<p>Hello! If someone would like to grade and/or give feedback on this practice essay I wrote, I would greatly appreciate it!</p>
<p>Prompt is "Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?"</p>
<p>Essay:</p>
<p>Knowledge is crucial to the success of society. Only through the development of new ideas and technologies is a society able to advance and prosper. Several examples from history, literature, and my personal experience demonstrate the value of knowledge.</p>
<p>The early 1800s saw a rapid influx of new knowledge that dramatically improved the live of people. Inventions like the steel plow and the mechanical reaper bolstered crop production, thereby ameliorating the hardships many farmers faces prior to the products' invention. In addition, new methods of transportation such as the steamboat and the improvement of roads and railroads contributed to the advancement of society by speeding up the delivery of goods and services. Through the new surfeit of knowledge, the world was able to function as it never had before.</p>
<p>As in history, examples from literature also elucidate the benefits of knowledge. In Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," Scout Finch gains knowledge that makes her grow as a person, as well as assists her in understanding the world. By learning to see the world through Boo Radley's eyes, Scout learns the importance of standing in someone else's shoes before judging them. This new knowledge makes her a better person by teaching her to be considerate.</p>
<p>My personal experience with dealing with Type 1 diabetes has also taught me the importance of knowledge. Modern advances in medicine have made treating my disease much easier than in the past. Fifty years ago, my life expectancy would have been less than thirty. However, new technologies in medicine let me live a life just like that of everyone else. In my case, new knowledge is not only advantageous, but critical to my happiness and health.</p>
<p>Through a meticulous analysis of the preceding examples, it is clear to see that knowledge is a vital aspect of life. By continuing to cultivate new ideas, the world as a whole is able to survive and prosper.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>You write well.</p>
<p>Although consistent with the thesis (you took the position that knowledge is “always” a benefit), your essay comes across as simplistic. It lacks depth, and this will limit the grade. My guess is that you’ll end up with an 8.</p>
<p>So how can you improve? Sometimes the easy path is not the best path for a good grade. Although the prompt allows you to take the opposite perspective, that “knowledge” is “good”, doing that forced you into a trivial essay. There is generally no complexity or nuance with this most conventional point of view. You don’t have the opportunity to show nuances and contrasts and the like. And hence your opportunity to show off your writing skills is limited.</p>
<p>My advise, should you be faced with a similar choice on the SAT, think twice when you choose the point of view. Surely you need to have good examples, and if you have these only for one point of view then the choice is clear. But if you have them for both points of view, choose the side that’s more nuanced if your goal is a top grade.</p>
<p>I enjoyed this essay.</p>
<p>i agree with the people above, very enjoyable essay; short and sweet. nonetheless, simplicity will not earn you that 11 or 12! great vocab, perhaps more depth, great writing style though, you have the ability to write extremely succinctly!</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I was pretty pressed for time, so I wasn’t able to expand my thoughts quite as well as I would have liked to. Are there any suggestions for writing faster? I felt like I was writing the whole time. If I don’t have a lot of time, are 2 well-developed examples better than 3 so-so ones?</p>
<p>remember: always end off with a BAM sort of conclusion: use the biggest word you know, and insert that into the conclusion to really shock the SAT grader! it works!</p>
<p>I’m no essay grader, and while I think I’m a pretty good writer, I’m awful at SAT essays. However, from essays I’ve read, I’d give this a 9 or a 10, which to be honest is quite good… well good enough at least. If you can get a 9 or a 10 and a perfect or near perfect MC score, you’ll get 780-800. In other words,I wouldn’t worry too much about the essay. Just get a perfect MC score!</p>
<p>Reasons for score:</p>
<p>Clear structure, smooth transitions, advanced vocabulary, varied sentence structure… ya I know, sounds like BS, but that’s really what they look for.</p>
<p>I know it sounds like I’m trolling, but seriously, getting a perfect MC score on the writing is not hard. I mean for god’s sake, you speak the language and even if your grammar isn’t that great, well, you can learn the rules in a day.</p>
<p>If it’s two pages, you have at least a 10.</p>