<p>Prompt: Should people be judged by their potential rather than by their experience and achievements?
Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning
and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>
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<p>The capacity to have success and success itself are two completely different things. Many people have the capacity to earn all A’s in high school, from diligent studying, always paying attention to details, and consistently completing homework, yet according to the Pew Research Center, less than a quarter of these high schoolers actually do. Should these two populations be judged equally? Afterall, they both had the capacity. Yet, there is a distinct difference between the two, as one group is hard working and the other is not. As such it would be unfair to judge them equally, as those with the stellar report card deserve to be judged as better, and capacity alone is not enough to actually achieve success.</p>
<p>My friend Deidre always had the potential to do well in school. She was inherently smart, and really could get A’s if she so pleased. Yes she never does, as she never studies; Her potential can not make the grade. Another friend of mine is not as smart as Deidre. She always has to spend time studying, and goes after school constantly to ask the teacher for help. Consequently, she receives good grades. She doesn’t have only the raw intellect that Deidre has, but she has the perseverance to do well. That is the key difference between the two. If school was judged on intellect alone, Deidre they would be judged equally. Thankfully, that is not how the system works. Those who always try to do well should be looked upon more favorably than those who do not.</p>
<p>Another example of the reason those with experience and accomplishments should be judged as better than those with just capacity is that capacity is something one is born with, thus requiring no actual effort. Dilligence and motivation are required to actually get things done and succeed at a high level, and these are the things people should be judging. Who cares if Judy was born with an aptitude for math. If she doesn’t try in math class she is not going to do well. This is especially true for college level math, where brains are not the only thing needed to succeed.</p>
<p>Another point I must make is the tricky question of defining potential. It is not concrete. By seeing said other DO something great or at least something good? Without applying some effort it would be hard to do this. Thus so the process of picking those out who have potential, but not success becomes extremely subjective.
It is easy to see those with success however, as to have success requires both the capacity to do something as well as the dilligence to actually do it. As such people should not be judged solely on their capacity to do something, but instead by their concrete experience and achievements.</p>
<p>Having success and having the capacity to have success are two completely different things. One must not be defined by only one’s capacity, as capacity alone is not enough to actually achieve success.</p>