<p>To sharpen my skills, I'm willing to grade SAT essays that you post in this thread for me to practice seeing essays from a rater's perspective. </p>
<p>Like most SAT raters, I will spend no more than 2 minutes on your essay checking certain criteria that the College Board raters always look for. </p>
<p>I will try to put small suggestions (1-2 suggestions) at the end of the grade.</p>
<p>I will use College Board's Rubric. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Ok here is the question: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority?</p>
<pre><code>The question Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in position of authority? suggests that it is imperative for members of a society to question the decisions of its leaders in order for the society to prosper. In other words, it is necessary to challenge what people in authority claim to be true. In my opinion, while trusting the leaders is important, sometimes one must challenge certain decisions. Throughout society and literature, the evidence to support my viewpoint is pervasive.
Consider the case of the recall election of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin during June of 2012. After Gov. Walker had made some unpopular decision regarding the role of labor unions in court challenges in his home state of Wisconsin, the people decided to challenge his decisions on a state-wide recall election. Whether or not Mr. Walker would continue serving as governor was at stake during the recent election. While the majority of the electorate voted for him to stay in office, the recall demonstrates that at times it is imperative to challenge the decisions made by figures of authority.
Another vivid example is Sebastian Guios autobiography The Truth: Life through My Own Eyes. During one of the many short stories about his life in the text, Mr. Guio takes the reader through his college application journey. After working extremely hard throughout high school and finishing as the top-ranked student in his class, Mr. Guio decided to apply for acceptance into Harvard University. Two months after applying for acceptance he received a rejection letter because his application lacked some necessary paperwork. Mr. Guio contacted the university and explained that the paperwork had been sent, and it resulted that the paperwork had been misplaced by the administration. Mr. Guios decision to question the university clearly shows that one must sometimes question authority.
As a final example, consider the current uprising in the nation of Syria. After years of oppression by the Syrian government of Bashar Al-Assad, the people of Syria decided to rebel against the totalitarian reign of Assad. Through hard work and massive losses, the Syrian people have been fairly successful at bringing justice into their country. While the Syrian people are not yet completely free, the steps which have been taken reveal the necessity to question authority.
Clearly the above examples demonstrate that individuals need to challenge what leaders claim to be true. The examples of the people in Wisconsin and Syria support this claim. Only by questioning people in charge can a society and our world continue to grow.
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<p>Thank You very much</p>
<p>“Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue.”</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>The unfortunate truth of human nature is that conscience is never a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power. Of course, people do kind act acts for others and show great generosity, but their benevolent acts always serve another person -even if that purpose is unconscious. Ultimately, human nature dictates that conscience will never serve as a more powerful motivator than self-interest.</p>
<p>Evolution essentially defeats the concept of true altruism. One’s conscience may tell an individual to help others, but there is always something to be returned. If that person is in good enough a position to help others, then the benefits that come with helping others can outweigh the sacrifices. One who helps others can gain fame, respect, and prestige, all of which can ultimately aid in one’s survival and increase the number of opportunities he will have to reproduce. Thus, it is highly unlikely that an individual would be guided purely by his conscience and desire to help others.</p>
<p>Few acts of goodness are motivated purely by the wish to help others. Consider the great benefactor, Andrew Carnegie. He donated tremendous amounts of money to educational institutions and charitable organizations, and he was responsible for the building of the famous Carnegie Hall in NY. But these benevolent actions demonstrate no self-sacrifice. One of the richest men in the nation at that time period, the sacrifice he made in making those donations was practically negligible; one could ask “What would he have done with that much money anyways? What could he have spent it on that he did not already have?” Furthermore, his charitable acts were not purely examples of altruism; they ultimately significantly contributed to his fame.</p>
<p>There have also been many instances in literature in which characters have demonstrated that fame, power, and money were far more important to them than conscience. In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale chose to let his lover suffer while he, a preacher highly respected by society, hid his sin of adultery for the sake of his image. Furthermore, Cathy, in East of Eden, showed absolutely no motivation whatsoever except self-interest. She burned her parents alive, stole, lied, and spread suffering to all around her for the sake of money and a comfortable life. These literary characters clearly demonstrated that conscience is not a more important motivator than self-interest.</p>
