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SAT Essay Prompts: The Complete List

SAT Writing , SAT Essay

On every SAT Essay, you'll have to read an argument meant to persuade a broad audience and discuss how well the author argues his or her point. The passage you'll have to read will change from test to test, but you'll always need to analyze the author's argument and write a coherent and organized essay explaining this analysis.

In this article, we've compiled a list of the 14 real SAT essay prompts that the College Board has released (either in The Official SAT Study Guide or separately online) for the new SAT. This is the most comprehensive set of new SAT essay prompts online today.

At the end of this article, we'll also guide you through how to get the most out of these prompts and link to our expert resources on acing the SAT essay. I'll discuss how the SAT essay prompts are valuable not just because they give you a chance to write a practice essay, but because of what they reveal about the essay task itself.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

SAT essay prompts always keep to the same basic format. Not only is the prompt format consistent from test to test, but what you're actually asked to do (discuss how an author builds an argument) also remains the same across different test administrations.

The College Board's predictability with SAT essay helps students focus on preparing for the actual analytical task, rather than having to think up stuff on their feet. Every time, before the passage, you'll see the following:

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

And after the passage, you'll see this:

"Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his] audience that [whatever the author is trying to argue for]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed in the box above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author]'s claims, but rather explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his/their] audience."

Now that you know the format, let's look at the SAT essay prompts list.

14 Official SAT Essay Prompts

The College Board has released a limited number of prompts to help students prep for the essay. We've gathered them for you here, all in one place. We'll be sure to update this article as more prompts are released for practice and/or as more tests are released.

SPOILER ALERT : Since these are the only essay prompts that have been released so far, you may want to be cautious about spoiling them for yourself, particularly if you are planning on taking practice tests under real conditions . This is why I've organized the prompts by the 10 that are in the practice tests (so you can avoid them if need be), the ones that are available online as sample prompts, and the ones that are in the text of the Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT), all online for free.

Practice Test Prompts

These 10 prompts are taken from the practice tests that the College Board has released.

Practice Test 1 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Jimmy Carter builds an argument to persuade his audience that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry."

Practice Test 2 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust."

Practice Test 3 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eliana Dockterman builds an argument to persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology."

Practice Test 4 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved."

Practice Test 5 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eric Klinenberg builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to greatly reduce their reliance on air-conditioning."

Practice Test 6 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Christopher Hitchens builds an argument to persuade his audience that the original Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece."

Practice Test 7 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Zadie Smith builds an argument to persuade her audience that public libraries are important and should remain open"

Practice Test 8 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Bobby Braun builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to invest in NASA."

Practice Test 9 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Todd Davidson builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to fund national parks."

Practice Test 10 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Richard Schiffman builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to work fewer hours."

Special note: The prompt for Practice Test 4 also appears on the College Board's site with real sample essays written in response. If you've written a practice essay for practice test 4 and want to see what essays of different score levels look like for that particular prompt, you can go there and look at eight real student essays.

Free Online Practice

This prompt comes from the College Board website .

"Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in America will have a negative effect on society."

This prompt comes from Khan Academy , where it is listed as an alternate essay prompt to go along with Practice Test 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Leo W. Gerard builds an argument to persuade his audience that American colleges and universities should be affordable for all students."

The Official SAT Study Guide 2020

The Official SAT Study Guide (editions published in 2015 and later available online for free) contains all 10 of the previously mentioned practice tests at the end of the book. In the section about the new SAT essay , however, there are two additional sample essay prompts (accompanied by articles to analyze).

Sample Prompt 1:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States."

Sample Prompt 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Adam B. Summers builds an argument to persuade his audience that plastic shopping bags should not be banned."

How Do You Get the Most Out of These Prompts?

Now that you have all the prompts released by the College Board, it's important to know the best way to use them. Make sure you have a good balance between quality and quantity, and don't burn through all 14 of the real prompts in a row— take the time to learn from your experiences writing the practice essays.

Step By Step Guide on How to Practice Using the Article

#1: Understand how the SAT essay is graded .

#2: Follow along as we write a high-scoring SAT essay, step by step .

#3: Plan a set of features you'll look for in the SAT essay readings and practice writing about them fluidly. This doesn't just mean identifying a technique, like asking a rhetorical question, but explaining why it is persuasive and what effect it has on the reader in the context of a particular topic. We have more information on this step in our article about 6 SAT persuasive devices you can use .

#4: Choose a prompt at random from above, or choose a topic that you think is going to be hard for you to detach from (because you'll want to write about the topic, rather than the argument) set timer to 50 minutes and write the essay. No extra time allowed!

#5: Grade the essay, using the official essay rubric to give yourself a score out of 8 in the reading, analysis, and writing sections.

#6: Repeat steps 4 and 5. Choose the prompts you think will be the hardest for you so that you can so that you're prepared for the worst when the test day comes

#7: If you run out of official prompts to practice with, use the official prompts as models to find examples of other articles you could write about . Start by looking for op-ed articles in online news publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, LA Times , and so on. For instance, the passage about the plastic bag ban in California (Official SAT Study Guide sample essay prompt 2, above) has a counterpoint here —you could try analyzing and writing about that article as well.

Any additional articles you use for practice on the SAT essay must match the following criteria:

• ideally 650-750 words , although it'll be difficult to find an op-ed piece that's naturally that short. Try to aim for nothing longer than 2000 words, though, or the scope of the article is likely to be wider than anything you'll encounter on the SAT.
• always argumentative/persuasive . The author (or authors) is trying to get readers to agree with a claim or idea being put forward.
• always intended for a wide audience . All the information you need to deconstruct the persuasiveness of the argument is in the passage. This means that articles with a lot of technical jargon that's not explained in the article are not realistic passage to practice with.

What's Next?

