Essay prompts from the most recent SAT administration

Below are essay prompts from the most recent SAT administration in November 2014.

Prompt 1
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Many thoughtful people have said that cooperation brings out the best in people and leads to success in almost all
endeavors. There is a limit, however, to the value of cooperative behavior, since such behavior may suppress
peoples willingness to be creative and to stand out from the crowd. Too often, cooperating means going along with
the group even if that is not necessarily the best way.
Assignment: Does working with others lead to better results than acting as an individual? Plan and write an essay in
which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from
your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Prompt 2
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
We have been taught since childhood that it is wrong to quit. We learn that quitting is impulsive and easy and that we
should always endeavor to keep trying, even if it is difficult. But arent there certain times when quitting is the right
thing to do? In those instances, it takes great courage, maturity, and self-awareness to acknowledge that the plan we
have chosen may need to be changed or that a new plan should be adopted.
Assignment: Is quitting ever a good idea? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this
issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or
observations.

Prompt 3
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Many people wish that there were fewer limits on their behavior. They believe that rulessuch as those imposed by
parents, teachers, coaches, employers, and governmentsprevent them from being successful in the activities they
undertake. Other people believe that rules assist them in becoming successful in their endeavors. They claim that
rules provide guidance and help define what is expected. They even say that having too much freedom can be a
burden.
Assignment: Do rules interfere with or aid in the pursuit of success? Plan and write an essay in which you develop
your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies,
experience, or observations.

Prompt 4
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
There is an old saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." Simply put, this means that people who make their
needs or desires known by making noisethat is, by complainingare the ones who get what they need or want. But

nobody likes a squeaky wheel: the complainer may get what he or she wants, but only at the risk of being perceived
unfavorably.
Assignment: Should we complain to get what we want? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of
view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience,
or observations.

Sample Essay Prompt

You have twenty-five minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned below.
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the
assignment below.
Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they
must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite
view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past
and present.
Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and
Liberation
Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the
past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your
point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples
taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

The SAT essay measures your ability to:

develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt

support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading, studies,
experience, or observations

follow the conventions of standard written English

The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express ideas.
You should, therefore, take care to develop your point of view, present your ideas logically and
clearly, and use language precisely.
Your essay must be written on the lines provided on your answer sheet you will receive no
other paper on which to write. You will have enough space if you write on every line, avoid wide
margins, and keep your handwriting to a reasonable size. Remember that people who are not
familiar with your handwriting will read what you write. Try to write or print so that what you
are writing is legible to those readers.

You can practice writing essays using the essay prompts from the most recent SAT.

Reminders:
1. A pencil is required for the essay. An essay written in ink will receive a score of zero.
2. Do not write your essay in your test book. You will receive credit only for what you
write on your answer sheet.
3. An off-topic essay will receive a score of zero.
4. If your essay does not reflect your original and individual work, your test scores
may be canceled.

Sample Scored Essays

These scored essays were written in response to the essay question above. Click on
a score to see a sample essay with that score.
Score = 6 (Example 1)
Essay
Without our past, our future would be a tortuous path leading to nowhere. In order
to move up the ladder of success and achievement we must come to terms with our

past and integrate it into our future. Even if in the past we made mistakes, this will
only make wiser people out of us and guide us to where we are supposed to be.
This past year, I was auditioning for the fall play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." To my
detriment I thought it would be a good idea to watch the movie in order to prepare.
For two hours I studied Elizabeth Taylor's mannerisms, attitude, and diction, hoping I
could mimic her performance. I auditioned for the part of "Maggie" feeling perfectly
confident in my portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor, however, I was unaware that my
director saw exactly what I had been thinking. Unfortunately, I didn't get the part,
and my director told me that he needed to see "Maggie" from my perspective, not
Elizabeth Taylor's.
I learned from this experience, and promised myself I would not try to imitate
another actress, in order to create my character. Perservering, I was anxious to
audition for the winter play just two months later. The play was Neil Simon's
"Rumors," and would get the opportunity to play "Chris," a sarcastic yet witty role,
which would be my final performance in high school. In order to develop my
character, I planned out her life just as I thought it should be, gave her the voice I
thought was right, and the rest of her character unfolded beautifully from there. My
director told me after the first show that "Rumors" was the best work he'd ever seen
from me, and that he was amazed at how I'd developed such a believable character.
Thinking back to my first audition I was grateful for that chance I had to learn and to
grow, because without that mistake I might have tried to base "Chris" off of
someone I'd known or something I'd seen instead of becoming my own character. I
utilized the memory of the Elizabeth Taylor debacle to improve my approach to
acting and gave the best performance of my life so far.
Why this Essay Received a Score of 6
This essay effectively and insightfully develops its point of view ("In order to move
up the ladder of success and achievement we must come to terms with our past
and integrate it into our future") through a clearly appropriate extended example
drawing on the writer's experience as an actor. The essay exhibits outstanding
critical thinking by presenting a well-organized and clearly focused narrative that
aptly illustrates the value of memory. The essay also uses language skillfully,
demonstrating meaningful variety in sentence structure ("To my detriment I thought
it would be a good idea to watch the movie in order to prepare. For two hours I
studied Elizabeth Taylor's mannerisms, attitude, and diction, hoping I could mimic
her performance. I auditioned for the part of "Maggie" feeling perfectly confident in
my portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor, however, I was unaware that my director"). Despite
minor errors, the essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and is scored a
6