingtomaterialize.

Sampling Intherapworld,imitationiscalledsampling.Youknowhowitworks.IceCube,Dr.Dre,Eminem,allthosestreetsmartartistsfindanicemelodicrifftouseasafoundationforanewsong,thenoverlaysomesyncopatedbeatsandrealworldlyricstocompletethemix.

Take,forexample,ItWasaGoodDay,IceCubesironicanthemtostreetlifeinSouthCentralLA.ThesongborrowsitsmelodyfromtheIsleybrothersFootstepsintheDark,transformingthetuneintoadrivebydreamscapewhereagooddaymeansIdidntevenhavetousemyAK.

ThefactthatIceCubereachedbackacoupleofdecadestosampleanIsleyBrotherstunegivesrapcredencetoD.H.Lawrencesfamousquote:Theideasofonegenerationbecometheinstinctsofthenext.

Peopleeverywhere,inotherwords,buildontheworkofthosearoundthemandtheworkofthosethatwentbefore.Thatsthewayweregoingtodoithere.

WeregoingtobuildatwentyfiveminuteessayontopofsometriedandtrueAmericaneventslikeCivilRightsandWomensRights,thenwellmixinsomeheavyriffsfromliteratureusingclipsfrombookslikeTheScarletLetterandtheGreatGatsby.Tocoverallthebases,wemighteventhrowinsomethingfrom

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technologyliketheNASAspaceshuttledisasterorthefamousmeltdownoftheRussiannuclearreactoratChernobyl.Allthiswillgiveyouthecontentyouneedtowriteanimpressive,detailedessayandappeartobeanexpertinhistory,literatureandtechnology.Remember,appearancestrumprealitywhenitcomestowritingtheSATessay.

Inthemeager25minutesyoureallottedtowritetheessay,youneedtoappeartobewellread,culturallysophisticated,historicallyhipandamasterofprosestyleandstructure.Dontworry,Imgoingtoshowyouhowtodoallthatandmorewithaminimumofmussandfuss,allwithinthetwentyfiveminutetimeframe.

Imgoingtoshowyou,inotherwords,howtoprefabricatealargepartofyouressayintermsofcontent,structureandtransitionssothatyoucanapproachjudgementdayfullyarmedandreadytorockandrollwithwhateveressayprompttheSATfolksthrowatyou.

Butfirst,justsoyouknowwhatyouregettinginto,afewwordsonthegeneralstructureoftheSAT.

SAT StructureLikeGaul(ancientFrance),whichCaesar(ancientemperor)dividedintothreeparts,thenewSAThasbeendividedintoWriting,Reading,andMathsectionsbythefolksattheCollegeBoard(moderndayCaesars).Eachsectionhasseveralsubsections,whichclockinatmoreorless25minutesapiece,sothatthetestasawholelookslikethis:

WritingEssaytwopagesofterrifyingwhitespaceEditingselectthebestwaytorephrasepartsofasentenceGrammarrulesandregulations

ReadingSentencecompletionsvocabularyincontextShortarticlesbitesizedchunksofsemiinterestingmaterialLongarticleslong,dull,andannoyingreadingpassages

MathMultiplechoicemathquestionswithselectedanswersGridinsyoureonyourowninthisone,noanswersgiven

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Thesecategoriesaredividedintosubtestssothateachsectionhasatotalofthreesubtests.ThismeansthatnineseparatetestscomprisetheSAT.However,ifthiswerentenough,oneextratestcalledthedummyisthrownintothemix.

TheCollegeBoardusesthedummytohypetheSATasastatisticallynormalizedtest,whichallowsthemtothrowinquestionsfromoldSATs,tryoutquestionsfornewSATsandjustgenerallymakeyourlifemiserablebyexperimentingtotheirheartscontent.Allofthistakesplaceonyourdime.SinceyouhavenoideawhichsectionoftheSATisthedummy(althoughitsusuallyanextraMathorReadingsection),youhavetotreatallsectionswiththesameduediligence.

