Essay

The Essay for Academic Decathlon is very similar to the essay on the SAT. It is timed, and then graded based on different criterion. The Essay topics are now based on the curriculum studied, so it is really important to know your stuff.

Nuts and Bolts
The essay will be timed.

So prepare for the stress.

There really is no way to prepare for it, apart from knowing the material and practicing.

Try to write as much as you can, so the graders have more to work with.