Hi. I am planning to take the Jan 23 2016 SAT. This is a practice essay. I would appreciate it if you could grade it and give tips for improvement:) Also, Please ignore any factual errors if any are present since SAT does not take into account any factual errors.
Prompt: Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things their own way? (2013 college board Sat prompt)
These days, there are a countless number of ways one can accomplish something, whether its an unorthodox solution to a problem or a more practical way. When people do things their own way, they are in full control of their ideas and ambitions. However, when they are in a group or instructed to do things in an other way, rather than their own, it can lead to unpleasant consequences. People accomplish more when they are allowed to do things their own way, because it allows for more control and greater productivity.
The best example of this can be seen in the classic “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, where being in a group proved to be disastrous. A group of boys were stranded on an island and desperately needed help. The boys appointed Ralph as their group leader. However, their were frequent disputes about who should be the leader, and numerous fights. These fights and conflicts took away from their main goal: getting help and trying to escape. some of the boys didn’t like the leader and wanted to do things their own way. Because there was no clear path on the course of action because of all the fighting, it eventually led to many of the boys even getting killed. The boys would have been more successful if they were not in a group, so that they could do things their own way, which would have eliminated conflicts
Similarly, people achieve more when their ideas aren’t influenced by other people beliefs. For example, Charles Darwin was a scientist who definitely did things his own way. Back then, people thought that god created all species. Darwin challenged this prevalent idea, asserting that natural selection and evolution led to the formation of new species. Because Darwin was allowed to do things his own way, he therefore accomplished more by forever changing how humans thought about the world.
Another example of this can be seen with Mahatma Gandhi, a reformer who was trying to get freedom for India from the British. Instead of waging war against the British (which is what all the other countries who found for freedom did), Gandhi did something different. he got freedom for India in 1942 through words and peace, not war. Even though it did take India a considerable amount of freedom, Gandhi succeeded. He was the first individuals to gain back independence for India through peaceful actions. Since he was allowed to do things her “own” way, he succeeded.
in summary, it is crucial for people to do things their own way in order for them to be more productive and accomplish more. In Lord of the Flies, since the boys were under a group leader they didn’t like, that led to very little productivity and eventually death. In Charles Darwin’s case, he questioned the idea that god was responsible for the creation and development of species. In Gandhi’s case, he questioned the use of violence and got freedom for India in is his own, unconventional way. It is important for one to express their ideas in their own way, and to not be bogged down by other people ideas. Being allowed to do things ones own way is crucial and necessary for success.