We've written a ton of helpful resources on the SAT essay. I f you're just getting started, we recommend beginning with our top SAT essay tips for a quick overview of the essay task and what you need to know.

A little more familiar with the SAT essay but still not quite sure how to write one? Follow along with our step-by-step guide to writing the SAT essay .

Looking to earn a high score? Learn what it takes to get the highest score possible on the SAT essay here .

Plus, if you want a reference linking you to all of our great articles on the SAT essay, be sure to check out our ultimate SAT essay guide .

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Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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What Is the SAT Essay?

College Board

• February 28, 2024

The SAT Essay section is a lot like a typical writing assignment in which you’re asked to read and analyze a passage and then produce an essay in response to a single prompt about that passage. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your reading, analysis, and writing skills—which are critical to readiness for success in college and career—and the scores you’ll get back will give you insight into your strengths in these areas as well as indications of any areas that you may still need to work on.

The Essay section is only available in certain states where it’s required as part of SAT School Day administrations. If you’re going to be taking the SAT during school , ask your counselor if it will include the Essay section. If it’s included, the Essay section will come after the Reading and Writing and Math sections and will add an additional 50 minutes .

What You’ll Do

• Read a passage between 650 and 750 words in length.
• Explain how the author builds an argument to persuade an audience.
• Support your explanation with evidence from the passage.

You won’t be asked to agree or disagree with a position on a topic or to write about your personal experience.

The Essay section shows how well you understand the passage and are able to use it as the basis for a well-written, thought-out discussion. Your score will be based on three categories.

Reading: A successful essay shows that you understood the passage, including the interplay of central ideas and important details. It also shows an effective use of textual evidence.

Analysis: A successful essay shows your understanding of how the author builds an argument by:

• Examining the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and other stylistic and persuasive techniques
• Supporting and developing claims with well-chosen evidence from the passage

Writing: A successful essay is focused, organized, and precise, with an appropriate style and tone that varies sentence structure and follows the conventions of standard written English.

Learn more about how the SAT Essay is scored.

Want to practice? Log in to the Bluebook™ testing application , go to the Practice and Prepare section, and choose full-length practice test . There are 3 practice Essay   tests. Once you submit your response, go to MyPractice.Collegeboard.org , where you’ll see your essay, a scoring guide and rubric so that you can score yourself, and student samples for various scores to compare your self-score with a student at the same level.

After the Test

You’ll get your Essay score the same way you’ll get your scores for the Reading and Writing and Math sections. If you choose to send your SAT scores to colleges, your Essay score will be reported along with your other section scores from that test day. Even though Score Choice™   allows you to choose which day’s scores you send to colleges, you can never send only some scores from a certain test day. For instance, you can’t choose to send Math scores but not SAT Essay scores.

Until 2021, the SAT Essay was also an optional section when taking the SAT on a weekend. That section was discontinued in 2021.

If you don’t have the opportunity to take the SAT Essay section as part of the SAT, don’t worry. There are other ways to show your writing skills as part of the work you’re already doing on your path to college. The SAT can help you stand out on college applications , as it continues to measure the writing and analytical skills that are essential to college and career readiness. And, if you want to demonstrate your writing skills even more, you can also consider taking an AP English course .

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12 Free Official SAT Practice Tests (Including Digital SATs)

The College Board has released 8 official SAT practice tests since they’ve redesigned the test in 2016. You can find these tests on their website , in their Official SAT Study Guide (paid), or right here down below.

However, they’ve also just redesigned a brand new SAT format that will start in the Spring of 2024. There are only  four  official practice tests in the new format, and these tests can only properly be done and scored through the College Board’s BlueBook app.

Because of the scarcity of real SAT questions, these tests are like gold.

When using one of these tests as a diagnostic or full-length practice test, mimic official test conditions as closely as possible. This means printing the test out, timing yourself, and taking it in one sitting. This will ensure you’ll get the most value out of these tests.

Below you’ll find everything to get you going: official practice tests, blank answer sheets, and instructions on how to self-administer the test.

Official Old SAT Practice Tests – Download Links

→ SAT Practice Test #1 –   Practice Test 1 | Essay 1 | Scoring 1   | Answers & Explanations 1

→  SAT Practice Test #3 –   Practice Test 3 |  Essay 3 |  Scoring 3 |  Answers & Explanations 3

→  SAT Practice Test #5 –   Practice Test 5 |  Essay 5  |  Scoring 5  |  Answers & Explanations 5

→  SAT Practice Test #6 –   Practice Test 6   |  Essay 6  |  Scoring 6  |  Answers & Explanations 6

→  SAT Practice Test #7 –   Practice Test 7  |  Essay 7   |  Scoring 7  |  Answers & Explanations 7

→  SAT Practice Test #8 –   Practice Test 8  |  Essay 8  |  Scoring 8  |  Answers & Explanations 8

→  SAT Practice Test #9 – Practice Test 9 | Essay 9 | Scoring 9 | Answers & Explanations 9

→  SAT Practice Test #10 – Practice Test 10 | Essay 10 | Scoring 10 | Answers & Explanations 10

Official New Digital SAT Practice Tests – Links

→ The new, adaptive Digital SAT Practice Tests 1-4: Tests and Instructions here

→ Paper versions of the new Digital SAT Practice Tests 1-4 (not adaptive): Tests and Instructions here

Blank Answer Sheets

Use the answer sheet below when completing your test to mimic the test conditions:

→ Blank Answer Sheet – Sections 1 to 4

Proctoring Instructions for the Paper SAT

With the Digital SAT, the official BlueBook app will do all the proctoring for you!

When working with the old paper SAT, however, a parent or third-party person should administer the test. Otherwise, the student can easily manage the process on their own using our proctoring instructions.

