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In days of yore, the SAT Essay was very different. For starters, it was a required portion of the exam, scored as part of the writing section. You had a measly 25 minutes to give and support your opinion on such deep philosophical issues as the importance of privacy or whether people perform better when they can use their own methods to complete tasks.

Things are very different now. Along with the SAT itself, the SAT Essay has been completely revamped and revised. Among other things, it is now an optional portion of the exam. In light of this SAT Essay renovation, many schools will no longer require that students take the SAT Essay when they take the exam.

But what do all these changes mean for you? Is the SAT Essay important? Read on for a breakdown of the new SAT changes, information on which schools continue to require the SAT Essay, why schools do and don’t require this portion of the exam, and how to figure out if the SAT Essay is necessary or important for you.

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.

The New SAT Essay

The SAT was revised in March 2016. The aspect of the exam that is most changed is the essay. Instead of writing a 25-minute opinion piece, you will have 50 minutes to analyze how the author of a given passage constructs his or her argument.

Additionally, instead of having the exam integrated into your composite score, you will receive a separate score for your exam that does not affect your 1600-point score. The new exam is graded out of 24 points - 8 points each in “Reading” (essentially reading comprehension), “Analysis,” and “Writing” (writing style). See our breakdown of the new rubric here .

Finally, the new essay is a completely optional portion of the exam. You don’t have to take it, and you’ll still get your 1600-point score. In this way it’s a lot like the ACT, which also has an optional essay. If you wish to register for the SAT Essay, you’ll pay an extra $11.50.

Because the essay is now optional, colleges have the option of not requiring students to send SAT Essay scores. Thus, many colleges have dropped this requirement. So who still requires the SAT Essay?

Let this creepy happy pencil guide you through the SAT Essay!

Who Requires the New SAT Essay?

According to a Kaplan poll in which 300 schools were surveyed, most schools will not require the optional SAT Essay. However, some still do recommend or require it, particularly in the most selective tier of institutions.

Notably, elite schools like the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Chicago are divided on the issue, with some requiring the essay and some neither requiring or recommending it. In the Ivy League, Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and Yale will continue to require the SAT Essay, and Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, and Brown will not.

Big state schools are similarly divided: for example, the University of California system and the University of Michigan both require the essay, University of Illinois and Purdue University recommend it; and Penn State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Indiana University neither require nor recommend the essay.

For the most up-to-date information on a school’s position on the SAT Essay, check the College Board . If the school isn’t on the list, check their admissions website. Those schools that do require the essay have gone on the record with specific reasons for doing so; I’ll break those down in the next section.

Schools are divided, like this egg.

Why Do Schools Require the SAT Essay?

Given that so many schools won’t require the essay going forward, you may be curious about those that do still require it. What’s their reasoning? Based on public statements from school officials, it seems to boil down to three main reasons:

#1: More Information Is Better

Some colleges seem to feel that all of the information they can get from applicants is helpful in painting a complete picture of the applicant. Certainly the SAT Essay presents a somewhat unique data point in that there are no other standardized elements of a college application that would include specific information on an applicant’s timed writing skills. It makes sense that schools that value having all the information that it is conceivably possible to obtain about a student would require the SAT Essay.

#2: The Revised Test Is Similar to College Work

The old SAT Essay involved a fairly arbitrary task and bore no resemblance to any work students do in college. However, the revised essay engages a student’s rhetorical analysis skills and requires the kind of analytical thinking students will perform in college. Thus, some colleges require the new SAT Essay because they feel it gives valuable insight into how a student might perform with college-level work.

#3: Sending a Message on the Importance of Writing

Institutions may also require the SAT Essay simply because they wish to telegraph to the world that they believe writing is important. This was part of the rationale given by Yale as to why they would continue to require the essay.

That’s why schools require it—but what about schools that don’t require the essay? What’s their reasoning?

Cats or dogs: another hot-button issue at elite institutions

Why Don't Schools Require the SAT Essay?

There are four main reasons that schools have given for not requiring the SAT essay going forward:

#1: Consistency

Many schools already do not require the optional writing portion of the ACT. So now that the SAT Essay is also optional, it makes sense to not require it, either. This simply makes testing guidelines consistent for those schools.

#2: The Essay Is Redundant

Some schools feel that they already have sufficient evidence of an applicant’s writing capability through application essays. This is particularly true at institutions where multiple essays are required as part of the application.

#3: The SAT Essay Does Not Predict College Success

In the past, the old SAT essay has been shown to be the least predictive element of college success on the SAT. While there is not yet data on the new SAT essay’s predictive capabilities, schools have taken this opportunity to shed what they feel is basically dead weight in an application.

#4: Requiring the SAT Essay Presents a Burden to Underprivileged Students

Columbia’s primary concern is that the extra cost of the essay may be a deterrent to underprivileged students.   University of Pennsylvania has made similar statements —minority and underprivileged students are least likely to have a “complete testing profile.” So, they’ve eliminated the SAT Essay requirement in the hopes of attracting a more diverse applicant pool.

