Minutes a day n e w y o r k

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P R E PA R I N G   F O R   A N   E S S AY   E X A M
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1 4 4
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taking hints, may be found at http://www.cdlponline.org/gedprint/files/GED10.pdf. The official GED Testing Ser-
vice website offers links to your jurisdiction’s testing program, which may differ slightly from that of other states.
Check www.acenet.edu/clll/ged/index.cfm for the latest information.
Those who score the GED essay read between 25 and 40 essays an hour. They look for:
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well-focused main points
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clear organization
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development of ideas
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appropriate sentence structure and word choice
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correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling
SAT
With just 25 minutes to write, you won’t be expected to turn in a final draft essay when taking the SAT. Minor errors
in grammar, usage, and mechanics are not weighed against you. Scorers instead read the essay to get an overall
impression of your writing ability. They look for evidence of critical thinking: how well you responded to the topic,
developed a point of view, and used appropriate examples and evidence to support your position. Is your essay
clearly focused, and does it transition smoothly from one point to the next? Do you show evidence of having a
varied and intelligent vocabulary?
You’ll get either a “response to a quote” or a “complete the statement” prompt. The former has one or two
quotes on a topic—you’ll need to take a stand on that topic in your essay. The latter asks you to fill in the blank
in a sentence, and write an essay based on your completed sentence. The latest information on the SAT essay may
be found at www.collegeboard.com.