Online Essay
by Test Innovators
The Online Essay is a proctored writing sample administered to students applying to independent schools as part of the admissions process. It is administered virtually with students receiving instructions from a live proctor via Zoom who also monitors them for the duration of the online essay session. During the online essay session, students are presented with a single essay prompt and have 30 minutes to type their response. Middle school applicants will have an additional 15 minute analytical thinking exercise as part of their online essay session. Their submission is then sent to requested schools to be included in their admissions application.
How to Register
1. Access the Registration Portal
2. Set Your Time Zone
3. Choose a Session
4. Submit Your Registration
Do you require further assistance with registering? Check out our FAQ’s or contact us at 1-800-280-1857 or email us at support@testinnovators.com.
What to Expect on Essay Day
Online Essay Webinar
Watch a recording of our Online Essay webinar to learn all about the Online Essay, including how to get ready and what to expect on the day of your essay.
Online Essay Demo
See the online essay platform in action!
Sample Prompts
Students will be asked to write an essay in response to the given prompt. Below are some examples of the types of prompts that will be used.
Essay Topic
If you could take a class on any topic, what would you choose to learn about and why?
Essay Topic
Describe someone who has inspired you.
Essay Strategies
The way in which each admissions department uses the online essay varies from school to school, but the following are the main essay elements that will be evaluated:
- Topic Choice
- Organization
- Use of examples and details
- Writing mechanic (spelling, punctuation, grammar)
Below you’ll find our strategies for ensuring you submit your best essay.
Topic choice
Try to choose a topic that showcases something you care about and are familiar with. Remember to write in a way that shows you in a positive light, and that highlights part of your personality. This is your chance to show the school who you are outside of school!
For example, imagine that you are given this prompt:
If you were granted the power to move anywhere in the world, where would you decide to live and why?
Make sure to pick a topic that is personally important to you! Is there a place you have visited that has meant a lot to you, or a place where people that you care about live? Make sure to choose something you know about, care about, and can tell stories about.
Time management
With limited time to write, managing your time effectively is incredibly important. Start by spending the first 2-5 minutes outlining your work. After you have a plan, go ahead and get writing! This is where you will spend the bulk of your time. Youʼll need to watch the clock, and save yourself 2-5 minutes at the end for review.
Plan: 2–5 minutes
Write: 15–20 minutes
Revise: 2–5 minutes
Examples and details
The magic is in the details! Your writing should include examples and specific details that make your writing come alive. The body of your writing should draw on details and stories from your life so that the reader can get to know you better.
If you are writing about a place youʼd want to move, for example, tell about an important visit you had there. Describe the scenery and the sights and sounds! Use words that appeal to the readerʼs senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.
Essay structure
For the essay, you should have a clear, focused topic that directly answers the given question.
It should be structured much like essays youʼve written in school:
- an introduction
- two or three body paragraphs
- and a conclusion
In the introduction, state your topic and then introduce your 2-3 reasons ‒ these will be the topics of your body paragraphs. In the body paragraphs, include specific examples from your experiences to support each of these reasons. Then, in the conclusion, rephrase your main points and offer something new to the reader, such as describing how this topic will affect your actions in the future.
Revision
Editing and reviewing at the end is a crucial step in creating a polished writing sample.
Try to catch any grammar, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation mistakes, and change “weak” words or phrases to “strong” ones.
I walked to the beach → I strolled leisurely to the beach. -or- I dashed down the path to the beach.
You want your writing to be as smooth and polished as possible.
Pre-Essay Checklist
Please complete this checklist at least 24 hours ahead of your Online Essay session. Students who do not have working technology at the start of their session will be rescheduled to a future date and may be subject to a rescheduling fee.
Confirm Device & Browser Compatibility
Your device must:
- be a laptop or desktop computer. Tablets, iPads, and phones are NOT allowed.
- have a working web camera.
- have a strong, uninterrupted internet connection.
- have a fully charged battery and/or be plugged into an outlet.
Your internet browser must:
- be Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. The Safari browser is NOT allowed due to technical unreliability.
- be updated to its latest version.
Download & Test Zoom: Screen Sharing, Video & Audio
- Download Zoom at zoom.us/download.
- Test Zoom screen sharing.
Note: this is the most common Zoom issue experienced by Online Essay takers.
- In the Zoom app, join a New Meeting
- Select the green “Share Screen” option at the bottom of your screen.
If you receive an error message or a message about permissions, follow Zoom’s troubleshooting steps here, or call our support team if these don’t work.
- Test Zoom video & audio
- Join Zoom’s Meeting Test at this link, and follow the prompts.
- Follow Zoom’s troubleshooting steps if you have any issues.
Test the Online Essay Site
- Test your login credentials
- Navigate to https://testinnovators.com/essays
- Log in using the Appointment ID and Last Name listed in your registration email.
- If you cannot log in now, you will not be able to log in on test day. Please contact our support team now to resolve the issue.
Participating Schools
Interested in using the Online Essay for your School?
Contact us to learn more about how our Online Essay can enhance students' admissions applications.
Contact UsFrequently Asked Questions
The analytical thinking exercise is only for middle school applicants. It will take place after students are done writing their essay in the online essay session. Students will have 15 minutes to respond to an analytical thinking question by typing a response.
Ravenna will show the Online Essay as a to-do item, but Test Innovators does not have access to your Ravenna account. We will send you a confirmation receipt for your registration.
Individual schools to which you are applying will mark this step complete in your application when they receive the essay from us, approximately one week after the writing session is complete.
Yes, before the Online Essay date, you can make changes to your registration. This includes adding or removing schools your student is applying to. You can make this change by clicking on the “Change/Cancel Appointment” button in your confirmation email.
If you need to add schools after your Online Essay date, please contact support at support@testinnovators.com or 1-800-280-1857 9 am – 5 pm ET. Our support team will help get the essay sent to the additional schools.
We will send the essay responses to the schools that you have indicated in your registration within 1 week of the essay session. It may take the schools several business days to update your Ravenna account with confirmation that they have received your essay response.
We send essay responses to schools on the first working day after your Online Essay date. However, it is up to the school to process the essay and update the status in your Ravenna application, which can take some time. We recommend waiting to see this status update, or contacting the school directly.
We do not offer any test prep services for the Online Essay.
You can reschedule or cancel your registration by clicking on the “Change/Cancel Appointment” button in your confirmation email.
No, you may not use an iPad because the default setting for switching between apps will often interfere with the Zoom meeting. You do not want to accidentally close out of the Zoom meeting during the Online Essay, as you are not allowed to leave before the exam time is over.
Yes, the use of scratch paper during the online essay for planning and note taking is allowed. However, make sure to type your essay into our system before your allotted time is over. We do not accept essays written on paper. All essay submissions must be typed into our online essay platform.