It’s surprisingly difficult to find simple instructions on how to self-administer the test, so we’ve put together a checklist to guide you through the process:

→   PrepMaven Proctoring Instructions – SAT

• Set aside an uninterrupted chunk of time – Block off 2 hours and 14 minutes for the new Digital SAT.
• Use the official BlueBook app for the Digital SAT – The test is going digital, and this app will exactly mirror real testing conditions.
• Use all the time – Even if you finish a section early, you will benefit from using all your available time to review or redo questions.
• Read the Proctoring Instructions above before you start – The instructions will identify which materials you will need and exactly how to time the different sections, including breaks.
• Carefully review your answers after the test – Careful analysis of the questions you answered wrong (or were confused about) is important for meaningful score improvements

Not sure which test to take (SAT vs ACT)? Ask yourself these 5 questions to find out.

Not sure WHEN to take the test? We created 9 Sample Testing Schedules to help get you started

Like what you read? Subscribe to our mailing list , and we’ll let you know when we release other useful info. Please also share using the buttons on the side.

At PrepMaven, our mission is not only to help your child get into a great college but also to put them on the right track for long-term personal and professional success.

Greg Wong and Kevin Wong

Greg and Kevin are brothers and the co-founders of PrepMaven and Princeton Tutoring. They were engineering majors at Princeton and had successful careers in strategy consulting and finance. They now apply their data and research-backed problem solving skills to the college preparation process. Their unique approach places a heavy emphasis on personal development, character, and service as key components of college admissions success.

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Essay Test Preparation Tips and Strategies

Essay test questions can be very intimidating, but they can also be very rewarding. Unlike other types of exams (i.e., multiple choice, true or false, etc.) essay tests allow you develop an answer based on your understanding or knowledge.

If you’ve studied all semester, understand the course concepts, and have reviewed prior to the test, the following strategies can help you improve your performance on essay tests and exams.

Strategies to Help You Improve Your Performance on Essay Tests and Exams

Read the directions.

Reading the directions seems so obvious. Unfortunately, it’s still one of the biggest test taking mistakes students make. Before answering an essay question, thoroughly read the instructions. Do not jump to the answer without being sure of what exactly the question is asking. In many cases, the teacher is looking for specific types of responses. Never assume you know what is being asked, or what is required, until you’ve read the entire question.

Ask for clarification

Read essay questions in their entirety before preparing an answer. If the instructions are unclear, or you simply don’t understand a question, ask the teacher for clarification. Chances are if you’re confused so is someone else. Never be scared to ask for clarification from your teacher or instructor.

Provide detail

Provide as many details and specific examples when answering an essay question as you can. Teachers are usually looking for very specific responses to see whether or not you’ve learned the material. The more relevant detail you provide, the higher grade is likely to be. However, only include correct, accurate and relevant information. Including irrelevant “filler” that doesn’t support your answer will likely lower your grade.

Budget your time

Manage your time wisely when answering essay questions so you are able answer all the questions, not just the easy or hard ones. If you finish your test before time is up, go back and review your answers and provide additional details.

We recommend answering those essay questions you’re most familiar with first and then tackling more challenging questions after. It’s also not uncommon on essay tests for some questions to be worth more than others. When budgeting your time, make sure to allocate more time to those questions that are worth the most.

Follow the instructions

When a question is only requiring facts, be sure to avoid sharing opinions. Only provide the information the instructions request. It’s important to provide an answer that matches the type of essay question being asked. You’ll find a list of common types of essay questions at the bottom of this page.

In your answers, get to the point and be very clear. It is generally best to be as concise as possible. If you provide numerous facts or details, be sure they’re related to the question. A typical essay answer should be between 200 and 800 words (2-8 paragraphs) but more isn’t necessarily better. Focus on substance over quantity.

Write clearly and legibly

Be sure your essays are legible and easy to understand. If a teacher has a difficult time reading or understanding what you’ve written, you could receive a lower score.

Get organized

Organize your thoughts before answering your essay question. We even recommend developing a short outline before preparing your answer. This strategy will help you save time and keep your essay organized. Organizing your thoughts and preparing a short outline will allow you to write more clearly and concisely.

Get to the point – Focus on substance

Only spend time answering the question and keep your essays focused. An overly long introduction and conclusion can be unnecessary. If your essay does not thoroughly answer the question and provide substance, a well developed introduction or conclusion will do you no good.

Use paragraphs to separate ideas

When developing your essay, keep main ideas and other important details separated with paragraphs. An essay response should have three parts: the introduction; the body; and the conclusion. The introduction is typically one paragraph, as is the conclusion. The body of the essay usually consists of 2 to 6 paragraphs depending on the type of essay and the information being presented.

Go back and review

If time permits, review your answers and make changes if necessary. Make sure you employed correct grammar and that your essays are well written. It’s not uncommon to make silly mistakes your first time through your essay. Reviewing your work is always a good idea.

Approximate

When you are unsure of specific dates, just approximate dates. For example, if you know an event occurred sometime during the 1820’s, then just write, “in the early 1800’s.”

Common Question Types on Essay Exams

Being able to identify and becoming familiar with the most common types of essay test questions is key to improving performance on essay exams. The following are 5 of the most common question types you’ll find on essay exams.

1. Identify

Identify essay questions ask for short, concise answers and typically do not require a fully developed essay.

• Ask yourself: “What is the idea or concept in question?”, “What are the main characteristics?”, “What does this mean?”
• Keywords to look for: Summarize, List, Describe, Define, Enumerate, State
• Example question: “Define what is meant by ‘separation of church and state.'”

Explain essay questions require a full-length essay with a fully developed response that provides ample supporting detail.

• Ask yourself: “What are the main points?”, “Why is this the case?”
• Keywords to look for: Discuss, Explain, Analyze, Illustrate
• Example question: “Discuss the differences between the political views of democrats and republicans. Use specific examples from each party’s 2017 presidential campaign to argue which views are more in line with U.S. national interests.”