<p>People with perform acts of kindness for fame or for respect if the benefits are greater than the sacrifices. Ultimately, human nature dictates that humans shall always be ruled by self-interest and rarely, if ever, true altruism.</p>
<p>Prompt: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority? 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>
<p>It is often considered taboo in modern society to question the beliefs of leaders. However, blindly accepting these views can lead to irresponsible and foolish actions that can cause the formation of institutionalized immoral practices that will be incredibly difficult to eradicate. People become leaders due to charismatic personality traits, not always due to intelligence, and for moral soundness and safety, it is important to question people in authority.</p>
<p>Leaders may not always be the most knowledgeable figures in a particular area or may be influenced by external forces, so those below them need to speak up when leaders are out of line. For example, in 2012, many government leaders in the United States tried to secure the passage of the SOPA bill, which would substantially restrict the liberties of many American citizens. However many people realized what was going on and used the power of the internet and social media to inform fellow citizens; eventually, public opinion was so strongly against SOPA that Congress defeated it. This stands in stark contrast to instances where people simply stood by and blindly accepted decisions, which has lead to the formation of blatant infringements on rights such as the “peculiar institution” of slavery. Philosopher John Locke was surely correct in his social contract theory, where he stated that for a government to be effective, citizens need to give consent. Simply agreeing without knowing could have potentially disastrous consequences.</p>
<p>Additionally, leaders may sometimes be unaware of other circumstances and it would be irresponsible for those below to not speak up. In his nonfiction book “Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell discusses the reason why some airlines have disproportionately large amounts of crashes. What is interesting is that the largest factor was whether staff was trained to speak up in potentially dangerous situations. Often they carried a different perspective that could save the plane and passengers. If somebody possesses information that could help save others but do not use it, they are just as responsible for any negative results as those in charge.</p>
<p>Sometimes it is necessary to challenge what people in authority claim to be true. By offering a unique idea on the issue at hand, those not in charge can improve a situation by making it safer or more moral.</p>
<p>@ZzLui57zZ GRADE: 8-9/12 Better to have less examples and more details. Try to stay away from topics that are controversial / politics.</p>
<p>NOTE: Once you are in the 10-11 range, you can easily become a 12. I may be grading too harshly or leniently.</p>
<p>@chessloser3201 10-11/12 Good details and descriptions, perhaps work on your intro. a bit more. Details can be elaborated a bit more on.</p>
<p>@gk9760 10-11/12 Good details for 1st example, could elaborate on details on second example.</p>
<p>Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? 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>
<p>People can accomplish anything if they set their mind to it, but yes, they do accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way. As hip-hop artist Shaggy once said, “To be a true player, you must know how to play.” This quote exemplifies that one should not get caught up in the flow of other individuals competing for success, but they should creatively come up with their own strategy of doing so. With creativity comes solutions, and with solutions an individual is bound to prosper.
For instance, take the busy life of a day-to-day entrepreneur, an average businessman or woman who takes risks in order for his/her company to flourish. Every time a business is in great need of a push for success, an entrepreneur must be able to creatively ponder a method which will suffice their business. If an entrepreneur was in competition with another individual, they wouldn’t dare to use the same ideas or principles as their opponent, but they would employ a solution of their own in regards to fixing the problem.
Take a look at presidential candidates, as another concrete example. These political figures absolutely must accomplish their goals by doing things in regards to their creativity when it comes to swaying the votes of the populous in favor of themselves. For example, when they deliver their speeches, presidential candidates must generate information from their own personal ventures in order to leave a shunning impression on his/her listeners.
On the other side of this topic, if people aren’t aloud to take the initiative of doing something in their own way, they are forced to act upon limitations in a certain boundary. Without being open to new ideas, an individual must act upon suggestions/methods illustrated by others who have already pondered genuine ideas pertaining to the relevance of the issue.
