<p>As you guys know, the SAT is in less than a week. I was wondering if someone could give me some tips on how to improve my essay writing. This is the prompt of the 8th exam in the Blue Book.</p>
<p>"There is, of course, no legitimate branch of science that enables us to predict the future accurately. Yet the degree of change in the world is so overwhelming and so promising that the future, I believe, is far brighter than anyone has contemplated since the end of the Second World War."
Adapted from Alan Goodman, A Brief History of the Future</p>
<p>Prompt: Is the world changing for the better?</p>
<p>While ostensibly the world may seem to be changing for the better, in reality our future seems bleak and uncertain. There is much cause to doubt a bright future with the state of the world at the moment. North Korea's growing aggression, the unending turmoil in the Middle East, and the rising costs of higher education all give reason to assume that the world is falling into an abyss of hardship and despair.
North Korea's constant threat adds bleakness to any forecast of our future. Although North Korea had now been throwing unsubstantiated threats for a while, recently it appears as though it actually has a possibility of acting on its claims. North Korea has been doing nuclear weapons testing for years, but recently it appears as though these weapons may actually be viable. In addition, the stress between North and South Korea has been growing. If Kim Jong Un, North Korea's current leader, takes any steps to initiate war, it is possible that a Third World War may break out. Goodman was wrong in his cliam of constant improvement after World War 2. We cannot say that the world is improving until such long-standing conflicts are abated.
Furthermore, the conflict in Syria gives rise to significant doubt of an improving future. The war, an attempt by the SYrian people to overthrow theri dictator, al-Assad, had come mostly to a stalemate. It is an endless stream of displaced peoples and dying civilians. Not only that, it threatens to widen the scope of the conflict by bringing in nations who support opposite ends of the conflict. It is hard to think of a prosperous future when such a war is threatening the secuirty and peace of the world. Until the conflict is resolved, the world's future looks bleak.
Additionally, I have personal reasons for doubting in a bright future. The rising costs of education make me, and numerous others, wonder whether I will be able to pull my self through college. Even then, I will be certain to emerge with huge amounts of debt. My faith in the education system is waning. Our higher education has become more of a business than a means of obtaining a valuable education. How can the United States expect to progress when it is making it harder for youth to obtain needed skills to contribute to our society? Indeed, the future looks uninviting.
Alan Goodman's belief in a "bright future" is unsubstantiated. There is much reason to predict a world of conflict and uncertainty in our future. Among these reasons is the conflict with North Korea, Syria's war, and rising costs of higher education.</p>