A diverse tomato pool.

So Does the SAT Essay Matter to Your College Chances?

I’ve gone over how and why schools use or don’t use the SAT Essay. But what does all of this mean for you?

There are two main questions you need to answer to determine how important the essay is for you: first, should you take the SAT Essay section, and second, how important is your score?

Should I Take the SAT Essay?

This comes down mostly to whether or not you are applying to schools that require or recommend the SAT Essay. (In college applications, I would generally err on the side of treating recommendations as nicely-worded requirements.)

If you are truly not interested in a single school that requires/recommends the essay, and you don’t see yourself changing your mind, go ahead and skip it.   However, if there’s even a chance you might be interested in a school that does require/recommend the essay, you should take it.

And if you’re applying to highly selective schools, definitely take the essay portion, because around half of them require the essay. So if you change your mind at the last minute and decide you’re applying to CalTech as well as MIT, you’ll need that essay.

I advise this because if you don’t take the essay portion and then end up needing it for even one school, you’ll have to take the entire test over again. If you’re happy with your score already, this will be a big four-hour drag for you.

You might also want to take the essay portion if you are particularly good at rhetorical analysis and timed writing. Even for colleges that don’t require the essay, a stellar score will look good.

How Important Is Your SAT Essay Score?

This is a little more complicated, as it does depend to a certain extent on the schools you are applying to. I spoke to admissions officers from several schools, and some themes emerged as to how important they consider your essay score to be, and how they use it in evaluating your application:

• The general consensus was that the essay was the least important part of the SAT overall. Admissions offices will look much more closely at your composite score.
• The SAT Essay is primarily looked at in combination with your other writing-based application materials: your admissions essay and your high school English transcripts are also used to determine your writing and language skills. Essentially, it’s a part of a facet of your application.
• That said, bombing the essay would be a red flag to admissions officers that you might not be fully prepared for college-level work.

Overall, I would advise you not to sweat your essay score too much. The most important thing is that your essay score is more or less consistent with your other test scores. It certainly doesn’t have to be perfect—if you get a 1600 and an 18 out of 24, I wouldn’t stress too much. But if you, say, have a 1500 and get a 9/24 on the essay, that’s a little more concerning, as it may cause concern among admissions officers that you aren’t prepared for college-level work.

In general, then, schools really look at the score, but it’s not one of the most important parts of your application or even your SAT score.  Your best bet if you are interested in a given school that requires the essay and you want more specific guidance how they use the essay is to call the admissions office and ask. To learn more about what a good SAT Essay score is, check out our guide to the average SAT Essay score.

Not this kind of score!

How Can I Succeed on the SAT Essay?

Luckily, it’s very possible to learn the skills to hit the SAT Essay out of the park every time. Here are some general tips:

• Learn specific persuasive and argumentative techniques that you can reference in your essay. If you can’t identify what devices authors can use to make arguments, how will you write an essay about it?
• Make sure you have a clear thesis that can be defended with evidence from the passage.
• Include an introduction and a conclusion. This will help “bracket” your great points and show that you know how to structure a solid piece of writing.
• Rely on evidence from the passage to build your argument.
• Don’t give your opinion on the issue! The new SAT essay is not opinion-based.
• Make sure you use correct grammar and academic language. (No “This passage, like my brows, is on fleek.”)
• Write at least a page.

Also see this guide to getting a perfect SAT Essay score and this one on improving your score.

Tips to success: don't fold up the Essay section into origami boats.

Final Summary and Actionables

With the new SAT making the essay section optional, many schools have chosen to neither require nor recommend that students take it. Most schools will no longer require the essay, but highly selective schools are divided on the issue.

Among those schools that do require the SAT Essay, many have gone on the record to say that they feel the essay provides a valuable additional piece of information on an applicant’s potential for college-level work. They plan on using the essay as a way to further evaluate an applicant’s writing skills, although for most of these schools it is considered the least important part of the SAT score .

At schools where the SAT Essay is not required, the essay has been eliminated for a variety of reasons: for more consistency with ACT requirements, because the Essay seems redundant or poorly predictive of college success, or to attract a more diverse applicant pool.

What does all this mean for you? If there’s even a chance you’ll apply to a school that requires or recommends the essay, take the SAT with Essay. If you don’t and end up needing it later, you’ll have to re-take the entire exam.

If you do take the SAT Essay, don’t stress too much about getting a perfect score, but do prepare enough that you are confident you won’t get a very low score compared to your composite.

What's Next?

If you're thinking about test scores and college, check out my article on the minimum SAT score for college.

Ready to get started with practice essays? Check out our thorough analysis of the SAT essay prompt and our complete list of prompts to practice with .

Aiming for a perfect SAT essay score? Read our guides to get strategies on how to get an 8/8/8 on your SAT essay .

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Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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April 12, 2014

How Does the Essay Affect Your SAT Score?