Thus, it is absolutely essential to take things into your own hands if able to do so. Ingenuity plays a big role regarding this. Without being able to draw up creative solutions, and without a personal outlook on things, one can only go so far in this world in regards of being successful.</p>
<p>Prompt:
Do you agree that persistence is the major factor in success and that talent, genius, and education play, at best, secondary roles?</p>
<p>Persistence is the major factor in success. Several examples from literature and history clearly demonstrate that persistence always leads to success, regardless of who the person is.</p>
<p>For instance, in the novel Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima, the protagonist Shinji displays determination, perseverance and persistence in achieving success which is to own a fishing business with his brother and to gain permission to marry his lover.Although he is only a poor fisherman with almost no education, he displays great determination and completes amazing feats to prove his worthiness. For example, during a fishing voyage, he even risks his life in an attempt to save his masters ship during a storm. Although he almost drowns, he manages to complete this feat and finally achieves his dream. Therefore, Shinjis actions proved that persistence was the major factor that led to his transformation from a poor fisherman to the owner of a business.</p>
<p>In my personal experience, I have also seen how persistence has led someone to academic success. In the tenth grade, a new boy named John joined our year group. Surprisingly, he spoke barely any english and could not even manipulate the most basic sentence structures. His vocabulary also lacked complexity and it would have been only of a second grader level. One day, I was reading in the library when I noticed John also reading a book although it was completely different from what I was reading. During the first few days of school, John struggled to make any friends due to his linguistic inability which forced him to hide in the library to escape humiliation. I took great pity on him and decided to help him improve his english skills. From then on, we would meet in the library everyday to discuss and read books. We quickly became best friends and after a year, his english skills became astoundingly proficient and sounded extremely fluent. Later on, I learnt that he had been practicing his english even after school in tutoring sessions and leisurely reading. In the eleventh grade, John even joined the Hong Kong Young Writers Award (HKYWA) competition in which he won second place and his entry got published into the HKYWA anthology. He no longer lacked the english skills he needed and even excelled in english classes, surpassing all those who had jeered at him in the previous year. Hence, John clearly demonstrated that persistence does lead to the path of success.</p>
<p>After careful analysis of the examples above, persistence is, indeed, the main ingredient to a successful life. I believe one has to be determined and persistent in pushing forward to reach ones dreams. Without persistence, would there even be success?</p>
<p>@hotgiwehotw SCORE 7/8 Need to elaborate more on details – quality over quantity. Use more sophisticated sentence structure.</p>
<p>@Jasoncheung SCORE 8/9 Need to elaborate more on first example. Personal example goes off topic too much. Keep it concise and too the point. Conclusion needs work, especially last sentences and closing sentence.</p>
<p>Question: Is trying to please people a way to achieve success or a route to failure?</p>
<p>Quotation: I dont know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone - Bill Cosby</p>
<p>Cosby hits truth with his statement. Trying to please everyone is not a winning strategy and in most cases leads to failure. Although those who contribute to the development of society are revered, attempting to please everyone will get you nowhere. </p>
<p>For instance, I come from a cricket family and coincidentally, all members of my family are cricket fanatics. However, I did not enjoy cricket one bit and found it stale and boring. What I did enjoy were crossword puzzles as they were intellectually stimulating and at the same time useful for building vocabulary. Although I found my place in puzzles, I did not want to disappoint my family and pretended enjoy cricket. I even started playing and soon won a place in the school team. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a consequential decision as it revealed the lack of talent and interest I had in cricket. In one of the inter-school games, I continuously missed every pitch. This infuriated my family and made me a humiliation among my fellow players. Personally, I enjoyed intellectual challenges, not physical challenges. </p>
<p>This carried on for almost a year and as time passed, I saw my grades slump due to the lassitude I experienced after training which caused my family to be even more disappointed. Finally, I realized that I had to stop living a lie and bravely faced my family. I told them how cricket was not my hobby and I would quit the team the next day. Surprisingly, a degree of understanding was established and my parents told me to do what I want to do, not what pleased others. </p>
<p>After this ordeal, I decided to join the crossword puzzle club instead and made some great friends. My grades recovered and I finally started doing what I enjoyed. Pleasing others is not necessarily a bad thing, especially your parents as we all strive for recognition among our peers but overdoing it will do more bad than good. Eventually, I won numerous academical awards which caused my family even more joy as they took pleasure in my success. Overall, you can only succeed in something you enjoy and you will at the same time please those who take pleasure in your success.</p>
<p>Do changes that make our lives easier not necessarily make them better? </p>
<pre><code> Various changes have been made to make our lives easier. Unfortunately, making our lives more accessible is detrimental to the world and our identity as humans. After detailed examination of the creation of the Automobile, Fast Food, and the internet, we can certainly conclude that changes that make our lives easier do not make them better.