ThedummybringsthetotalnumberofsectionsyoumustfinishonthenewSATtoamentallyandphysicallyexhaustingtotaloften.Roughlythreehoursand45minutesofSATagony.Andtheworstpartisntfinishingthetestitsgettingstarted.Why?Heresthekickeritscalledwhitespace.Readon.

White SpaceWhenyouopenyourtestbookletfortheSAT,youllrecall,thefirstthingstaringyouinthefaceistheessayamassofterrifyingwhitespace,twopagesoflinedpaperwaitingtobefilledinwithdeathlessprose.Ifyoumessuphere,panicovertakesyou,andyourscoreontherestofthetestsuffersaswell.

Itssortoflikeabasketballplayermissinghisorherfirstcoupleofshotsoraswimmergettingaslowstartofftheblocks.Ifyoudopoorlyontheessay,younotonlyreceivealowscoreonthatportionofthetest,butyoualsohaveahardtimerecuperatingandstayingfocusedontheremainderoftheSAT.

Conversely,ifyounailtheessayandthevastmajorityofmystudentsdoyoumoveonintotherestofthetestwithconfidenceandpurpose,knowingthatyouvegotgameandthattheforceiswithyou.

Twopagesofterrifyingwhitespace

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So,theessayisimportantnotonlyonitsowntermsbutalsoasapreludetoyourperformanceontherestofthetest.Getofftoagoodstartandenterthezone.

Butwhatconstitutesagoodstartandwhosaysso?

Readers Who are These People?

TheCollegeBoardrecruitshighschoolandcollegeteachers(typically,Englishteachers)togradeyouressay,givingitascorefrom1to6.SincetwoReadersareassignedtoeachessay,thetopscoreis126fromeachreader.

Atsomepointafterthetesthasbeenscored,youressay,alongwitheveryoneelses,isscannedbyacomputer,turnedintoaPDFfileanddownloadedtoanSATdatabaseforeventualdistributiontoselectedReaders.

Eachreaderreceivesabatchofessaysandbeginsthescoringprocess.Now,doyousupposetheReadersaregoingtogradeyouressayinthesamewaytheygradeclasspapers;thatis,withmeticulousattentiontodetailandasurplusofredink?Absolutelynot.

Readersgetpaidbythehourandthemoreessaystheygrade,themorechancetheyhaveofbeinginvitedbacktoparticipateinfutureessaygradingmarathons.Therefore,theincentiveforthereaderistomovethrougheachessayasswiftlyaspossible,spendingnomorethan2minutesperessay.

Thatsright.Youspillyourgutsoutunderintensepleasegodgetmeintocollegepressureandyourreadertakesaleisurelystrolldownessaylanegradingyourproseinlessthan10%ofthetimeittookyoutowriteit.

Onthesurfacethismayseemtwistedandunfair,butyoucanmakeitworktoyouradvantage.KnowingReadersprefertoworkfast,youcanstructureyouressaytohelpthemdojustthat.

Twothingsareessentialinthisregard:

Makingagoodfirstimpressionwithyouropeningparagraph Usingcleartransitionsfromfronttobackthroughoutyouressaysothatthe

readercanfollow,Ozlike,theyellowbrickroad

Moreonthesethingslater.First,letstakealookatthecriteriaemployedbyReaderstojudgeyouressay.

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Rules of Engagement Thereareseveralcommonlyagreeduponcriteriaforjudginggoodwriting.Collectivelythesecomprisearubricorasetofrulesemployedasascoringguide.Theseinclude:

Structureyouressaymustfollowtheclassicfiveparagraphformat;thatis,anintroductoryparagraph,threebodyparagraphs,andaconclusion

TopicSentenceyourintroparagraphmusthaveaclearlydefinedtopicsentenceorthesis

Transitionsyouressaymusthavesmoothtransitions(remember,guidethereaderdowntheproverbialyellowbrickroad)bothbetweenparagraphsandwithinparagraphs