Although the SAT essay is going to be optional before long (when the test changes in 2016), as of right now it’s a must. So, love it or hate it, your essay will influence your SAT score, and the admissions offices at the colleges you’ll apply to will see that score. So let’s answer one key question: how much does the SAT essay actually count for?

The Numbers

First, the essay is scored according to its own grading system. There will be two readers—real people, not a Scantron machine!—who read and judge your writing, each assigning a mark of zero to six. Zero is the worst (in case that wasn’t totally obvious), but it’s only used for the absolutely ungradable essays. If you write on a completely different topic than what’s assigned, for example, you will get a zero. That means no memorizing a fantastic essay ahead of time! You have to write on the topic they give you. You’d also get a zero if you wrote in another language, say, or simply put no clear thoughts on paper.

A six, on the other hand, is reserved for long, structured essays that are full of clear, concrete ideas, high-level vocabulary, and correct grammar. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s the gist.

After each reader goes through and marks your essay, the two scores will be added to give you a score of 0–12 (if you actually wrote anything remotely relevant, that’s 2–12).

Then that score, in turn, is added to the raw score from the Writing multiple-choice questions, since the essay is just a part of the Writing Section. The multiple-choice sections count for more points, altogether.

Then, once they have the raw total of your essay score and your multiple-choice score added up, they convert that score into the scaled, 200–800 score.

The Importance of the Essay

The scaled score is a little bit hard to explain—how it’s calculated, I mean—and it’s not worth really getting stuck talking about. All that matters is the zero to twelve score ends up affecting how many hundreds are in that scaled score. And I did say that the multiple-choice counts for more than the essay, but that doesn’t mean the essay isn’t important.

In truth, the SAT essay score counts for around 30% your total writing score—in the ballpark of 200 points, altogether. It’s not the only thing, but it’s a significant piece of the puzzle.

And what about those who say the essay doesn’t matter? Simply put, they’re usually wrong . Most schools were really skeptical of the Writing Section when this version of the SAT first debuted it back in 2005. And sure, some are still not totally signed on, but for the most part it does factor into your admissions. And 99% of the time, you’ll have no idea how much that lady who works in the admissions office cares about your Writing score—you’ll just have to trust that a high score is better than a low one.

And for that high score, you need to put some energy into preparing to write your essay!

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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., 5 sat essay tips for a great score.

Thinking about tackling the SAT Essay? Here's what you need to know: you'll be asked to read a text (typically a speech or editorial of some sort) and discuss how the author effectively builds an argument. This might be a familiar task if you’ve done it in school, but if not, don’t worry. The format is straightforward, and with some practice, you can learn how to write a great SAT essay.

What is the SAT essay?

The SAT essay is optional and costs an additional fee of $17.00. Currently, only 25 colleges and universities require the SAT essay. You can find a searchable list of school requirements for the essay here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should sign up for the essay. If you are not sure where you will apply, you should strongly consider signing up for the essay. Your essay score will appear on every score report you send to colleges, regardless of whether or not the school requires an essay. 

Here are 5 tips for writing a killer SAT essay, should you decide to add on that section:

1. Stay Objective

The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your opinion on a topic or a text. So be sure to maintain formal style and an objective tone. Tip: Avoid “I” and “you.

2. Keep It Tidy

Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil matters. Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.

3. (Indented) Paragraphs Are Your Friend

Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay. Your conclusion should restate the goal of the passage/argument and sum up the points you made.

Read More: SAT Tips and Strategies

4. For Example…

Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points.

5. Don't Worry About the Exact Terms for Things

Blanking on terminology? When describing how the author builds his or her argument, “appeal to the emotions” is fine instead of specifically referencing “pathos.” And “comparison of two things” can be used instead of referring to a metaphor. If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them!

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SAT Essay Score: Does It Affect Your SAT score, How Many Points is it and What is a Good Score?

How Much Is the Essay Worth for a SAT Score?

On the old version of the SAT, the essay was required. Now, it’s optional. However, if you think that means you can skip it, you might want to think again.

Some colleges still require you to submit a standardized test essay, like the one on the SAT, but other colleges don’t. If you want to keep your options open for where you can apply to college, sign up for the essay portion of the SAT and make sure you do well. Even if they say they don’t require the essay, some elite schools may still take your SAT essay score into account on your application.

Has There Always Been an Essay on the SAT?

When the College Board created a new version of the SAT in 2016, they changed a lot of things. The SAT writing score now counts for less of your overall SAT score because the two main sections of the test are now the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and the Math section. Your SAT writing score comes from the multiple-choice part of the exam, while your SAT essay score is derived from a new part of the exam. That is the SAT Essay section, which stands on its own and does not affect your score in either of the multiple-choice sections .

You will have 50 minutes to complete the new version of the SAT Essay section. During that time, you will have to read and analyze a text and then you will compose an argumentative essay that examines and explains the effectiveness of the rhetoric in the passage you just read.

