[BohDaThone]

One reason for a timed essay on the SAT is that they know reasonably well that YOU DID IT YOURSELF -- no help from parents, "admission counselors," paid prep aides, etc. Second, in real life, as well as on College exams, you frequently have to think, write and produce a piece of writing on deadline. It's not the only thing, but most folks who can't produce a reasonable piece of writing in 30 minutes aren't going to give you Paradise Lost if you give them all year!

[G8 Diplomat]

...most folks who can't produce a reasonable piece of writing in 30 minutes aren't going to give you Paradise Lost if you give them all year!

The topics they give on the SAT are not simple things. They require time to think of a side to take and organize your ideas to support or refute it and make sure they are solid, and to do a decent job it does take more than 25 minutes. I know--I've TAKEN the new SAT. 25 minutes was a bit of a rush.