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