For this portion of the SAT, you will be scored on the SAT Essay rubric to earn a score out of 24 points. This score is separate from your 1,600-point score from the rest of the test . This section is also optional and costs an extra $11.50 in addition to the standard test fees.

Do Colleges Want Your SAT Essay Score?

All colleges want your SAT writing score, but that isn’t the same as the essay score. Some colleges want you to complete the essay, others recommend it and still others neither recommend nor require it. All in all, it depends on the college. When in doubt, contact the admissions office of your prospective college for more information.

A few elite colleges continue to require the SAT essay in its current form. Some of these colleges are in the Ivy League, notably Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton and Yale. So, if you’re planning on applying to Ivy League colleges, make sure you take the SAT Essay section seriously.

Even if you’re planning on applying to state schools, you still may want to take the SAT Essay section. Both the University of Michigan system and the University of California system require SAT Essay scores from applicants who apply to any of their schools. On the other hand, some state schools like the University of Illinois only recommend that you take the essay, while other state schools have no stance on the section and most likely won’t take your score into account during the admissions process.

Why Do Some Schools Want the Essay?

We already know that some schools want the essay and others don’t, but why is there such a divide? The schools that do want the essay have several reasons for requiring it. The first is that they want students to understand that writing is an integral part of college coursework, and students who don’t have proficient writing chops will find themselves struggling with their college classes.

It also helps that the new version of the SAT essay lines up well with colleges’ expectations for clear writing and independent thinking skills. The new essay asks students to read and comprehend an argument and then synthesize one of their own based on the effectiveness of the passage’s rhetoric. The new SAT essay not only shows colleges that applicants can write, but it also shows them that applicants can think critically and recognize effective writing techniques as well.

The third reason some colleges may want the SAT essay is because they want as much information on each applicant as they can get. Sometimes, college applications provide an incomplete picture of the students who are applying. The essay gives colleges additional data that can help in choosing between two nearly identical applications, with the student who writes the best, of course, rising to the top.

Why Don’t Some Schools Want the Essay?

One of the main reasons many schools don’t require the essay is that it provides information they already have. Most college application requirements include the submission of a personal essay written by the student applying. This writing sample helps college admissions officers get to know the applicants on a personal level, sure, but it also gives students a chance to let their writing talents shine. So, giving admissions officers more data on writing is unnecessary.

Another reason some colleges don’t want the SAT essay is because they don’t require the writing portion on the ACT . Requiring the SAT essay might give an unfair advantage to students taking the SAT instead of the ACT, or it could also disadvantage students who do poorly on the SAT essay if it was required but the ACT essay was not.

Additionally, some experts believe that standardized test essays are not a good measure of future college success . This means that while the essay section does provide additional data, some colleges aren’t sure if that data is valid. Still, other schools are wary of the additional cost of the SAT essay, thinking that having to pay more money may represent a burden to underprivileged students.

Understanding the SAT Essay Rubric

To know how high you have to score, and to understand how to succeed on this portion of the test, you’ll have to take a closer look at the SAT essay rubric. On the rubric, your score comes in three parts: reading, analysis and writing . You can earn from one to four points on each part, which are then multiplied by two for your score. You can earn up to eight points in each part for an overall score of up to 24 points .

Earning Points for Reading

To earn the full eight points for reading on the SAT essay, your essay has to demonstrate:

• That you understand the passage
• That you can clearly communicate the passage’s main idea as well as its details and how they relate to the main idea
• That you can interpret the ideas of the passage without errors
• That you can both paraphrase and quote textual evidence with skill and ease

Earning Points for Analysis

To earn the full eight points for analysis on the SAT essay, your essay has to communicate:

• Insightful analysis of the passage’s key features
• A thorough evaluation of the author’s choices, especially in regard to rhetoric
• Thoroughly reasoned claims that are supported by evidence from the text
• A focus on the most relevant parts of the text instead of delving into extraneous features or tangents

Finally, the writing itself should be free of errors, precise and effective and should demonstrate a sophisticated command of standard English.

Related Articles

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How to Write an Introduction to an Analytical Essay

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• PrepScholar: Does the SAT Essay Matter? Expert Guide
• CollegeBoard: SAT Essay Scoring
• Kaplan: New SAT Essay Scoring Rubric
• Khan Academy: The SAT Essay: Overview

Rebecca Renner is a teacher and college professor from Florida. She loves teaching about literature, and she writes about books for Book Riot, Real Simple, Electric Literature and more.

SAT Essay Scores Explained

On january 19th, 2021, college board announced that they will no longer administer the sat subject tests in the u.s. and that the essay would be retired. read our blog post  to understand what this means in the near term and what the college board has in store for students down the road., our articles on subject tests and the sat essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape..

Why are there no percentiles for the essay on an SAT score report?

