<p>Hi,
On the ACT practice test it tells me to score my own essay, which I can't really do. So score it (honestly) and give me feedback. Be brutally honest!</p>
<p>Prompt: In your opinion, should teenagers be required to maintain a "C" average in school before receiving a driver's license?</p>
<pre><code> I think that teenagers shouldn't be required to maintain a "C" average before receiving a driver's license because grades are unrelated to driving abilities.
For all teenagers, getting a driver's license is a long process. Completion of the process indicates that teenagers are ready to drive on their own. All teenagers are required to pass a permit test, which tests knowledge of driving rules and regulations. Additionally teenagers must pass a 1-2 wek long driver's education course. Memorizing driving rules and passing a course aren't enough; teenagers are also required to take driving lessons and pass a driving test.
Completing all of these steps indicates that a driver is ready to take the next step--driving without a parent or driving instructor in the passenger's seat. This is analogous to a student who completed his homework and passed his final exam in a math course--this student can move on to the next level. Moving on to the next level is determined by the individual's mastery of all aspects of the current level. Passing a driving test is considered mastery, and passing the math final is considered mastery. Whether or not a student could tell you about glycolysis, the Cold War, or mathematical models is irrelevant. What matters is that the driver has command of driving knowledge and skills and the ability to follow the rules.
Some argue that students who maintain less than a "C" average are less responsible. Maybe they're less responsible about completing their homework or studying for upcoming tests and quizzes. However, that doesn't indicate that such students are irresponsible in other areas of their lives. While they may be irresponsible in respect to their schoolwork, they still can demonstrate a high level of responsibility by babysitting their 5 siblings or working 6-hour shifts at Dunkin Donuts every day. Thus it cannot be concluded that irresponsible students are incapable of driving responsibly by following the rules of the road.
A relationship between grades and driving abilities doesn't exist because they test completely different things--ability to follow road rules versus strong study skills. Grades certainly correlate to areas in a student's life outside the classroom. Statistics show that students who have completed more years of instruction in a given subject perform better on the ACT than students who didn't take as many classes. Statistics for the SAT show that students with an A+ average score approximately 200 points higher than students getting D's ad F's. None of this comes as a surprise; the SAT and ACT test areas such as reading, writing, and math--3 subjects taught in schools. Not taught in schools is how to parallel park or make a 3-point turn, which explains why there is no documented correlation between grades and driving skills. When driving above the speed limit, an A+ student has the same probability of getting into an accident as a D or F student.
Legislators should not consider making a law that students who don't maintain a "C" average can't get a driver's license, until the day that significant statistical evidence is gathered about a correlation between grades and driving skills. I believe that such statistical evidence will never be established, allowing students of all GPAs to hit the roads.
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