Compare essay questions require an analysis in essay form which focuses on similarities, differences, and connections between specific ideas or concepts.

• Ask yourself: “What are the main concepts or ideas?”, “What are the similarities?”, “What are the differences?”
• Keywords to look for: Compare, Contrast, Relate
• Example question: “Compare the value of attending a community college to the value of attending a 4-year university. Which would you rather attend?”

Argue essay questions require you to form an opinion or take a position on an issue and defend your position against alternative positions using arguments backed by analysis and information.

• Ask yourself: “Is this position correct?”, “Why is this issue true?”
• Keywords to look for: Prove, Justify
• Example question: “Argue whether robotics will replace blue collar manufacturing jobs in the next ten years.”

Assess essay questions involve assessing an issue, idea or question by describing acceptable criteria and defending a position/judgment on the issue.

• Ask yourself: “What is the main idea/issue and what does it mean?”, “Why is the issue important?”, “What are its strengths?”, “What are the weaknesses?”
• Keywords to look for: Evaluate, Criticize, Evaluate, Interpret
• Example question: “With respect to U.S. national security, evaluate the benefit of constructing a wall along the southern border of the United States of America.”

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Essay Exams

What this handout is about.

At some time in your undergraduate career, you’re going to have to write an essay exam. This thought can inspire a fair amount of fear: we struggle enough with essays when they aren’t timed events based on unknown questions. The goal of this handout is to give you some easy and effective strategies that will help you take control of the situation and do your best.

Why do instructors give essay exams?

Essay exams are a useful tool for finding out if you can sort through a large body of information, figure out what is important, and explain why it is important. Essay exams challenge you to come up with key course ideas and put them in your own words and to use the interpretive or analytical skills you’ve practiced in the course. Instructors want to see whether:

• You understand concepts that provide the basis for the course
• You can use those concepts to interpret specific materials
• You can make connections, see relationships, draw comparisons and contrasts
• You can synthesize diverse information in support of an original assertion
• You can justify your own evaluations based on appropriate criteria
• You can argue your own opinions with convincing evidence
• You can think critically and analytically about a subject

What essay questions require

Exam questions can reach pretty far into the course materials, so you cannot hope to do well on them if you do not keep up with the readings and assignments from the beginning of the course. The most successful essay exam takers are prepared for anything reasonable, and they probably have some intelligent guesses about the content of the exam before they take it. How can you be a prepared exam taker? Try some of the following suggestions during the semester:

• Do the reading as the syllabus dictates; keeping up with the reading while the related concepts are being discussed in class saves you double the effort later.
• Go to lectures (and put away your phone, the newspaper, and that crossword puzzle!).
• Take careful notes that you’ll understand months later. If this is not your strong suit or the conventions for a particular discipline are different from what you are used to, ask your TA or the Learning Center for advice.
• Participate in your discussion sections; this will help you absorb the material better so you don’t have to study as hard.
• Organize small study groups with classmates to explore and review course materials throughout the semester. Others will catch things you might miss even when paying attention. This is not cheating. As long as what you write on the essay is your own work, formulating ideas and sharing notes is okay. In fact, it is a big part of the learning process.
• As an exam approaches, find out what you can about the form it will take. This will help you forecast the questions that will be on the exam, and prepare for them.

These suggestions will save you lots of time and misery later. Remember that you can’t cram weeks of information into a single day or night of study. So why put yourself in that position?

Now let’s focus on studying for the exam. You’ll notice the following suggestions are all based on organizing your study materials into manageable chunks of related material. If you have a plan of attack, you’ll feel more confident and your answers will be more clear. Here are some tips: 

• Don’t just memorize aimlessly; clarify the important issues of the course and use these issues to focus your understanding of specific facts and particular readings.
• Try to organize and prioritize the information into a thematic pattern. Look at what you’ve studied and find a way to put things into related groups. Find the fundamental ideas that have been emphasized throughout the course and organize your notes into broad categories. Think about how different categories relate to each other.
• Find out what you don’t know, but need to know, by making up test questions and trying to answer them. Studying in groups helps as well.

Taking the exam

Read the exam carefully.

• If you are given the entire exam at once and can determine your approach on your own, read the entire exam before you get started.
• Look at how many points each part earns you, and find hints for how long your answers should be.
• Figure out how much time you have and how best to use it. Write down the actual clock time that you expect to take in each section, and stick to it. This will help you avoid spending all your time on only one section. One strategy is to divide the available time according to percentage worth of the question. You don’t want to spend half of your time on something that is only worth one tenth of the total points.
• As you read, make tentative choices of the questions you will answer (if you have a choice). Don’t just answer the first essay question you encounter. Instead, read through all of the options. Jot down really brief ideas for each question before deciding.
• Remember that the easiest-looking question is not always as easy as it looks. Focus your attention on questions for which you can explain your answer most thoroughly, rather than settle on questions where you know the answer but can’t say why.

Analyze the questions

• Decide what you are being asked to do. If you skim the question to find the main “topic” and then rush to grasp any related ideas you can recall, you may become flustered, lose concentration, and even go blank. Try looking closely at what the question is directing you to do, and try to understand the sort of writing that will be required.
• Focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.
• Look at the active verbs in the assignment—they tell you what you should be doing. We’ve included some of these below, with some suggestions on what they might mean. (For help with this sort of detective work, see the Writing Center handout titled Reading Assignments.)

Information words, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject. Information words may include:

• define—give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning.
• explain why/how—give reasons why or examples of how something happened.
• illustrate—give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject.
• summarize—briefly cover the important ideas you learned about the subject.
• trace—outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form.
• research—gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you’ve found.

Relation words ask you to demonstrate how things are connected. Relation words may include:

• compare—show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different).
• contrast—show how two or more things are dissimilar.
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation.
• cause—show how one event or series of events made something else happen.
• relate—show or describe the connections between things.