No percentiles or norms are provided in student reports. Even colleges do not receive any summary statistics. Given Compass’ concerns about the inaccuracy of essay scoring and the notable failures of the ACT on that front, the de-emphasis of norms would seem to be a good thing. The problem is that 10% of colleges are sticking with the SAT Essay as an admission requirement . While those colleges will not receive score distribution reports from the College Board, it is not difficult for them to construct their own statistics—officially or unofficially—based on thousands of applicants. Colleges can determine a “good score,” but students cannot. This asymmetry of information is harmful to students, as they are left to speculate how well they have performed and how their scores will be interpreted. Through our analysis, Compass hopes to provide students and parents more context for evaluating SAT Essay scores.

How has scoring changed? Is it still part of a student’s Total Score?

On the old SAT, the essay was a required component of the Writing section and made up approximately one-third of a student’s 200–800 score. The essay score itself was simply the sum (2–12) of two readers’ 1–6 scores. Readers were expected to grade holistically and not to focus on individual components of the writing. The SAT essay came under a great deal of criticism for being too loosely structured. Factual accuracy was not required; it was not that difficult to make pre-fabricated material fit the prompt; many colleges found the 2–12 essay scores of little use; and the conflation of the essay and “Writing” was, in some cases, blocking the use of the SAT Writing score—which included grammar and usage—entirely.

With the 2016 overhaul of the SAT came an attempt to make the essay more academically defensible while also making it optional (as the ACT essay had long been). The essay score is not a part of the 400–1600 score. Instead, a student opting to take the SAT Essay receives 2–8 scores in three dimensions: reading, analysis, and writing. No equating or fancy lookup table is involved. The scores are simply the sum of two readers’ 1–4 ratings in each dimension. There is no official totaling or averaging of scores, although colleges may choose to do so.

Readers avoid extremes

What is almost universally true about grading of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. The default instinct is to nudge a score above or below a perceived cutoff or midpoint rather than to evenly distribute scores. When the only options are 1, 2, 3, or 4, the consequence is predictable—readers give out a lot of 2s and 3s and very few 1s and 4s. In fact, our analysis shows that 80% of all reader scores are 2s or 3s. This, in turn, means that most of the dimension scores (the sum of the two readers) range from 4 to 6. Analysis scores are outliers. A third of readers give essays a 1 in Analysis. Below is the distribution of reader scores across all dimensions.

What is a good SAT Essay score?

By combining multiple data sources—including extensive College Board scoring information—Compass has estimated the mean and mode (most common) essay scores for students at various score levels. We also found that the reading and writing dimensions were similar, while analysis scores lagged by a point across all sub-groups. These figures should not be viewed as cutoffs for “good” scores. The loose correlation of essay score to Total Score and the high standard deviation of essay scores means that students at all levels see wide variation of scores. The average essay-taking student scores a 1,080 on the SAT and receives just under a 5/4/5.

College Board recently released essay results for the class of 2017, so score distributions are now available. From these, percentiles can also be calculated. We provide these figures with mixed feelings. On the one hand, percentile scores on such an imperfect measure can be highly misleading. On the other hand, we feel that students should understand the full workings of essay scores.

The role of luck

What is frustrating to many students on the SAT and ACT is that they can score 98th percentile in most areas and then get a “middling” score on the essay. This result is actually quite predictable. Whereas math and verbal scores are the result of dozens of objective questions, the essay is a single question graded subjectively. To replace statistical concepts with a colloquial one—far more “luck” is involved than on the multiple-choice sections. What text is used in the essay stimulus? How well will the student respond to the style and subject matter? Which of the hundreds of readers were assigned to grade the student’s essay? What other essays has the reader recently scored?

Even good writers run into the unpredictability involved and the fact that essay readers give so few high scores. A 5 means that the Readers A and B gave the essay a 2 and a 3, respectively. Which reader was “right?” If the essay had encountered two readers like Reader A, it would have received a 4. If the essay had been given two readers like Reader B, it would have received a 6. That swing makes a large difference if we judge scores exclusively by percentiles, but essay scores are simply too blurry to make such cut-and-dry distinctions. More than 80% of students receive one of three scores—4, 5, or 6 on the reading and writing dimensions and 3, 4, or 5 on analysis.

What do colleges expect?

It’s unlikely that many colleges will release a breakdown of essay scores for admitted students—especially since so few are requiring it. What we know from experience with the ACT , though, is that even at the most competitive schools in the country, the 25th–75th percentile scores of admitted students were 8–10 on the ACT’s old 2–12 score range. We expect that things will play out similarly for the SAT and that most students admitted to highly selective colleges will have domain scores in the 5–7 range (possibly closer to 4–6 for analysis). It’s even less likely for students to average a high score across all three areas than it is to obtain a single high mark. We estimate that only a fraction of a percent of students will average an 8—for example [8/8/8, 7/8/8, 8/7/8, or 8,8,7].

Update as of October 2017. The University of California system has published the 25th–75th percentile ranges for enrolled students. It has chosen to work with total scores. The highest ranges—including those at UCLA and Berkeley—are 17–20. Those scores are inline with our estimates above.