Subordinationgoodprosestyleischaracterizedbyheavyuseofsubordination.Subordinationlendsvarietytoyourwritingstylebyreplacingshort,choppy,subjectverbobjectsentenceswithlonger,moreelegantsentencesthatincorporatedependentclauses.Forexample:Afterrefusingtogiveupherseatonthebus,RosaParksinspiredtheCivilRightsmovement.Noticethelongleadinbeforethesubjectofthesentence,RosaParks,isintroduced.Subordinationcanalsoworkonthebackendofasentence.Forexample:TupacShakurwasmurderedin1996,ayearthatlivesininfamyforwestcoastrappers.Technically,thislastphrase(ayearthatlivesininfamyforwestcoastrappers)iscalledanappositive,butinthisbookIdefinesubordinationasanyphraseorclausethatisnotnecessaryforthemainsentencetostandonitsown.Grammarians,takenote.

Flashvocabularyimpressthereaderwithyouruseofinterestingandsophisticatedvocabsprinkledthroughoutyouressay

ConcreteExamplesnomatterhowgoodyourwritingstyle,youneedfamiliarexamplesfromAmericanhistory,literatureandtechnologytosupportyourthesis.Otherwise,thewritingisjusthotair.Butdontworry,dozensofsampleparagraphs(calledpetparagraphs,sinceyoullberesponsiblefortheircareandfeeding)areprovidedinlaterchapters.

AsIsay,thesesixcriteriaforjudginganessaycompriseacommonlyacceptedacademicstandard.Thatsallwellandgood;however,itshouldbepointedoutthattheCollegeBoard,initsinfinitewisdom,publiclydeniesadherencetothisoranyrubric.

Instead,theCollegeBoardadvisesthateachessaywillbejudgedwholistically.Comeagain?Thatsright,wholistically.Inotherwords,subjectively.Wholisticallyisjustacover,asubterfuge,asneakybackdooradmissionbythetestmakersthattheywontbepinneddownorheldaccountableforanyrubricwhatsoever.

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Sowhatsreallygoingonhere?

NomatterwhattheCollegeBoardpubliclyproclaims,itdoesntmeanthatReaderswontbeapplyingthequalitativerulesmentionedabovetheywill,theyhaveto,theyreacademics!itjustmeansthatanother,strictlyquantitativemeasurewillalsobeapplied,perhapssubliminally.Thatis:

LENGTHInthetopsyturvyworldoftheSATessay,quantityseemstocountasmuchasquality.So,nomatterhowgoodyourprose,iftheessayisntlongenough,yourgradewillsuffer.Itsnotfair,Iknow,butheywereheretodealwithit.Thismeansthat,nomatterwhat,youhavetokeepyourpencilmovingtoeatuptwopagesofwhitespace.

AdamRobinson,PrincetonReviewfounderandSATguruforover20years,adviseshisstudentstoedgewellpastthe400wordmark.Iagreewithhimandurgeallmystudentstomeetthe400wordmarkforaminimumscoreof10ontheiressays.Foran11or12(12beingaperfectscore)Icounselatleast450words.

NolessanexpertthanLesPerelmanfromMIT,oneoftheofficialReadersintrainingfortheSATessay,hadsomeinterestingwordstosayaboutlengthasaindicatorofessaysuccess.InaninterviewwithLindaWertheimerfromNPR,availableontheweb,Perelmanstates:

AfterIwasgiventhe(essay)samplesatthisconference,Iwentbacktomyhotelroomandstartedgoingthroughit,andwhenIgottotheungradedsamples,IrealizedIcouldscoreitbeforeIreaditbecausejustacertainlengthwasalwaysacertainscore.SobeingfromMIT,wherenumbersareveryimportant,Icountedthewords,putthenumberofwordsandthescoresintoanExcelspreadsheetanddiscoveredthatthecorrelationwasthehighestIveeverseenintestdata

Sothereyouhaveit.Notonlyareyourequiredtowriteaqualitativelysoundessay,applyingthepreviouslymentionedrulesofengagement,butyourealsoexpectedtochewupeveryinchofwhitespaceavailableontwolinedpages.

Whatifyouwritebig,someofmystudentshaveinquired.Toughluck,istheunfortunateanswer.Toensureyougetatleastascoreof10(which,bytheway,isverygood)youhavetowritesmallANDfillupthewhitespace.