In the 1920’s, Henry Ford invented the Automobile. The Automobile allows one to travel at deliberate speed with low effort. With its reliability and its low price, the automobile have gone viral since the 1930’s. Although the creation of the automobile is seemingly promising, it caused significant life-threatening damages to the society. The Environmental protection agency asserts that automobile is one of the main causes of global warming. Also, the department of health insists that automobiles are making us unhealthier than ever before due to the lack of exercise. Hence, the creation of Automobile proves that making our lives easier does not make them better.
Fast food have also made our lives easier, but caused damaging events to occur. With the convenience of fast food, one can easily obtain a high-calories meal for just under three dollars. However, fast food is the number one leading cause of why Obesity is such a huge concern in America. The department of health stated that an average person should consume about 2400 calories per day. If eating fast food for 3 meals, one would consume about 3600 calories a day, which is about 33% more than what human can normally digest properly. Therefore, the introduction of fast food illustrates that easier our lives does not improve them.
As demonstrated by the popularization of the internet, humans’ ability to interact is hindered by the over-convenient way of messaging. The internet allows online chatting without any identification. Surveys conducted by my public school student reveal that 84 % of the people feel invincible on the internet. This creates a safe place for the bullies, which damages our children’s sense of security and innocence. Thus, the creation of internet demonstrates that with more convenience, our life quality will damaged.
After detailed analysis of the creation of the automobiles, fast food, and the internet, one can see that changes that make our lives easier are, indeed, not going to make our lives better. Without challenges in our life, more issues our going to occur. Nothing can, especially convenience, improve our life but our attitude towards it.
</code></pre>
<p>I see someone read the twelve steps in ten days guide by academic hacker,</p>
<p>Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.</p>
<p>Too often, people fail to solve problems because they focus only on the problems, thinking that if they study a problem, it will eventually suggest its own solution. Instead, they should remember their past successes and retrace their steps by analyzing what they did or did not do in similar situations in the past. It is often said that there is no formula for success, but if people would only focus on repeating the specific actions that worked for them before, they would surely succeed again.</p>
<p>Assignment: Are people likely to succeed by repeating actions that worked for them in the past? 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>
<p>Essay:</p>
<p>I once read somewhere that “success comes tot those who are too busy to look for it”. That sagacious quote changed my view on how success and fortune can be attained. In order to succeed one should focus only on his situation. It is also the only way to move forward. Focusing on the past successes may not be beneficial in every case, as it was not in the case of Julius Caesar, who did not change the way he handled situations - even though they proved to be successful formerly - and was eventually assassinated. In order to be successful, you must not dwell on your past successes as every situation is unique in its own way. What worked for you 10 years ago may not necessarily work for you now. It is the same in the case of the caveman. Had he emphasized on his past success at catching fish with his bare hands, he would have never progressed to using a spear. </p>
<p>In the case of Julius Caesar, he was an ‘ambitious’ man; or so was claimed by those around him. He was much loved for his bravery and fearlessness, particularly in battle. But as time aged, wars and battles grew less acceptable by the people; they wanted to settle. Enough of conquering more land. Enough expanding Rome. Enough war. But this is not what Caesar thought. Pondering over how he had come to such a high status, he concluded that his greatest successes in the past were war-related. Thus he was labelled as ‘ambitious’ and removed from the throne. It was because he did not ruminate on the current situation. Had he focused only on what lay ahead, not the achievements of the past, he would have continued to rule as the Great Emperor of Rome. </p>
<p>Another example is of our forefathers. It is hard to imagine where we would be if those in the past never looked to find different ways to solve problems. As of the case with capturing their prey, it was one of the first steps to civilization. The cavemen knew that they were successful at capturing fish with their hands, but they sought better, more efficient ways to accomplish that mission. By focusing on ly on the situation given, they were able to open their minds to new solutions and cleverer techniques. </p>
<p>Overall, it is vital that we realize the significance of being fully aware of the situations we are in. We must not think of our past successes as ever situation is unique. Just like the caveman, we want to progress, and unlike Julius Caesar, we should understand that different times lead to different circumstances.</p>
<p>Prompt: Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general?</p>
<p>Oftentimes, individuals will attempt to accomplish goals that are much too large in scope, resulting in more harm than good. People should take responsibility for solving problems that directly affect their community, because these efforts will collectively result in a stronger nation.</p>