How will colleges use the domain scores?

Colleges have been given no guidance by College Board on how to use essay scores for admission. Will they sum the scores? Will they average them? Will they value certain areas over others? Chances are that if you are worrying too much about those questions, then you are likely losing sight of the bigger picture. We know of no cases where admission committees will make formulaic use of essay scores. The scores are a very small, very error-prone part of a student’s testing portfolio.

How low is too low?

Are 3s and 4s, then, low enough that an otherwise high-scoring student should retest? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. In general, it is a mistake to retest solely to improve an essay score unless a student is confident that the SAT Total Score can be maintained or improved. A student with a 1340 PSAT and 1280 SAT may feel that it is worthwhile to bring up low essay scores because she has previously shown that she can do better on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math, as well. A student with a 1400 PSAT and 1540 SAT should think long and hard before committing to a retest. Admission results from the class of 2017 may give us some added insight into the use of SAT Essay scores.

Will colleges continue to require the SAT Essay?

For the class of 2017, Compass has prepared a list of the SAT Essay and ACT Writing policies for 360 of the top colleges . Several of the largest and most prestigious public university systems—California, Michigan, and Texas, for example, still require the essay, and a number of highly competitive private colleges do the same—for example, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

The number of excellent colleges not requiring the SAT Essay, though, is long and getting longer. Compass expects even more colleges to drop the essay requirement for the classes of 2018 and 2019. Policies are typically finalized in late spring or during the summer.

Should I skip the essay entirely?

A common question regarding SAT scores is whether the whole mess can be avoided by skipping the essay. After all, if only about 10% of colleges are requiring the section, is it really that important? Despite serious misgivings about the test and the ways scores are interpreted, Compass still recommends that most students take the essay unless they are certain that they will not be applying to any of the colleges requiring or recommending it. Nationally, about 70% of students choose to take the essay on at least one SAT administration. When looking at higher scoring segments, that quickly rises to 85–90%. Almost all Compass students take the SAT Essay at least once to insure that they do not miss out on educational opportunities.

Should I prepare for the SAT Essay?

Most Compass students decide to do some preparation for the essay, because taking any part of a test “cold” can be an unpleasant experience, and students want to avoid feeling like a retake is necessary. In addition to practicing exercises and tests, most students can perform well enough on the SAT Essay after 1–2 hours of tutoring. Students taking a Compass practice SAT will also receive a scored essay. Students interested in essay writing tips for the SAT can refer to Compass blog posts on the difference between the ACT and SAT tasks  and the use of first person on the essays .

Will I be able to see my essay?

Yes. ACT makes it difficult to obtain a copy of your Writing essay, but College Board includes it as part of your online report.

Will colleges have access to my essay? Even if they don’t require it?

Yes, colleges are provided with student essays. We know of very few circumstances where SAT Essay reading is regularly conducted. Colleges that do not require the SAT Essay fall into the “consider” and “do not consider” camps. Schools do not always list this policy on their website or in their application materials, so it is hard to have a comprehensive list. We recommend contacting colleges for more information. In general, the essay will have little to no impact at colleges that do not require or recommend it.

Is the SAT Essay a reason to take the ACT instead?

Almost all colleges that require the SAT Essay require Writing for ACT-takers. The essays are very different on the two tests, but neither can be said to be universally “easier” or “harder.” Compass recommends that the primary sections of the tests determine your planning. Compass’ content experts have also written a piece on how to attack the ACT essay .

Key links in this post:

ACT and SAT essay requirements ACT Writing scores explained Comparing ACT and SAT essay tasks The use of first person in ACT and SAT essays Understanding the “audience and purpose” of the ACT essay Compass proctored practice testing for the ACT, SAT, and Subject Tests

About Art Sawyer

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and co-founded Compass Education Group in 2004 in order to bring the best ideas and tutors into students' homes and computers. Although he has attained perfect scores on all flavors of the SAT and ACT, he is routinely beaten in backgammon.

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Hi! I’m a high school junior who took the October and November SATs. I got a 1500 on October and then retook it to get a 1590 in November. I’m very happy with my score, but my essays are troubling me. I got a 6-4-6 in October and thought I would improve in November, but I got a 6-3-6. I really cannot improve my actual SAT score, but I don’t understand the essay. I’ve always been a good writer and have consistently been praised for it in English class and outside of class. Is this essay score indicative of my writing skill? And will this essay hurt my chances at Ivy League and other top tier schools? None of the schools I plan on applying to require it, but, since I have to submit it, will it hurt my chances? Thank you so much.

Maya, The essay is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Honestly, a 6-4-6 is a fine score and will not hurt your chances for admission. It’s something of an odd writing task, so I wouldn’t worry that it doesn’t match your writing skills elsewhere.

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SAT Essay Score | Tips to get a great Score at the Written Part of the Test

For most students, the SAT essay score has always been the most challenging to master. Fortunately, if you already took the SAT essay in the past,  you no longer have to complete the essay section on your second go at the SATs because essay writing has been made optional since the 2016 new SAT updates.

