<p>Hi guys, first post on CC here. Ill be taking the november sat (first attempt) and its imperative that i get above 2300 (international student+ financial aid :P). The average of my last 7ish tests are as follows:
Math: 790/800 (cant average to 800 since ive got like 3 780s)
CR: 720-740 (760 on a good day)
Writing: 47ish raw score. Now i cant see myself doing too much better in CR, so i need ATLEAST a 780 in writing. This means an essay score of 11/12. Ive just started to write essays, and don't have much time so i'd love any feedback. One might notice that the only examples ive used are from science and some research showed that literature is apparently more favoured in terms of scoring. Problem is, i have nada knowledge of literature/history (maybe i could talk about Gandhi or Vietnam, but the scope for inaccuracy is pretty high). Hope i can make up for the "low quality" examples. (Personal favorites are tesla, newton, einstein and schrodinger). Also, would it be too far-fetched and technical if i started talking about advancements in computer hardware? I hesitate because its a fairly technical field, and most people aren't aware of advancements and the like in this field and so im refraining form using it for examples (although i have exceptional knowledge of it). Regardless, let me dive straight into the essays:</p>
<p>Prompt 1: Are good choices and bad choices equally likely to have negative results?</p>
<p>Essay 1:</p>
<p>I concur with the aphorism that good choices and bad choices may equally yield results that have negative consequences. History of science shows that some people have been brought to ruin when they attempted to accomplish too lofty a goal and about an equal number have been brought down by mistakes. Einstein's work and my personal experience with studies are prime examples.
Renowned physict, Albert Einstein, was frustrated in his middle life by a choice he made- a choice he later though of as a bad one. While working on his theories of relativity, he announced the existence of a single constant that would be key to fixing the problems in his theories- the cosmological constant. IN fact, he went so far as to call it his greatest blunder of his life. Towards the end of his life, Einstein started to to work on a theory that would unite the laws of physics into one cohesive whole- his grand unification theory. While he was criticized by many for try9ing to accomplish suck a lofty goal, he though of it as a noble and worthwhile endeavor. However, his work was plagued by frustration, which was comparable to teh frustration he felt when he tried to identify the cosmological constant. Thus , it is apparent that both good and bad choices en Einstein's life led to similar negative effects - frustration. ( I realize now, that my language is a bit clunky and convoluted and i may have been able to better organize this paragraph)
Furthermore, the effects of good or bad choices can be made apparent even in our daily lives. When i was a sophomore, i was flippant about my math test and didn't bother to study for it - in retrospect, a very bad decision, whose consequences were a mortifying grade. Learning from this experience, i worked like a man possessed for the next test- however this caused me to be negligent to other subjects, causing a similar consequence of a bad GPA. Thus a choice that seemed inappropriate at the time and a choice what ii felt proud of (studying assiduously for the second test) had similar negative consequences.
From a careful, crtical assessment of EInstin's frustration with his work and my studying habits, it is indeed evident that good and bad choices and yield similar negative results. Infact, no choice, good ro bad , can imply only positive consequences.
I scored this as a 9 form my side, let me know if its accurate and how i could improve it.</p>
<p>Prompt 2: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in authority?</p>
<p>Essay 2:</p>
<p>Can questioning authority be beneficial and even necessary? I firmly concur with the aphorism that is is indeed necessary to question the norm and authority. Science has many success stories of people who questioned authority and made groundbreaking discoveries that have forever changed how we see our world and how these discoveries have made possible things that, earlier, we could barely conceive. From newton's questions of the geocentric view to Einstein's question of Newton's rigid space postulate, science clearly illustrated the importance of questioning authority.
Widely acclaimed physicist and mathematician , Sir Isaac Newton was educated first in King's School then Trinity College, Cambridge. In the latter institute, besides studying the curriculum he was being taught, Newton kept notes on the works of the great scientists of his day. This caused him to remain aware of the scientific revolution that that was in full swing in Europe. At Cambridge, he was taught the geocentric view of the solar system: that the sun orbits the Earth. However, Newton noted inconsistencies which he was able to identify with the help of the aforementioned alternate set of notes which he maintained and through their help, propounded the theory of Gravitation - a theory suggesting that the sun was the center of the solar system (the heliocentric view). Needless to say, the theory wasn't well received my many, especially the religious (who , at the time, were the authority), however, it explained motion so fully that it forever changed out understanding of our solar system (now allowing us to send satellites into space). It its thus apparent that if Newton had not questioned the geocentric view established by the powerful Aristotle, he wouldn't have been able to conceive gravitation as we know it today.
Along similar lines, physicist Einstein questioned the postulate proposed by Newton - that space is a rigid entity (i.e it remains constant) whilst the speed of light is relative. However, Einstein questioned both these well propounded theories in is 1905 paper on relativity and established that space is forever expanding or contracting and that the speed of light is constant. This was perhaps the most groundbreaking discovery of the 10th century which rocked the foundations of physics and gave us one of the most famous equations "e = mc^2". Thus, had Einstein not questioned newton's authority of space we wouldn't have had sucha profound understanding of physics and the universe.
From a critical analysis of Einstein and Newton, it is apparent that questioning authority is indeed essential to breakthroughs and can be rewarding. (At this point i ran out of space)</p>
<p>Prompt 3: In today's world is creativity a boon or burden? (along these lines, i dont remember the exact prompt)</p>
<p>Essay 3:
I concur with the aphorism that in today's world the need of creativity is paramount. History gives us examples of people whose minds were ahead of their time, these same minds gave ideas that are helping us solve today's crises . A quintessential example is that of futurist and inventor, Nikola Tesla.
Tesla , nicknamed "The Wizard of Menlo" was a Serbian- American electrical engineer, who accumulated a gargantuan pile of patents - Tesla's mind was well ahead of his time, and what he couldn't make, he gave a concept for. Some of his most important contributions were A/C Current and the A/C motor. Both of these were conceived by Tesla when his mind though of a way to transport electricity over long distances. Infact, without A/C current, we would be unable to safely transport electricity over long distances- it is only because of Tesla's daring and creative mind that he was able to make such a groundbreaking discovery and forever change our lives.
However, unknown to most, Tesla also conceived the theoretical ground for many other things that we use in our daily lives - wireless tr</p>