Becausetheessaysaregradedsubjectivelysorry,Imeanwholisticallythereare,ofcourse,exceptions.Buttobeonthesafeside,Ihaveallmystudentswritesmall,writefast,andwritesmart.Whichiswhatthisbookisallabout.

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Andremember,over30%ofmystudentshavereceivedan11or12ontheessay.Ifthatwerentenough,mystudentsaveragea10,whichiswellabovethenationalnormanddefinitelywithinreachofeachandeveryreader.Usingthetechniquesandmethodologydescribedinthisbook,ANYONEcanlearntowriteatopscoringessay.

Intheensuingchapters,Illelaborateonspecifics.First,however,letstakealookattheliterarylayoftheland.

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2Snapshot

Asthetitlesuggests,thischapterisshortandsweet.ItsaquickoverviewofwhatanSATessayshouldlooklike.Inlaterchapters,Illexplainingory,wideangledetailhowtoprefabricatethecomponentpartsyouneedtobuildasuccessfulessayfromscratch.Rightnow,Immoreinterestedintakingaverticalapproach,presentinganessayfromtoptobottomsoyoucanseeaclearbeginning,middleandend.

Aspartofthatprocess,Ivealsohighlightedthecomponentpartsbuildingblocksthatgointotheconstructionoftheessay.PaycloseattentiontothesesincetheyarecommontoallgoodSATessaysandhelptheSATReadersappreciatethelogicalprogressionandnarrativeflowthatholdyoursupportingargumentstogether.

Sample Essay Thatsaid,heresasampleessaywrittenfortheabbreviatedpromptEveryAdvanceInvolvesSomeLossorSacrifice.Thisessay,derivedfromworkproducedbymystudents,hasanintroduction,threebodyparagraphs(examplesfromhistory,literatureandpersonalexperience)andaconclusion.

MostpeopleinAmerica,ifnottheworld,wouldagreethateveryadvanceinvolvessomesacrifice.Infact,acommonsportsadageproclaims:Nopain,nogain.Inotherwords,progressisalwaysaccompaniedbyacertainamountofloss.Thisconceptisillustratedthroughouthistory,literatureandpersonalexperience.

OnecompellingillustrationthatsomebadalwaysaccompaniessomegoodisdemonstratedintheCivilRightsmovement.In1955RosaParksrefusedtogiveupherseatonthebustoawhiteperson.Althoughshewasarrestedandjailed,herbraveeffortsinspiredtheMontgomeryBusBoycottwhichlastedforoverayear.MartinLutherKingwasinspiredbyherexampleandbecameknownasoneofthemostadmiredfiguresoftheCivilRightsmovement.HeorganizedhundredsofnonviolentprotestsandgaveanunforgettablespeechentitledIhaveadream.MartinLutherKingandRosaParkshelpedgetthe

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CivilRightsActof1964passed.Unfortunately,thissocialprogresswasaccompaniedbyatragicsacrifice:theassassinationofDr.Kingbyasouthernmadman.

ThethemethateveryadvanceinvolvessomelossalsooccursinNathanielHawthornesnovel,TheScarletLetter.Theprotagonist,HesterPrynne,ischargedwithadulteryandisforcedtowearascarletletterAembroideredonherdress.AlthoughthePuritancommunityshunsherforhersins,Hesterdecidestoreformhercharacterbydoingselflesscharitywork.Asaresultofherphilanthropiccharacter,thesocietychangesitsviewofHesterandeventuallythinksofthescarletAonherdressasrepresentingtheword,Able.Throughherhardworkandsacrifice,Hesterisabletomoveforwardwithherlifeandbecomeavaluedmemberofthecommunity.