But for those who have yet to take the SAT,  you would have to face this section eventually because you need at least 1 essay completed and graded with your SAT score. Many schools do still require the SAT essay attached to your SAT score report to gauge your writing and analytical skills (see how does the SAT essay matter here ).

If you have been learning everything you need to know about acing the SATs with one of our recommended SAT prep books here or taking a prep course (we recommend some of the best SAT courses in this post ), this article will help improve your writing, boost your essay score, and serve as good test prep.

What is a Good Essay Score on the SAT?

Before we dig deep into essay scores and hitting the right elements of the essay, let's first take a refresher about the SAT Essay.

What is the SAT Essay about?

The SAT Essay isn't like the essays you've been writing in high school. This is more similar to a thesis you'll write for college, except it has been crammed into one-page writing.

The test gives you an essay prompt, which is a word passage that is around 600 to 800 long. You are then given 50 minutes to analyze this and write a cohesive essay explaining your arguments along with as many essay components required as possible.  Instead, you must be ready to pinpoint:

• The essay prompt -  This refers to the question. It is a standardized question, so most of the essay prompts may sound similar. You have to analyze the prompts and consider how the author uses evidence/persuasiveness or other means to support his/her claims. You won’t be asked to agree or disagree with a position on a topic or to write about your personal experience. You just have to focus on the author's point of view.
• The topic -  This one changes with every prompt of the SAT. But even one talks about Martin Luther King, and the next one discusses Angelina Jolie, the passage topics are similar in that they all argue a point, always taken from published works of popular people, use logical reasoning and evidence to back the author's claims, and express author's views.

How SAT Essays are Graded

Students who write their essay is graded based on how well they understood the passage.

Two people, who College Board trained to give SAT essay scores, are assigned to read your work. Each of them will award you between 1 and 4 points for 3 categories:

reading (to show you understood the passage),

analysis (to show you understood the author's argument), and

writing (to show how you can express with the conventions of standard written English)

All the scoring will be based on the SAT essay rubric (guidelines provided by College Board). When scores for both people are added, you should be left with 2 to 8 points for each category, with the lowest score at 2/2/2 and highest at around 8/8/8. Unlike the SAT math and reading sections, there is no composite score for the essay, so these scores are not added together. There are also no percentiles.

Is a 17 a Good SAT Essay Score? Is 20 a Good SAT Essay Score?

Technically speaking, adding the scores for Reading, Analysis, and Writing will confuse you completely. But if you're looking for the average SAT essay score you should aim, at least 6 out of 8 on all 3 categories is already a pretty good score.

Of course, it is always good to score higher (showing off your advanced writing skills).                                         

What If My SAT Essay Scores Are Below Average?

Almost all students who tried to answer the SAT essay for the first time get discouraged by how difficult it is. Because a student not only has to be good at writing, he/she also has to utilize logical and analytical thinking in the process. And these things take a lot of time to master.

The best thing to do if your SAT essay scores are below average is to:

Study more essay prompts

Familiarize yourself with the SAT essay rubric

Master a step-by-step essay writing process,

Practice with more prompts, and

Re-take the essay part when you're ready.

Even if the SATs may seem hard for you now, what's cool about this standardized test is that it's been around for over a century. Countless guides and examples of essay questions and response are readily available online.

Elements of a Good SAT Essay

Don't come in on test day without even trying to master prompt analysis and checking out multiple essay scoring examples. Here are several must-do tips that would help you do well with your essay response:

Word count: Write an average of a 700-word-long essay. Colleges do not really require very long essays, especially if the SAT guidelines are not met.

Word choice : Find simple, easy-to-read, and clear wording. Check for typos and avoid repetitive content.

The detail is key: When you are asked to analyze a passage, the best way to prove you understand it is by using evidence from the text to support the author's thesis

Persuasive elements: The author will always be persuasive in trying to make you (and the readers) agree with his/her claim. You can use this to support the argument properly. Remember that you don't really have to agree or disagree.

Facts: Get into the author's arguments armed with undeniable evidence and use it to reply to the essay.

Write for a wide audience: Passages usually seem difficult to understand at the initial reading, but as you get to read the part, again and again, the content would become clearer. Your analysis is a huge part of the essay test and would explain many technical words that are not explained literally to readers. Know your practice materials and remember to see similarities of different passages.

Introduction and conclusion: Whether you're the author or part of the readers, an essay without an introduction or conclusion just sounds different and weirdly lacking. Imagine a scorer agreeing to the evidence and argument you're pointing out with your student analysis, then all of a sudden your essay stops in the middle of a thought. Is that what you want your audience to feel?

When you begin to incorporate these elements into your personal essay, you'd be surprised at how your analysis get better with each try and eventually improve your overall essay score.

Can the SAT Essay Hurt Your Score?