Interpretation words ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Don’t see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation. Interpretation words may include:

• prove, justify—give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth.
• evaluate, respond, assess—state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons (you may want to compare your subject to something else).
• support—give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe).
• synthesize—put two or more things together that haven’t been put together before; don’t just summarize one and then the other, and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together (as opposed to compare and contrast—see above).
• analyze—look closely at the components of something to figure out how it works, what it might mean, or why it is important.
• argue—take a side and defend it (with proof) against the other side.

Plan your answers

Think about your time again. How much planning time you should take depends on how much time you have for each question and how many points each question is worth. Here are some general guidelines: 

• For short-answer definitions and identifications, just take a few seconds. Skip over any you don’t recognize fairly quickly, and come back to them when another question jogs your memory.
• For answers that require a paragraph or two, jot down several important ideas or specific examples that help to focus your thoughts.
• For longer answers, you will need to develop a much more definite strategy of organization. You only have time for one draft, so allow a reasonable amount of time—as much as a quarter of the time you’ve allotted for the question—for making notes, determining a thesis, and developing an outline.
• For questions with several parts (different requests or directions, a sequence of questions), make a list of the parts so that you do not miss or minimize one part. One way to be sure you answer them all is to number them in the question and in your outline.
• You may have to try two or three outlines or clusters before you hit on a workable plan. But be realistic—you want a plan you can develop within the limited time allotted for your answer. Your outline will have to be selective—not everything you know, but what you know that you can state clearly and keep to the point in the time available.

Again, focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.

Writing your answers

As with planning, your strategy for writing depends on the length of your answer:

• For short identifications and definitions, it is usually best to start with a general identifying statement and then move on to describe specific applications or explanations. Two sentences will almost always suffice, but make sure they are complete sentences. Find out whether the instructor wants definition alone, or definition and significance. Why is the identification term or object important?
• For longer answers, begin by stating your forecasting statement or thesis clearly and explicitly. Strive for focus, simplicity, and clarity. In stating your point and developing your answers, you may want to use important course vocabulary words from the question. For example, if the question is, “How does wisteria function as a representation of memory in Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom?” you may want to use the words wisteria, representation, memory, and Faulkner) in your thesis statement and answer. Use these important words or concepts throughout the answer.
• If you have devised a promising outline for your answer, then you will be able to forecast your overall plan and its subpoints in your opening sentence. Forecasting impresses readers and has the very practical advantage of making your answer easier to read. Also, if you don’t finish writing, it tells your reader what you would have said if you had finished (and may get you partial points).
• You might want to use briefer paragraphs than you ordinarily do and signal clear relations between paragraphs with transition phrases or sentences.
• As you move ahead with the writing, you may think of new subpoints or ideas to include in the essay. Stop briefly to make a note of these on your original outline. If they are most appropriately inserted in a section you’ve already written, write them neatly in the margin, at the top of the page, or on the last page, with arrows or marks to alert the reader to where they fit in your answer. Be as neat and clear as possible.
• Don’t pad your answer with irrelevancies and repetitions just to fill up space. Within the time available, write a comprehensive, specific answer.
• Watch the clock carefully to ensure that you do not spend too much time on one answer. You must be realistic about the time constraints of an essay exam. If you write one dazzling answer on an exam with three equally-weighted required questions, you earn only 33 points—not enough to pass at most colleges. This may seem unfair, but keep in mind that instructors plan exams to be reasonably comprehensive. They want you to write about the course materials in two or three or more ways, not just one way. Hint: if you finish a half-hour essay in 10 minutes, you may need to develop some of your ideas more fully.
• If you run out of time when you are writing an answer, jot down the remaining main ideas from your outline, just to show that you know the material and with more time could have continued your exposition.
• Double-space to leave room for additions, and strike through errors or changes with one straight line (avoid erasing or scribbling over). Keep things as clean as possible. You never know what will earn you partial credit.
• Write legibly and proofread. Remember that your instructor will likely be reading a large pile of exams. The more difficult they are to read, the more exasperated the instructor might become. Your instructor also cannot give you credit for what they cannot understand. A few minutes of careful proofreading can improve your grade.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind in writing essay exams is that you have a limited amount of time and space in which to get across the knowledge you have acquired and your ability to use it. Essay exams are not the place to be subtle or vague. It’s okay to have an obvious structure, even the five-paragraph essay format you may have been taught in high school. Introduce your main idea, have several paragraphs of support—each with a single point defended by specific examples, and conclude with a restatement of your main point and its significance.

Some physiological tips

Just think—we expect athletes to practice constantly and use everything in their abilities and situations in order to achieve success. Yet, somehow many students are convinced that one day’s worth of studying, no sleep, and some well-placed compliments (“Gee, Dr. So-and-so, I really enjoyed your last lecture”) are good preparation for a test. Essay exams are like any other testing situation in life: you’ll do best if you are prepared for what is expected of you, have practiced doing it before, and have arrived in the best shape to do it. You may not want to believe this, but it’s true: a good night’s sleep and a relaxed mind and body can do as much or more for you as any last-minute cram session. Colleges abound with tales of woe about students who slept through exams because they stayed up all night, wrote an essay on the wrong topic, forgot everything they studied, or freaked out in the exam and hyperventilated. If you are rested, breathing normally, and have brought along some healthy, energy-boosting snacks that you can eat or drink quietly, you are in a much better position to do a good job on the test. You aren’t going to write a good essay on something you figured out at 4 a.m. that morning. If you prepare yourself well throughout the semester, you don’t risk your whole grade on an overloaded, undernourished brain.

If for some reason you get yourself into this situation, take a minute every once in a while during the test to breathe deeply, stretch, and clear your brain. You need to be especially aware of the likelihood of errors, so check your essays thoroughly before you hand them in to make sure they answer the right questions and don’t have big oversights or mistakes (like saying “Hitler” when you really mean “Churchill”).

