<p>William Blake, JRR Tolkien</p>
<p>Titles of full length works are underlined. Poems and short items are put in quotes. I think you could do either on the essay. </p>
<p>If I get some spare cycles I might try classifying the prompts since 2009 on.</p>
<p>Here is an update to ObsessedOne’s initial post. I have kept with his original categories.</p>
<p>Based on the breakdown it would be wise to have examples about:
<p>==================================
Individuality</p>
<p>–Following the Crowd</p>
<p>Do people need to compare themselves with others in order to appreciate what they have?
Are widely held views often wrong, or are such views more likely to be correct?
Is there any value for people to belong only to a group or groups with which they have something in common?
Is it always best to determine one’s own views of right and wrong, or can we benefit from following the crowd?
Is it more valuable for people to fit in than to be unique and different?
Are people more likely to be productive and successful when they ignore the opinions of others?
Does tradition prevent people from doing things in new or more sensible ways? (Mar 12)
Is it always harmful for an individual to think and live as other people do? (Dec 11)
Is it often difficult for people to determine what is the right thing to do? (Nov 11)
Do groups that encourage nonconformity and disagreement function better than those that discourage it? (June 11)
Should originality always be more highly praised than conformity? (Oct 10)
Do people tend to get along better with people who are very different from them or with those who are like them? (June 10)
Is talking the most effective and satisfying way of communicating with others? (May 10)
*Do people succeed by emphasizing their differences from other people? (May 10)
Do society and other people benefit when individuals pursue their own goals? (Nov 09)</p>
<p>–Following Authority</p>
<p>Should we pay more attention to people who are older and more experienced than we are?
Should society limit people’s exposure to some kinds of information or forms of expression?
Can a group of people function effectively without someone being in charge?
Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority?
Should society limit people’s exposure to some kinds of information or forms of expression?
Is education primarily the result of influences other than school?
Should schools help students understand moral choices and social issues?
Should people respect and tolerate everyone’s opinions, or should people take a stand against opinions they consider to be wrong? (May 12)
Should people accept unfairness and find ways to make the best of it? (May 12)
Do people put too much trust in the guidance of experts and authorities? (Mar 12)
Can a small group of concerned individuals have a significant impact on the world? (Dec 11)
Should individuals take responsibility for issues and problems that do not affect them directly? (Nov 11)
Is a group of people more likely than an individual leader to bring about significant change? (Nov 10)
Should the government be responsible for making sure that people lead healthy lives? (May 10)
Should leaders of a country or group be judged by different standards? (Mar 10)</p>
<p>–Following Creativity</p>
<p>Is it always better to be original than to imitate or use the ideas of others?
Is it better for a society when people act as individuals rather than copying the ideas and opinions of others?
Is creativity needed more than ever in the world today?
Can people ever be truly original?
Do we put too much value on the ideas or actions of individual people?
Does planning interfere with creativity?
Do idealists contribute more to the world than realists do? (Dec 11)
Is imagination less valuable than facts and objectivity? (Nov 10)
Is it absolutely necessary for people to study the creative arts? (Oct 10)</p>
<p>Motivation and Success</p>
<p>–Hardship and Success</p>
<p>Do people truly benefit from hardship and misfortune?
Do we really benefit from every event or experience in some way?
Do people place too much emphasis on winning?
Do people learn more from losing than from winning?
Does true learning only occur when we experience difficulties?
Does being ethical make it hard to be successful?
Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?
Is persistence more important than ability in determining a person’s success?
Is the effort involved in pursuing any goal valuable, even if the goal is not reached?
Is it best to forget about past mistakes as soon as possible? (Mar 12)
*Do people have to pay attention to mistakes in order to make progress? (Oct 11)
*Are people better off if they do not listen to criticism? (Oct 11)
Does every achievement bring with it new challenges? (June 11)
Do rules and limitations contribute to a person’s happiness? (May 11)
Does every individual have an obligation to think seriously about important matters, even when doing so may be difficult? (May 11)
Does society put too much emphasis on working hard? (Mar 10)
Is using humor the best way to approach difficult situations and problems? (Oct 09)</p>
<p>–Self-Determination and Success</p>
<p>Is identity something people are born with or given, or is it something people create for themselves?
Is it best for people to accept who they are and what they have, or should people always strive to better themselves?
Do success and happiness depend on the choices people make rather than on factors beyond their control?
Are people more likely to be happy if they focus on goals other than their own happiness?
Is it more important to do work that one finds fulfilling or work that pays well?
Is solitudespending time alonenecessary for people to achieve their most important goals? (June 10)
Is it better for people to stop trying when they feel certain they will not succeed? (Nov 09)</p>
<p>–Self-Expectation and Success</p>
<p>Do highly accomplished people achieve more than others mainly because they expect more of themselves?
Can people achieve success only if they aim to be perfect?
Is it best to have low expectations and to set goals we are sure of achieving?
Are optimistic, confident people more likely than others to make changes in their lives? (Nov 11)
Do people need discipline to achieve freedom? (Oct 11)
Is real success achieved only by people who accomplish goals and solve problems on their own? (May 11)
Is it best for people to accept who they are and what they have, or should people always strive to better themselves? (June 09)</p>
<p>–Collaboration and Success</p>
<p>Is it necessary for people to combine their efforts with those of others in order to be most effective?
Are organizations or groups most successful when their members pursue individual wishes and goals?
Do people achieve more success by cooperation than by competition?