In the past, essays are a part of the Reading and Writing section and the total SAT scores included the SAT essay. Since the 2016 update wherein the essay test has become optional, more and more colleges are putting less importance on this writing test. 

However, even if some colleges did drop the essay from their SAT requirements, other colleges still find a scored essay a good indication of a student's reading and writing abilities and other cognitive skills.

Note that if you plan on attending a competitive college program, they will likely need you to submit an above-average SAT score with a well-written essay with your application. These scores can still make or break your chances of attending these kinds of schools.

Should I take the Essay or Not?

When you're mastering writing for the SAT essay, don't think of boosting your SAT essay score just yet. Like most students who use all available examples online to familiarize themselves with SAT essay guidelines and get better with each passage, free your mind of scores for now. The writing isn't like the multiple-choice questions of math and reading, so you have to train for it differently as well. 

Students are always tempted to skip the essay questions completely and just be done with the SAT. While they do have the choice to not write an essay, you have to understand that there are still many schools that require SAT scores with essay included. If you want to double-check your chosen colleges and if they require a record of scored essay with your application, you can see an up-to-date list of  essay-related college requirements  from the College Board.

I hope this free guide could help students improve their essay scores one question at a time. And if you're still weighing your options of whether to answer this portion or not, I'd say go for it.  By practicing how to answer these essay prompts as a student, you'll gain a new skill that will be useful no matter your chosen professions.

Leonard Haggin

I created this site to help students like you learn from the experiences my team had learned during our extensive academic careers. I am now studying Law at Stanford, but I also make time to write articles here in order to help all you fellow students advance in your academic careers and beyond. I hope our efforts on Study Prep Lounge will arm you with the knowledge you need to overcome whatever trial or test you find in front of you.

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How Your SAT Score Impacts Your College Admissions

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Our free chancing engine takes into consideration your SAT score, in addition to other profile factors, such as GPA and extracurriculars. Create a free account to discover your chances at hundreds of different schools.

How important is the SAT? That’s the question on a lot of college-bound students’ minds.

The SAT (or ACT) functions as a screener: many schools will automatically screen out applicants with an academic index (AI) lower than a certain threshold. Most colleges are unlikely to tell you what that threshold is.

Your AI is computed with standardized test scores and GPA or class rank. While it’s unlikely to get you into a top school alone, since you’re competing against many other students with high AIs, it could keep you out.

Why Your SAT Score Matters

As discussed previously, top schools use your SAT score as a screener at top schools. Big state schools that don’t necessarily perform a holistic review of individual candidates, since the applicant pool is so large, may place more weight on your scores. Your SAT results can also play a large factor in winning certain scholarships.

Why Colleges Want to See Your SAT Scores

Colleges want students who can handle the rigor of their curriculum. GPA and class rank often mean something different from school to school. For instance, an A at one school could translate to a B+ at another.

While colleges will receive a profile of your school to better understand the grade distribution and how your performance compares to that of your classmates, a standardized measure of academic performance helps them compare you to the larger admissions pool. Standardized tests are the same for everyone, so they give admissions committees another way to understand your academic performance. A 750 on your SAT Math test means the same for everyone, no matter what your background or high school.

That said, a strong SAT score is unlikely to make up for a weak GPA . If you perform well on the SAT but have weak grades compared to those of your classmates, colleges may wonder why you weren’t able to keep up in school.

However, if there were extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or illness, strong SAT scores could indicate that you have the aptitude to succeed in spite of low grades. Be sure to explain any circumstances outside of your control that impacted your academic performance on your applications.

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

Testing-Optional Schools

Some colleges do not require standardized test scores as part of the admissions process. However, while submitting scores at these schools is not required, that doesn’t mean the tests are not considered. Between two candidates who are identical in other respects, the one who submits good test scores is going to have a leg up over the one who doesn’t submit scores at all. Check out The Reality of the Testing Optional Trend for more information about schools that don’t require test scores.

What You Should Be Doing to Prepare

So how can you make sure you perform well on the SAT?

Start by practicing. Take plenty of practice tests in the weeks and months leading up to your first sitting. Figure out your target score and concentrate on honing weak areas.

Taking the PSAT can also help you figure out what areas you need to improve. If you take the PSAT sophomore year and/or early junior year, you’ll know what to focus on in your studying.

Preparing for the SAT? Download our  free guide with our top 8 tips for mastering the SAT.

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!

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Hi all, I just recently took the SAT and I'm anxiously waiting for my scores. Can anyone tell me when and how I'll receive my scores? How long does it usually take? TIA!

Hi there! I totally understand the anticipation of waiting for your SAT scores. Generally, SAT scores are released about two weeks after your test date. College Board will notify you by email when your scores are available. You can then log in to your College Board account to check your scores online.

Keep in mind that some test administration dates might have longer waiting periods because of holidays or high testing volumes. Typically, your essay scores (if you took the optional SAT Essay) will be released about a week after your multiple-choice scores. So, remember to stay patient and know that your scores will arrive soon. Best of luck!

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