This late in the game you can’t relearn everything. But you can fix the highest-leverage things.
If you’re scoring a 2: Your thesis is probably just a topic sentence. Rewrite it as a claim about HOW and WHY, not just WHAT.
If you’re scoring a 3: Your analysis probably stops one sentence too early. After you explain a technique, ask “and this matters because…” and write that sentence.
If you’re scoring a 4: You’re probably missing the complexity point. Add one sentence somewhere that acknowledges a counterargument, extends your argument to a broader context, or connects to another text.
Each of these fixes takes 5 minutes to learn and is worth a full point on the rubric.
What score are you currently hitting on practice essays? Drop it below and I’ll tell you exactly what to focus on this week.