If you tend to go blank during exams, try studying in the same classroom in which the test will be given. Some research suggests that people attach ideas to their surroundings, so it might jog your memory to see the same things you were looking at while you studied.

Try good luck charms. Bring in something you associate with success or the support of your loved ones, and use it as a psychological boost.

Take all of the time you’ve been allotted. Reread, rework, and rethink your answers if you have extra time at the end, rather than giving up and handing the exam in the minute you’ve written your last sentence. Use every advantage you are given.

Remember that instructors do not want to see you trip up—they want to see you do well. With this in mind, try to relax and just do the best you can. The more you panic, the more mistakes you are liable to make. Put the test in perspective: will you die from a poor performance? Will you lose all of your friends? Will your entire future be destroyed? Remember: it’s just a test.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Axelrod, Rise B., and Charles R. Cooper. 2016. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing , 11th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Fowler, Ramsay H., and Jane E. Aaron. 2016. The Little, Brown Handbook , 13th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Gefvert, Constance J. 1988. The Confident Writer: A Norton Handbook , 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Kirszner, Laurie G. 1988. Writing: A College Rhetoric , 2nd ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Woodman, Leonara, and Thomas P. Adler. 1988. The Writer’s Choices , 2nd ed. Northbrook, Illinois: Scott Foresman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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AP English Language and Composition

Review the free-response questions from the 2024 ap exam, new for 2024-25: mcqs will have four answer choices.

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, AP English Language and Composition multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will have four answer choices instead of five. This change will take effect with the 2025 exam. All resources have been updated to reflect this change.

Exam Overview

Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the  AP English Language and Composition Course and Exam Description (.pdf)  (CED).

Encourage your students to visit the  AP English Language and Composition student page  for exam information.

Wed, May 14, 2025

AP English Language and Composition Exam

Exam format.

The AP English Language and Composition Exam has question types and point values that stay consistent from year to year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day.

Section I: Multiple Choice

45 Questions | 1 hour | 45% of Exam Score

• 23–25 Reading questions that ask students to read and analyze nonfiction texts.
• 20–22 Writing questions that ask students to “read like a writer” and consider revisions to stimulus texts.

Section II: Free Response

3 Questions | 2 hours 15 minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period | 55% of Exam Score

• Synthesis Question:  After reading 6 texts about a topic (including visual and quantitative sources), students will compose an argument that combines and cites at least 3 of the sources to support their thesis.
• Rhetorical Analysis:  Students will read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text.
• Argument:  Students will create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.

Exam Questions and Scoring Information

Ap english language and composition exam questions and scoring information.

View free-response questions and scoring information from past exams.

Score Reporting

Ap score reports for educators.

Access your score reports.

IELTS Cambridge Book 18 Writing Practice Test 03

IELTS Writing Practice Tests From Cambridge IELTS Books 1-18

IELTS Academic Writing Practice Test 3, Task 1

Ielts academic writing task 1 :.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The diagram below shows the floor plan of a public library 20 years ago and how it looks now.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Central Library 20 years ago

Thank you for submitting your IELTS Writing Task 1/2. We will get back to you within 24 hours. Please keep checking your email for updates.

This model answer has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer.

The diagrams show Central Library before and after changes were made to its layout. Clearly, the library has been updated to include dedicated spaces for events and now has an open space in the centre.

Twenty years ago, to the left of the entrance there was a reading room with newspapers and magazines and to the right there was an enquiry desk. Now there’s a computer room on the left and a café where the information desk once was. Adult fiction has moved to the right-hand side of the room and all reference books are now on the left. There is a smaller information desk with self-service machines in what once was the adult non-fiction section.

There was a room at the back left-hand corner that had computer games, CDs and videos that has since been enlarged and houses children’s fiction. It has a space with two sofas where storytelling events are held. There is a lecture room in the back right-hand corner where children’s books used to be.

Here are comments from another examiner:

This response covers the main changes that have occurred over the 20-year period. An overview is presented in the second paragraph which is quite general: it refers to the [dedicated spaces for events] but this could be improved by giving a summary of the key changes (dedicated spaces for events, self-service facilities and a café).

Ideas are arranged logically: the changes to the front of the library are presented in the third paragraph and the changes to the back section in the final paragraph. This shows a logical approach to reporting the changes and there is some good cohesion [once was | now on the left | has since been].

There is a good range of vocabulary. In this kind of task, vocabulary from the floor plan needs to be used to report the changes, but the use of different words shows some flexibility and precision [been updated | dedicated spaces | houses].

In terms of grammar, there are error-free sentences and some variation in structures used when describing changes [has been updated I what once was | has since been enlarged].

The response could be improved by extending the overview to include more of a summary of the main changes but overall, this response captures the main changes in a logical way.

IELTS Academic Writing Practice Test 3, Task 2

Ielts academic writing task 2 :.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In many countries around the world, rural people are moving to cities, so the population in the countryside is decreasing.

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

This model has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer.

Statistics show that the world’s population is increasing rapidly. It is expected that most of us will be living in cities within the next few decades. The question of whether urbanization is a positive or negative development remains controversial.

A rapid influx of people moving from rural to urban areas is bound to cause problems. Firstly, pressure on resources such as housing and transportation intensifies. It is becoming difficult for many people to afford adequate housing in cities. A by-product of this is the creation of slums causing low-income families to group together in neglected parts of the city. These people often become trapped in a cycle of poverty that is difficult to escape.

As mentioned above, the growth of urban areas can also lead to severe traffic congestion because more and more vehicles travel into the city from the suburbs. This has many knock-on effects, such as problems with air quality. It also leads many city dwellers to experience mental health issues because traveling across large cities is tiring and stressful.

