<p>Hey :) So I was given this essay and I just want to get different opinions about the essay because sometimes I doubt the grades my sat tutor gives me because when I ask him for an explanation he usually never has one so please read it and grade it. Thank you. </p>
<p>Prompt: Is Strong Moral character the most important qualification for a leader? </p>
<p>Integrity and character are some of the main attributes that a great leader should possess. The current President of the United States of America, Barack Obama perfectly depicts these qualities and shows how important they are in choosing a leader. Another example that illustrates this view is the annual student body presidential elections that take place in my school.</p>
<p>Firstly, President Obama won the presidential elections because voters deemed him fit for the office. While hearing the several inspiring speeches he has made, voters can see that he possesses such strong integrity which shows that he will not be easily swayed into making decisions he does not support; he stands for someone who believes strongly in taking a stand and sticking to it. This does not necessarily mean he would not be inflexible and incapable of negotiations pertaining to the welfare and livelihood of the citizens of the country, it just means he has an independent mind. Also, his charming character and the loving way he relates with his wife, Michelle and other people as well has made voters able to relate with him on a more personal level and it makes him connect with everyone he speaks to. This instantly warms them up to him and leaves them certain that he is the best candidate to lead them. </p>
<p>Furthermore, this assertion can be proven true by the student body presidential elections held annually in my school. Basically, it is just a popularity contest and has never been about the integrity and character of the candidates. Due to this fact, he needs of the student body have continuously been neglected time after time because the people elected are often prejudiced and have never been objective in their decision making.
In short, a good leader cannot be bereft of a strong moral character. It should always be a key factor to look out for when choosing a great leader.</p>
<p>First off the prompt was "Is Strong Moral character the most important ". You have to take a position on why it is or isnt the <em>most important</em>. Saying it is “a key factor” isnt the same as arguing it is the most important. </p>
<p>Beyond the arguments for singular importance of character, I have problems with the first example. A political speech reveals character? Really? Secondly your arguments are in support of him being a successful <em>candidate</em>, not a successful Leader. There is a difference. Citing “his charming character and the loving way he relates with his wife” are both things that made him a successful candidate but have noting to do with the prompt on Moral Character. </p>
<p>You have a better attempt in the second example in providing a counter example. However it is too vague to convince any reader of the correctness of your position. Even if you dont like them what is the concrete demonstration that they were failures as leaders? You really wanted an argument that went something like “Students voted for Bob, even though he was known to be lazy, because he was such a cool dresser. He was very popular though the school year because he would give everyone thumbs up in the halls, but our prom was a disaster because he didnt delegate any tasks, did no planning until the day before and used the funds to buy posters of himself”. Now you have provided an example of someone who did not have strong character and that resulted in a failure as a leader of the student body. </p>
<p>The conclusion should extend the information from the examples and extrapolate the logic to show that your thesis is valid. Especially in the case of a prompt which asks for a superlative like “most important” this is where you tie it together. You conclusion didnt add anything to your argument. Essentially you have provided two examples and you want to demonstrate a universal truth from that- you didnt even attempt it. </p>
<p>As an exercise you might want to try this essay again taking the opposite position on the prompt. It might help clarify for you if you are really developing a well reasoned argument.</p>