<p>Throughout history, there have been many instances when individuals worked for their communities, which had even greater widespread effects than intended. For example, in the late 1800s, cartoonist Thomas Nast used his political cartoons in Harper’s Weekly to draw attention to the corrupt Tweed Ring that was controlling politics in New York City. Eventually, the ring was brought down, and the citizens in other communities noticed similar situations in their cities. Soon, local governments throughout the country were becoming more democratic through the widespread elimination of these groups. Additionally, during World War I and World War II, many of the efforts to help the United States during the wars were carried out by families and individuals working to help their community. Families grew victory gardens to help with the food supply and war bonds were bought as an investment in the family. The aggregate sum of these localized efforts was assistance in victory of the Allied Powers. Thus, both Thomas Nast and families during the two world wars were successful in bringing change by taking responsibility for their communities.</p>
<p>Literature also provides a wealth of examples where people successfully work toward strengthening their community. In John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row” for instance, the tight-knit community on the California coast functions by everybody looking out for the other citizens. By offering their advice and services freely, the citizens of Cannery Row are able to create an ideal community where disagreements are minimized and poverty is obsolete. Furthermore, in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Atticus Finch works to fight racial prejudice in his southern community by representing an unfairly accused African American man in court. By doing so, he sends a message of equality to the citizens of the town that is much more personal than if he would have taken action on a national level. Atticus in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the citizens of Cannery Row both serve to represent the effectiveness of people taking responsibility for problems in their communities.</p>
<p>Today, many citizens work through different charities and organizations to effectively build their communities. Groups such as Habitat for Humanity help the less fortunate by providing homes, and service organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America allow people the opportunity to teach and inspire the youth of their town. Each of these groups serves a purpose in strengthening their community on a personal level, things that can’t be accomplished by a distant national government in Washington DC. It is up to citizens of communities to work to carry out the interests of their city.</p>
<p>When people act to improve the well-being of their community, not only is the act more personal but more effective because the individuals are familiar with the beliefs, attitudes, and customs in their town. If citizens work to build communities throughout the country, the nation as a whole is strengthened.</p>
<p>@Jasoncheung SCORE: 8-9/12 Second needs more details.
@JokeJoke SCORE 9-10 / 12 Concentrate on two examples–that should be enough.
@Marshal 7-9 / 12 Second needs more elaboration
@gk9760 SCORE: 10-11 / 12 Vary sentence structure, include more vocabulary.</p>
<p>Thank you for the great essays. Use these suggestions to hopefully improve your writing!</p>
<p>NOTE: This will be the last four essays that I am scoring. If anyone else wants to post more essays for other members to grade, feel free do do so.</p>
<p>@BeatheSAT, Thank you so much for doing this, we cannot appreciate enough!! However, since you are a professional at essay, you should release some tips/templates for us ! Thanks again for grading the essay</p>
<p>Assignment- Should people make more of an effort to keep some things private?</p>
<p>Essay</p>
<p>People should make an effort to keep their lives more private. As our society progresses further into this technological age, we are able to do things never thought possible 100 years ago. Sadly, there are unforeseen downfalls such as: hacking, scamming, identity theft and forging. For these reasons, it becomes imperative that people begin to keep important information safe and not carelessly posting it on the web.</p>
<p>Today there are many sites that allow us do unthinkable such as online dating and social media. However, many of these sites require personal information. You may think of it lightly, but by inserting your personal information, at least one person on our planet knows your address, credit card number, social security number, phone number and postal code. A good example is “Facebook” a social media site allowing people to share photos and information. It has become one of the most visited sites on the internet. Like many others it requires your personal information, but the issue is anyone can access your profile allowing people to view your pictures and your personal information. This leads to cases of Cyber-Bullying and Cyber-Harassing. </p>
<p>As our technology gets better people get smarter too. There are resources on the web that allow anyone to hack, infect or D-DOS other devices around the world with a click of a button. By knowing this people have to be extremely selective in where they insert their information. On April 20, 2011 the inconceivable happened Sony’s PlayStation Network was hacked by an unknown group, causing 2 weeks of server maintenance leading to international outrage. This group obtained over 77 million people’s personal information, leaving many baffled at how a big corporation was so easily hacked. This left many people wondering if such a huge corporation was hacked what about all the smaller websites and smaller companies.</p>
<p>As the famous quote states “For every good thing there’s an equal bad thing.” We are blessed with new technology that allows us to communicate half way across the world. The downfall is there are people who can see and access personal information on sites like “Facebook,” “MySpace” and Youtube. For these reasons I believe people must protect their personal information.</p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the help, beattheSAT.</p>
<p>Blue book practice test essay prompt #1:
Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue…etc…</p>
<pre><code>Authority exists to be respected, but it is nevertheless necessary to question its rectitude and tenets from time to time. Challenging authority, in effect, “renews” its ideas and doctrines to reflect present trends. Both history and literature provide relevant examples.
