<p>Hi there! I was wondering if anyone could let me know how my essays (below) would do on the SAT. I've taken a composition class this year, and our mid-terms/finals are given much like the SAT essay. We're given 30 minutes (I realize it's a longer time-frame) to write them, and typically don't have time to go back and edit out any errors. We're given a quote and then a prompt, as on the SAT, too. You'll notice that many of my examples are Christian themed. My class is given through a Christian school and it's common-knowledge you'll have a boosted grade with such examples. I wouldn't use them on the SAT essay.</p>
<p>Please ignore any of my (dreadful!!!) grammar/spelling/punctuation errors. I didn't have time to check it then, and I certainly am not going to edit this to post it on here. ;)</p>
<p>ESSAY 1 -</p>
<pre><code> Winston Churchill remains known as one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world, and in particular, the 20th century. Best known as the prime minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War, he steadfastly encouraged his public while he remaining courageous and brave throughout the scariest of times. Throughout his life he used his fabulous vocabulary and wit, and produced many fabulous quotable lines. Some of these quotes held humor, often they encouraged, and often they spoke truths. One such Churchill quote says that The price of greatness is responsibility. This begs to ask the question: do we expect too much from our leaders and other public figures? And what sort of responsibility do they have to us as their followers?
Lately, many newspaper articles have discussed at a great length a man named Ted Haggard. Haggard started the New Life Church in Colorado years ago in his homes basement, and has remained the pastor as it has grown to become a mega-church housing thousands. This man, once a great leader well renowned by the evangelical community, has fallen to disgrace after a scandal involving methamphetamine and a homosexual prostitute. Not only does this unfortunate situation sit terribly with me on a moral standpointit saddens me anytime someone sins against the Lordbut it finds itself terribly disturbing simply because of this mans position. As a pastor, he had apparently devoted his life to serving the Lord and preaching His ways. By going against what Scripture so blatantly teaches, he has shown irresponsibility to not only his congregation, but to God. He has let down thousands of people who once trusted him as a godly man, a man they could put on a pedestal, without ever letting them down.
I think back upon American presidents who hold much responsibility for the people of the country. These men are voted on to not just lead the country, but to show the model prototype of the fine American citizen to those in foreign lands. Back in 1992, Bill Clinton got voted into office by the American people. Though people often debate the quality of his leadership during his presidency, rarely does one situation hold many differing opinions. Clinton became known for his involvement in a scandal widely referred to as The Lewinsky Scandal. While the specifics of this terrible scandal are unnecessary, he lied during his testimony before the grand jury. In doing so, he broke the law. This leader, given the responsibility to uphold the law in all he did, instead broke it, embarrassing the public in the process.
Finally, I think of one more example of a time in which a public figure has let his public down. Mel Gibson, the Academy Award winning actor, director, and producer, would become famous for his arrest by Los Angeles County police and later pleated guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, such a violation of the law finds itself not too unusual. However, Gibson had just produced The Passion of the Christ, a movie chronically the last 24 hours in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many Christians and Catholics found themselves embarrassed that a man who produced a film so openly for the Lord would do such a thing counter to Gods Word. He had let his public down, and many rightly held much disdain for him because of it.
Personally, I do not believe we expect or can expect too much from our leaders. Leaders simply must remember that they provide an example to those watching them, and that will disappoint, should their example stray off the straight and narrow. God speaks about this very thing in His Word. In Matthew 18:6 he warns of offences by leaders saying, But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. People put in positions of leadership have a greater responsibility to those around to their followers, because not only do they lead, but in doing so provide an example to a great audience.
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<p>ESSAY 2 -</p>
<pre><code> The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind. So stated William Blake, an English poet born in the eighteenth century. In making this statement, he made it known that he did not consider it poor for someone to change their opinions. I would have to agree. Instead of thinking one who often changes his opinions wishy-washy and unreliable, I consider them wise. Formulating ideas and opinions through experience will often reap well thought-out results as opposed to behaving stubbornly and not having the opportunity to achieve more pleasant results.
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<p>Oftentimes people form opinions without ever really having a handle on the full scenario. Consider my father, who like every parent has, issued a hasty punishment to me for a situation he did not know much about. As the head of the household and my father, he had every right to punish me in such a way, but I felt hurt because I did not believe he had taken the time to fully understand the situation. My father kindly listened to my concerns, and told me he would reconsider. Only a few hours later, he approached me and told me that he had not actually viewed the scenario in that way, and now held a fuller understanding of what exactly had happened. He changed his opinion, and I only received half of the original punishment. This result gained much respect for me, and not just because I had only a week off the computer. Rather, my fathers lack of pride impressed me and his willingness to admit his incorrect view of the situation earned my respect. </p>
<p>Occasionally people hold an opinion solely because they think it does good for others. Washington States Board of Education concerns itself with how well their public school students leave high school educated. They thought that Washington kids often left unprepared for the challenges they would face in the college world. This caused them to propose a test back in the 1980s, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, oftentimes referred to as the WASL. At first, though some parents protested it citing unreasonable expectations and unusual questions, most teachers considered it a good idea. Now however, teachers see that in order for their classes to get high marks on the WASL, they must spend all their time learning concepts at a quick pace. Because it does not allow for deep time spent in specific subjects, teachers honestly can now say that this hinders their teaching capabilities. What started to ensure success of all students now finds itself an idea that may soon get tossed. Reevaluating an opinion after discovering what it really entails can do more good than harm. </p>
<p>Even the Bible shows that God, the all-knowing and always perfect Father, has changed His opinion. In Exodus 32:14, we see so the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. While Moses delayed and spent more time than expected in the mountains with God, the Israelites grew impatient and asked Aaron to make them a god who would go before them. Aaron obliged, and collected jewelry from all the Israelites. He fashioned a molten calf and said, This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Gods initial reaction to the Israelites transgression showed his swift and rightful anger, as he said now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them. Only five verses later we see the Lord changing his mind. If our holiest of holy God can change his mind, than certainly can we feel such a freedom.</p>
<p>As one can see in the examples of my father, the teachers formerly advocating the WASL, and in our God, one should not look down upon someone who changes their position. Instead of signifying a wishy-washy and thus unreliable mind, it shows one who instead of acting stubborn and prideful wisely considers other ways. It shows an ability to see through a situation and properly note what works and what does not. William Blake hit it right on the head when he said that to never change ones opinion is like standing water. Only breeding bad scenarios, habits, or other unfortunate circumstances, it shows ones prideful unwillingness to change his first thought.</p>