AfinalillustrationthatprogressalwaysinvolvesalossoccurredinmyownpersonalexperiencebuildinghousesinMexicowithmychurchgroup.Duringthesummerofmyjunioryearinhighschool,ItraveledwithasmallgrouptoGuadalajaratohelpconstructlowincomehousingforthepoor.Atfirst,Iwasappalledattheextentofthepovertyaroundmeandlongedtoreturnhometoenjoytherestofmysummerloungingbytheswimmingpool.However,thesethoughtssoondepartedwhenwefinallygottowork.Arrangedinteams,wedevelopedasenseofcommonpurposeandcommunityspiritwhilehelpingthoselessprivilegedthanourselves.Consequently,Ilearnedthevalueofhardworkandgroupsacrifice.Asourchurchleaderremarked,Yougiveupalittle,inorderthatotherpeoplemaygainalot.

Asseeninthesehistoric,literaryandpersonalexperienceexamples,everyadvanceisaccompaniedbyinevitablesuffering.However,withperseveranceandplanning,eventheworstsetbackscanbeovercome.Thisnotionisparticularlyrelevanttoourlivestodayfortheworldisundergoingchangeatanalarmingrate.AsFranklinD.Rooseveltoncesaid,Youmaybedisappointedifyoufail,butyouaredoomedifyoudonttry.

So,thereitisaclassicfiveparagraphessaywithagoodintro,serviceableconclusion,andthreereusablepetparagraphs.

IsayreusablesincethesethreecontentexamplesCivilRights,ScarletLetterandtheChurchGrouppersonalexperiencecontainsufficientactsofhistoricalimportance,socialdrama,obstaclesovercomeandchallengesmettosupportalmostallpromptsthatcomeyourway.Thetrick,ofcourse,istoknowhowtodefinetheprompttofityourcontentexamples.Tomakethiscrystalclear,IincludeanentirechapterlaterinthebookcalledSpinthePrompt(Chapter8)thatshowsyouhowtodealwithallpossibleSATessaytopics.

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Moreover,toensureyouhaveavarietyofcontentexamplesatyourdisposal(overandaboveCivilRights,TheScarletLetterandanexamplefrompersonalexperience)IincludeanotherchaptercalledPetParagraphs(Chapter7).Thischapterprovidescontentexamplesfromotherhistoricalperiodsandliteraryworksaswellasexamplesfromtechnologyandpersonalexperience.

Inshort,stickwiththeprogram,guys;induetime,youllbewellpreparedforeverypossibleSATcontingency.

Building Blocks

EverySATessayisreallyjustaseriesofbuildingblocksstackedoneontopoftheother.Oneofthetrickstowritinganessayintwentyfiveminutesorlessisknowinghowtoassembletheseblocksquicklyintoacohesivewhole.

Inthissection,Iwalkthroughthesnapshotessayfromstarttofinish,highlightingthefunctionofeachofthemajorbuildingblocksandshowing,withsnippetsfromtheessay,howthatfunctionisputintoplay.

Inotherwords,noticehow:

Theintroductionoftheessaysetsthescenewithabroad,generalstatement,whichisfollowedbyawellknowquotethatsuppliescontexttotheprompt.

MostpeopleinAmerica,ifnottheworld,wouldagreethateveryadvanceinvolvessomesacrifice.Infact,acommonsportsadageproclaims:Nopain,nogain.

Thesecondtothelastsentenceoftheintroductiondefinesthetopic.Thisisyourthesisstatementandisthecentralpointaroundwhichyouressayrevolves.

Inotherwords,progressisalwaysaccompaniedbyacertainamountofloss.

Thelastsentenceoftheintroductionactsasatransitiontopreparethereaderforthebodyparagraphsthatfollow.

Thisconceptisillustratedthroughouthistoryandliterature.

Eachbodyparagraphstartswithatransitionsentencethatrecapsthetopic.OnecompellingillustrationthatsomebadalwaysaccompaniessomegoodisdemonstratedintheCivilRightsmovement.

ThethemethateveryadvanceinvolvessomelossisalsodemonstratedinNathanielHawthornesnovel,TheScarletLetter.

AfinalillustrationthatprogressalwaysinvolvesalossoccurredinmyownpersonalexperiencebuildinghousesinMexicowithmychurchgroup.

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Eachbodyparagraphsupplieslowlevelsupportingdetailforthetopicsentence.

In1955RosaParksrefusedtogiveupherseatonthebustoawhiteperson...