The setting of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury presents an ignorant, repressive future society that thrives by censoring its inhabitants so that they are blissfully unaware of all of life’s problems. The protagonist, Buy Montag, gradually realizes this as he questions his occupation of burning books, considered dangerous as “inspiration for thought.” In the finale, the society is obliterated by a nuke, while Montag and a few other outcasts determine to rebuild society, albeit with a far less censorious nature. Montag’s actions are intended to “correct old errors in thought.” (<–part of the prompt. This quotation not part of essay)
In the 1600s, the Catholic Church was probably the most powerful institution in Europe. Yet, couragious scientists such as Copernicus and Galileo dared to challenge traditional astronomical beliefs. Even when put on trial and forced to publicly recant his findings, Galileo left the stand muttering, “and yet it [the Earth] does spin.” Without the actions of people such as Galileo questioning convential wisdom, accurate knowledge of space may be much less complete than it is today.
One can also consider the formation of the United States of America. Goerge Washington and other “Sons of Liberty” fought heroically against British authority to establish what they believed as intrinsically correct, to “put an end to wrong actions.” (<-- also part of prompt) Through Bunker Hill and Valley Forge, the formation of the new democratic nation and the ideals it stood for would have an enormous impact on the route of history. Without colonists questioning their inherent rights, the United States would not exist.
Authority is definitely an imposing and respectable figure, but it must be noted that it is not flawless and should be periodically checked, questioned, and challenged. Throughout history and literature, various tenets of authority have constantly been proven incorrect. As thus, it is foolish to think of authority as more than a parental system, prone to mistakes.
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<p>^yeah, this isn’t very good. first essay, and I actually gave myself about 20 seconds after 25 minutes.
Thx for any feedback!</p>
<p>Prompt:
A colleague of the great scientist James Watson remarked that Watson was always “lounging around, arguing about problems instead of doing experiments.” He concluded that “There is more than one way of doing good science.” It was Watson’s form of idleness, the scientist went on to say, that allowed him to solve “the greatest of all biological problems: the discovery of the structure of DNA.” It is a point worth remembering in a society overly concerned with efficiency.</p>
<p>Adapted from John C. Polanyi, “Understanding Discovery” </p>
<p>Assignment:
Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? 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>
<p>When one considers success, and mankind’s moving forward as a whole, it is there is a wide amount of debate present. Some would argue that a precise and forward nature will enable us to be far more successful. Another prevalent opinion is, that when left to their own devices, people tend to accomplish far more. Both sides possess a wide amount of evidence and strength in their arguments. However, when examined from an objective standpoint, it is evident that the latter position wins out. When people are given free leave, they tend to accomplish far more than they would ordinarily. To further strengthen this position, one can examine three primary facets of evidence. One looks to the great scientist, Nikola Tesla, as well as two modern day people, Philip Streich and Bill Gates, to understand how much better humanity will perform when left to their own devices. </p>
<p>Nikola Tesla, is, without a doubt, one of the greatest scientists of all time. His name has become almost synonymous with the word genius. Yet, what numerous people forget is that Tesla performed terribly throughout his education! When pressure was put upon him to do well in his studies, he fell to gambling, and consequently did not prepare and failed his examinations. Moreover, he went incognito for some time to avoid having to study. When a DC electrical generator was brought into his classroom, Tesla was mocked by the teacher for suggesting the idea of Alternating Current—which is the electricity that is used almost everywhere today! Over the next few decades, Tesla was by himself. He spent his time attempting to solve this one problem, and scientists such as the great Edison mocked him for this. Yet, when left to his own devices, he eventually solved the mystery of alternating current, and in doing so became one of the greatest scientists known to man. Nikola Tesla, having failed through contemporary studies yet succeeded when left by himself, illustrates the point that success is more easily accomplished when one operates by their own manner. </p>
