Essay+Reminders

1. RELAX AND STAY FOCUSED. TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND SEE YOURSELF DOING WELL. This may sound hokey, but it's very, very important. 2. Limit your intros to basically a thesis statement. This will give your more time for analysis and, hopefully, a strong conclusion. 3. Make sure you write to what the prompt is asking. 4. Remember that this is often about how well you read the poem, passage, or novel. Take the time (max 10 minutes) to read the poem or passage carefully and plan your essay. 5. For the last prompt about a novel or play, try to come to the test with 2 books in mind. One should be a book you really believe you can write about. The other is a back-up in case your #1 choice doesn't fit the prompt. REVIEW THE MAIN CHARACTERS, BASICS OF THE PLOT, IMPORTANT MOMENTS, AND, OF COURSE, THE ENDING. 6. Remember that you're always trying to get to theme (i.e. the central meaning of the text). I don't mean a moral, but something illuminating. SIT IN THAT INTELLECTUAL HOT TUB. 7. Use Rabinowitz to focus your reading. 8. Be confident. You have the ability to do this. Confidence makes a big difference in how well you read, write and think.
 * REMEMBER THAT THESE TWO HOURS (THREE WITH THE MULTIPLE CHOICE) COULD SAVE YOU A SEMESTER OR YEAR. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $5,000+.