<p>I’d like to point out a few observations about these essays, which all received 11s:
- Most of them follow a very clear structure: intro, two or three clear examples on point, conclusion.
- These essays are not dripping with arcane vocabulary words. Mostly, they are clearly written and easy to understand.
- While I think you should follow the “rules” and good advice about writing the SAT essay, I do think we should note that MiHa’s essay “violates” the advice to take one side of the question and not to argue a middle position. The essay still got an 11.
- These essays, while competently written, are not outstanding, polished works of art. All contain some errors, some repetition and overstatement (“incredibly”), and some less-than-perfect arguments. This should make everybody relax a little about the essay. However, all of these high-scoring essays were directly on point and responded to the question asked. That’s important.</p>