All of this being said, I don’t believe that urbanization is a wholly negative development. There are advantages to living in large cities that are well-managed. For example, there are more schools which means more education opportunities. Access to higher-quality health care is often better in cities. Some cities have also introduced ride-sharing, e-bikes, and park and ride services that reduce environmental problems.

My opinion is that many of the problems associated with urbanization are avoidable but dealing with increasing populations in cities is a formidable challenge. How governments, businesses, and society respond to this challenge will dramatically affect the future of our world

This response addresses both sides of the question and presents a position, that the movement to cities is not a [wholly negative development]. The second and third paragraphs lay out the problems that can be caused by a [rapid influx] of people to urban areas [housing | transportation | traffic congestion] and the fourth paragraph presents some of the advantages [education opportunities higher-quality health care | environmental transport initiatives].

However, the part of the question about the population in the countryside … decreasing’ is not covered. The candidate would need to include it to provide a full answer to this question.

Information and ideas are logically organised and there is a clear progression, starting with the challenges and ending with a range of advantages.

Vocabulary is used with a natural and sophisticated control [bound to | trapped in a cycle of poverty | severe traffic congestion knock-on effects], although rare errors remain [education opportunities / educational opportunities]. Grammar is flexible and accurate, with a wide range of structures included. There are some shorter sentences which could be extended and more multi-clause examples could be included to add complexity.

To improve this response, consideration should be given to the impact of the shrinking population in the countryside.

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Request Undergraduate Information   First-Year Application

Why CU Boulder

Admission Process

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First-Year - Plan

We enroll an incoming class of highly qualified, intellectually curious and actively involved students who have demonstrated high levels of maturity and personal integrity as well as a commitment to serving their communities.

To achieve this, we practice a holistic admission review process, which takes into account a variety of primary academic factors and secondary factors as they relate to your ability to be successful in our competitive academic environment. While admission is competitive, you will be considered on an individual basis relative to a prediction of your academic success in the college to which you apply.

Academic Rigor

The primary factor in admission decisions is your academic achievement. CU Boulder focuses on your classroom performance in core academic courses, the rigor of your course selection and your GPA. SAT and ACT will not be required when applying to CU Boulder. CU Boulder has, and will continue to, review via a holistic assessment of each application with all of the information that is available.

International Students

International students with four or less semesters of U.S. schooling should refer to their country's specific requirements.

Review Requirements by Country

The grades you have earned while in high school or secondary school play the most important role in determining your competitiveness for admission to the University of Colorado Boulder.

Since there are many different grading scales and weighting methods, we use the total weighted GPA provided by your graduating high school, using a standard 4.00 scale. GPAs that are not on a 4.00 scale are converted accordingly.

If your high school does not provide a weighted GPA but provides a total unweighted GPA, we will use your total unweighted GPA on a standard 4.00 scale. If your high school does not provide a GPA or the GPA provided does not include all completed high school courses, we will recalculate the GPA according to the grading scale in use at your high school at the time the course was completed. When recalculating a GPA, we will not add weight for honors, AP and/or IB curricula because there is not a standard format for the designation or grading scale for these courses. However, we do consider the number of honors, AP and/or IB courses a student takes when determining the rigor of their overall curriculum.

Class Selection

Academic rigor in your course selection is also a primary factor that we consider. To be competitive, challenge yourself by pursuing the most rigorous courses available that are appropriate to your level of ability.

The number of courses taken beyond the minimum recommendation of 17—as well as those designated as advanced, honors, gifted, concurrent enrollment, dual-enrollment, AP or IB —will be considered in the admission process.

First-year students applying to undergraduate programs are strongly encouraged to meet the following Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR) . Students may be admitted to CU Boulder even though they have not completed all of the HEAR courses. There are no consequences if HEAR is not met. However, not completing HEAR might result in taking additional courses to meet the CU Boulder graduation requirements of individual majors. International students with four or less semesters of U.S. schooling should refer to their country's specific requirements .

Please note: a challenging schedule will not outweigh a non-competitive GPA, as your grades ultimately remain the single most important factor in your admission decision. Additionally, any grades of D or F on your transcript—especially in your junior or senior year—would be cause for concern and should be addressed in your application.

Standardized Tests

ACT or SAT scores are not required for first-year students, but you may provide self-reported scores if you would like us to take your scores into consideration when reviewing your application. You will indicate on the Common App whether you plan to submit standardized test scores. If you choose to submit scores, please ensure that we have received them by the relevant application deadline so that your application will not be considered late.

First-Year Applicant FAQs

English Proficiency Requirements for International Students

In addition to our general admission requirements, all international applicants are also required to meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. International students who do not meet this requirement may still be eligible for conditional admission.

Review English Proficiency Requirements

Beyond Academics

While academics and test scores play a large role in your admission decision, we want students who are actively involved in their schools and communities. We place importance on secondary factors beyond academic achievement to assess the overall qualities of an applicant. 

What makes you stand out? Be thoughtful and use your required essays and your letter of recommendation to highlight your school and community activities, leadership positions and awards, participation in athletics or music, work experience, summer activities and special circumstances. Please note: we do not accept or use portfolio or audio/video submissions in our admission process.

Personal Essays

Your personal essays give you the opportunity to tell us more about yourself. They provide insight into your challenges and triumphs in a way that transcripts and test scores simply cannot.

When reading your essays, we are looking for sincerity and authenticity. It’s easy to tell when a student’s essay is something they care deeply about, compared to a student who writes what they think we want to hear. A funny or interesting story doesn’t hurt, either!

There is one essay and one short answer required for first year applicants. As you write your essay and short answer, consider reflecting on challenges that you've overcome, your family or cultural heritage, your academic or co-curricular achievements or specific moments that have defined your character. There are no 'correct' answers to these questions; your responses should reflect the unique aspects and experiences of your life.