Theprotagonist,HesterPrynne,ischargedwithadulteryandisforcedtowearascarletletterAembroideredonherdress...

Atfirst,Iwasappalledattheextentofthepovertyaroundmeandlongedtoreturnhometoenjoytherestofmysummerloungingbytheswimmingpool.

Theconclusionstartswithatransitionsentencethatrecapsthetopic.Asseeninthesehistoric,literaryandpersonalexperienceexamples,everyadvanceisaccompaniedbyinevitablesuffering.

Theconclusionclosesthesalewithageneralstatementandaquotefromanapparentauthoritythathassomebroadrelevancetothetopic.

Thisnotionisparticularlyrelevanttoourlivestodayfortheworldisundergoingchangeatanalarmingrate.AsFranklinD.Rooseveltoncesaid,Youmaybedisappointedifyoufail,butyouaredoomedifyoudonttry.

Key Point about Prompts

Thekeypointtorecognizeinallofthisisthatthesebuildingblocksapply,insomedegreeorother,toeverySATessay.Howcanthatbepossible,youask,whenthepromptschangeforeverytest?Well,thetrickistounderstandthatalthougheverypromptappearsdifferent,theyareallfundamentallythesame.ToparaphrasetheFrench,whenitcomestoSATprompts,themorethingschange,themoretheystaythesame.

BecausetheSATisanationaltest,thepromptsaregeneric,involvingissuesthatlendthemselvestodifferentandinvariablyconflictingpointsofview.Theeasiestwaytoaddresssuchissuesistoemphasizethedramaticelementsinherentinthesubjectmatter.Asaresult,regardlessofthewording,allSATpromptscanbeboileddowntothemesinvolvingoneword:DRAMA.Weveseenthisalreadyinthethreecontentexamplesfromoursampleessay(CivilRights,ScarletLetterandtheChurchGrouppersonalexperience),allofwhichcontainvariouselementsofconflict,tension,andachievement:inshort,drama.

Well,itturnsoutthatthisisthecaseforvirtuallyeveryprompt.Nomatterwhatthepromptappearstosay,youcanaddressitusingprefabricatedcontentexamplesthatinterweavethreebasicmotifs:

Overcomingobstacles Meetingchallenges Achievingprogresseitherindividual,socialorboth

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Inthefollowingchapters,wellexpandonthisthemeandexplainhowyoucanprefabricatethecomponentpartsofanessayaheadoftimeandspinthemtoaddresswhatevertopictheCollegeBoardthrowsatyou.

Alongtheway,expecttoseeLOTSofexamplesfromvariousstudentsillustratinghowthesepointsareputintoplay.OneofthekeyfeaturesofthisbookandofmyoverallteachingmethodologyistousedozensofrealworldessaystogetyouupandrunningasasuccessfulSATessaywriterintheshortestpossibleamountoftime.

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1 White SpaceBasketball JonesSamplingSAT StructureWhite SpaceReaders Who are These People?

Rules of Engagement

2 SnapshotSample EssayBuilding BlocksKey Point about Prompts

3 Prefab StructureThe PromptIntroductionSample Intros

ConclusionSample Conclusions

4 Prefab ContentRaw MaterialCivil RightsScarlet LetterPersonal Experience

Pet ParagraphsPop CultureTechnology

Transitions within ParagraphsEpilogue

5 Real SAT EssaysOctober, 2005 PromptAlexs Essay (score = 12)

April, 2006 PromptTaras Essay (score = 12)

May, 2007 PromptAlaizahs Essay (score = 12)

March, 2008 PromptZachs Essay (score = 12)

March, 2009 PromptCraigs Essay (score = 12)

October, 2010 PromptMikes Essay (score = 12)Less Than Perfect

6 QuotesList of Famous QuotesFamous Quotes in Context

7 Pet ParagraphsLiteratureMoviesMusicSportsTechnologyArtHistoryPersonal Experience

8 Spin the PromptInterpretationSample PromptsCouple of ToughiesNo Spin ZoneOne Final TwistWhats Next

9 Go FishEssays that Work