<p>Moving forward by a century, looking at the young entrepreneur Philip Streich can also demonstrate how mankind accomplishes more when left by themselves. To elaborate, Streich, when merely fourteen, was given a problem by one of his professors at a local community college—carbon nanotubes. The entire world had written this problem off as unsolvable, and his professor was one of the few left trying. Yet despite the odds against him, Streich went off on a tangent that other scientists were incredulous of—unable to find evidence that carbon nanotubes could be useful, he invented a device that provided the evidence he needed. In doing so, he shocked the world, because by himself, outside of any laboratory, he managed to solve a problem that had plagued scientists for years. Philip Streich’s actions further illustrate the concept that people will accomplish more if allowed to function as they wish. </p>
<p>As final, incontrovertible evidence, let’s take a look at Bill Gates. Just as Tesla now means “genius,” Bill Gates means rich. Microsoft left him easily as among the richest people in the world. Yet what people neglect to mention is that Gates was accepted into Harvard, yet promptly dropped out! He dropped out of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, because he knew that his success was being stifled there. Rather, one his own, he created revolutionary software, which literally paved the way for computers for years to come. Bill Gates had the education that many people state is necessary for success, yet he threw it away—rather, he left and created success on his own. By following his own path and garnering a tremendous amount of success, Gates provides final evidence towards the idea that success will arise when people are left to their own devices. </p>
<p>Opponents of this concept state that these examples are uncommon, yet the magnitude of these success stories must be taken into account. Some people will take success through careful planning and orchestration, yes. However, those who follow their own path will inevitably garner success on a much more massive scale. Inevitably, the major success stories always follow the path that they wish to take. By doing this, people are comfortable in what they do, and will indubitably garner more success. By applying this to our daily lives, the average citizen can become far greater. This is why, rather than doing what peer pressure tells us to do, it’s far more advantageous, both for ourselves and for humanity, to do what we are most comfortable doing. When we are left to our own devices, and do what we truly love to do, we will be both more successful and happier with our lives in the years to come. The above examples of Nikola Tesla, Philip Streich, and Bill Gates clearly illustrate how true and how valued this point is. Thus, with this in mind, it’s truly evident that, for mankind (as well as ourselves) to truly succeed, we must simple relax, and do what we love to do.</p>
<p>Yeah, I had no idea how to write an SAT essay, so mine became quite long.</p>
<p>First off, thank so you much for doing this, it means a lot to me. </p>
<p>My essay topic was from the blue book it is: Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?</p>
<p>I only used one example (Brave New World). Is it possible to get a 12 doing so? I managed to use up all of the space given in the test booklet. Well, here it is:</p>
<p>We often consider knowledge as the realization of the truth. Thus, since the truth can often be painful, our knowledge may be a burden rather than a benefit. The knowledge of a harsh reality can be a hard to bear when those around you seem to oblivious to the truth.</p>
<p>Such an instance of knowledge being burdensome is exemplified in Aldous Huxley’s iconic novel, “Brave New World.” In this story, a World State maintains control of a population through a stringent caste system. In addition, the state systematically removes pieces of history that “prevent” it from progressing. In the process of doing so, Shakespearean literature has taken a back seat to genetic engineering, which the state uses to maintain its universal control over the population. The protagonist of “Brave New World” is a man named John who is from a reservation outside the World State’s control. The exposition of knowledge of the state is a rude awakening for John, who is accustomed to the rural life he had while residing on the reservation. This mere introduction alone is enough to demonstrate knowledge’s burden on John. However, the pressure he experiences exacerbates as he delves into the innate practices of the state.</p>
<p>One method of teaching utilized by the sate involves having children witness death in order for them to become accustomed to it. Sadly, while John sits by his mother, Linda’s hospital bed as she dies, two insensitive children make snide comments about her. This enrages John who castigates these children in his fury. However, the height of John’s knowledge is reached during a discussion with Mustafa Mond, a head of the World State. During this talk, John argues that the sacrifice of art, science, and religion have dehumanized the residents of the World State. In response, Mond state that this dehumanization is necessary to ensure social stability. Ultimately, after having this discussion, John decides that a dehumanized life is not one which he wishes to live. Thus, he hangs himself in response to the World State’s policies. </p>
<p>In conclusion, John’s knowledge of the World State’s practices become more of a burden rather than a benefit. The harsh exposition to the truth was so unbearable to John, that he was driven to suicide. Although knowledge has helped our society progress tremendously, John’s experience in “Brave New World” is a testament to knowledge’s ability to truly be a burden.</p>