What we are looking for:

• Be yourself. Open up to us and write about something that is meaningful to you.
• Be specific. Give examples and tell stories to make your points.
• Be honest. We are interested in your journey—even if it hasn’t always been perfect.
• Be clear. Effective writing and communication skills are expected.

Letter of Recommendation

Just like your essays give you the chance to tell us more about you, a letter of recommendation gives someone else the opportunity to speak to your academic strengths and co-curricular involvement.

This is the one chance in your application where we get to learn about you from someone other than you, so choose someone who knows you well. Many students ask a teacher or school counselor to write their letter of recommendation.

Suggested topics:

• Student’s academic ability and college readiness
• Student’s overall performance in class and attitude
• Why the student would be a good fit for CU Boulder

Admitted Student Averages

Credentials based on the middle 50% of 2024 admitted first-year students. High School GPAs are weighted and may represent self-reported GPAs. SAT/ACT scores reflect the middle 50% score range for students who requested test scores be considered in their application review. For the 2024 first-year application, SAT/ACT scores are not required and we take a holistic approach when reviewing your application.  

Weighted High School GPA: 3.74 - 4.23

SAT Total: 1290 - 1460 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 29 - 34

College of Arts & Sciences

Weighted High School GPA: 3.70 - 4.20

SAT Total: 1270 - 1440 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 29 - 33

College of Engineering & Applied Science

Weighted High School GPA: 3.97 - 4.42

SAT Total: 1360 - 1500 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 31 - 34

College of Media, Communication & Information

Weighted High School GPA: 3.54 - 4.06

SAT Total: 1220 - 1380 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 28 - 32

College of Music

Weighted High School GPA: 3.71 - 4.20

SAT Total: 1290 - 1470 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 30 - 33

Leeds School of Business

Weighted High School GPA: 4.0 - 4.36

SAT Total: 1360 - 1450 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 30 - 34

Program in Environmental Design

Weighted High School GPA: 3.62 - 4.17

SAT Total: 1270 - 1410 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 29 - 32

School of Education

Weighted High School GPA: 3.40 - 3.99

SAT Total: 1160 - 1330 Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

ACT Composite: 26 - 31

Credit for Course work or Exams

Students applying to CU Boulder have the opportunity to earn college credit before enrollment. CU Boulder accepts credit from AP/IB exams, A-Level exams, college course work taken concurrently while in high school and limited CLEP credit. Earning college credit while in high school is a great way to help offset some of your estimated cost of attendance. Students are highly encouraged to explore credit for course work options while in high school. For more information on how credit is transferred to CU Boulder and what credit can be accepted please see the links below.

Official Advanced Placement (AP) scores must be sent to the admissions office directly from the College Board. CU Boulder's CEEB/ETS code is 004841.

Review the Advanced Placement Chart

For A-level examinations from an international examining board to be considered for transfer credit, the student must submit an official copy of the examination result, either by submitting the original certificate upon arrival on campus (University of Colorado Boulder will make and keep a copy as official, returning the original to the student), or through verification of results between the Office of Admissions and the examinations board. Methods of approved verification are below.

• AQA : Student must request verification by emailing [email protected] (add 'Verification' in the subject box) and have it sent to [email protected] . 
• CIE:   The University of Colorado Boulder can use CIE Direct after requesting the following information from the student: Cambridge Center and candidate numbers, student’s date of birth and the relevant examination series (month and year, e.g. June 2014). 
• OCR : Student must request that OCR send a fax confirming student’s results to the University of Colorado Boulder. Fax number: +1-303-735-2501, ATTN: International Admissions.
• Pearson/Edexcel : Student must apply for a copy of the certificate  to be sent directly to the University of Colorado Boulder.
• WJEC/CBAC : Student must submit original Certificate or Certifying Statement of Results only (confirmation of grades via email/telephone/fax not available). 

If you took college-level courses while enrolled in high school, you may be able to transfer the credit to CU Boulder. Only courses taken at a college or university of recognized standing with grades of C- or better are accepted for transfer. All college-level work will be evaluated in accordance with CU Boulder transfer credit guidelines. You must have an official college transcript sent directly to the Office of Admissions in order for transfer credit to be evaluated.

Review the Transfer Credit Policy

The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programs provide pre-university study. IB examinations, whether leading to a full IB diploma or to an IB certificate, often qualify students for advanced standing at CU Boulder. In general, credit is granted for approved IB examinations at the higher level with a score of 4 or better. Students admitted to the University of Colorado Boulder who have graduated from high school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma shall be granted 24 semester hours of college credit. This credit will be applied toward degree requirements only if approved by the college or school. Depending on the student’s degree program, some of the 24 credits may not be applicable towards degree requirements. No CU Boulder tuition will be charged for these credits and the 24 credits will only be granted if the student receives a score of 4 or better on an examination administered as part of the IB Diploma program. If the student scores less than 4 on each IB subject test, the credit hours granted will be reduced accordingly. Official scores must be sent to the Admissions Office directly from the IB organization.

Review the International Baccalaureate Chart

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Undergraduate Admission Information For:

First-Year Applicants

First-year applicants are in high school, or have graduated from high school but have not taken any college courses after graduating or earning a GED.

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants have attended another college or university since earning their high school diploma or GED. Transfer applicants are looking to complete a bachelor’s degree at CU Boulder.

International Applicants

Undergraduate international applicants are students who need a visa to be in the U.S. Apply as a domestic student if you have a U.S. passport or green card.

Readmit Applicants

Veteran Applicants

Undocumented Applicants

CU Boulder counselors are here to help you through the application and answer any questions that may arise during the admission process.

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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. You may  view the list of ADA and Title IX coordinators  and  review the Regent policy .

As a student or prospective student at CU Boulder, you have a right to certain information pertaining to financial aid programs, the Clery Act, crime and safety, graduation rates, athletics and other general information such as the costs associated with attending CU Boulder. To view this information visit  colorado.edu/your-right-know .

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