Are people more likely to achieve their goals by being flexible or by refusing to compromise? (June 12)
Is it better for people to act on their feelings than to talk about them? (May 12)
Is it wrong or harmful to motivate people to learn or achieve something by offering them rewards? (Jan 12)Is it better for people to act quickly and expect quick responses from others rather than to wait patiently for what they want? (Mar 11)
Is it better for people to learn from others than to learn on their own? (Jan 11)
Is it better for people to work out their own ideas on a problem or issue before learning how others have approached it? (Dec 10)
Does everyone, even people who choose to live alone, need a network or family? (Oct 09)</p>
<p>–Ethics and Success</p>
<p>Does fame bring happiness, or are people who are not famous more likely to be happy?
Are people’s actions motivated primarily by a desire for power over others?
Is it better for people to agree with others, even if doing so means being insincere? (nov 12)
Does money lead to selfishness? (May 12)</p>
<p>–Quality or Quantity and Success</p>
<p>Do people achieve greatness only by finding out what they are especially good at and developing that attribute above all else?
Are all important discoveries the result of focusing on one subject?
Is it better to aim for small accomplishments instead of great achievements? (Nov 12)
Are people likely to succeed by repeating actions that worked for them in the past? (June 12)
Are the consequences of people’s actions more important than the motives behind the actions? (Nov 11)
Is an idealistic approach less valuable than a practical approach? (Jan 11)
Do people put too much importance on getting every detail right on a project or task? (Jan 11)
Do temporary or otherwise imperfect solutions to problems only create more serious problems? (Dec 10)
Would it be better if people were more accepting of mistakes? (Nov 10)
Do small decisions often have major consequences? (May 10)</p>
<p>Technological Progress</p>
<p>Does a strong commitment to technological progress cause a society to neglect other values, such as education and the protection of the environment?
Are there benefits to be gained from avoiding the use of modern technology, even when using it would make life easier?
Has today’s abundance of information only made it more difficult for us to understand the world around us?
Is the most important purpose of technology today different from what it was in the past?
Have modern advancements truly improved the quality of people’s lives?
Do newspapers, magazines, television, radio, movies, the Internet, and other media determine what is important to most people?
Should modern society be criticized for being materialistic?
Does progress reduce the number of problems in the world, or does solving old problems just lead to new ones? (June 12)
*Do advertisements contribute to unhappiness and dissatisfaction? (May 12)
Does improvement or progress usually involve a significant drawback or problem of some kind? (Jan 12)
Are people overly influenced by unrealistic claims and misleading images? (Oct 11)
Does the way that information is communicated today result in people learning less than ever before? (Dec 10)
Is it better for people to have limited choices? (Dec 10)
Is it easier now to form friendships than ever before? (Dec 09)
Should people give up their privacy in exchange for convenience or free services? (Dec 09)
Can common sense be trusted and accepted, or should it be questioned? (June 09)
Has today’s abundance of information only made it more difficult for us to understand the world around us? (May 09)</p>
<p>Heroes</p>
<p>Do we benefit from learning about the flaws of people we admire and respect?
Should we limit our use of the term “courage” to acts in which people risk their own well-being for the sake of others or to uphold a value?
Should we admire heroes but not celebrities?
Is there a value in celebrating certain individuals as heroes?
Is it possible to be a hero in the modern world? (Dec 10)
Should ordinary people be considered heroes, or should the term “hero” be reserved for extraordinary people? (June 10)
Do we benefit from learning about the flaws of people we admire and respect? (June 09)</p>
<p>Tradition</p>
<p>Do all established traditions deserve to remain in existence?
Do people need to “unlearn,” or reject, many of their assumptions and ideas?
Should people always prefer new things, ideas, or values to those of the past?
Do incidents from the past continue to influence the present?
Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present?
Is it always necessary to find new solutions to problems?
Does tradition prevent people from doing things in new or more sensible ways? (Mar 12)
Should we pay more attention to people who are older and more experienced than we are? (May 09)</p>
<p>Loyalty</p>
<p>Should people always be loyal?
Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the truth?
Can deceptionpretending that something is true when it is notsometimes have good results?
Is it sometimes necessary to be impolite?
Is acting an essential part of everyday life?
Does familiarity prevent people from developing or maintaining respect for others? (Nov 12)
Is it wise to be suspicious of the motives or honesty of other people, even those who appear to be trustworthy? (Jan 12)
Does accepting the values of a group [family, sports teams, country] allow people to avoid taking responsibility for their own thoughts and actions? (June 11)</p>
<p>Others (less clearly defined; separated by spaces)</p>
<p>Is compromise always the best way to resolve a conflict?
Should people choose one of two opposing sides of an issue, or is the truth usually found “in the middle”?</p>
<p>Is the main value of the arts to teach us about the world around us?
Can books and stories about characters and events that are not real teach us anything useful?</p>
<p>Can common sense be trusted and accepted, or should it be questioned?
Do people put too much emphasis on learning practical skills?
Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general?</p>
<p>Should people let their feelings guide them when they make important decisions?
Can people have too much enthusiasm?
Do images and impressions have too much of an effect on people?</p>
<p>Are decisions made quickly just as good as decisions made slowly and carefully?
Should people change their decisions when circumstances change, or is it best for them to stick with their original decisions?
Is it better to change one’s attitude than to change one’s circumstances?</p>
<p>Is criticismjudging or finding fault with the ideas and actions of othersessential for personal well-being and social progress? </p>
<p>Do people benefit from forms of entertainment that show so-called reality, or are such forms of entertainment harmful? (Mar 11)</p>
<p>Are photographs straightforward representations of real life, or are they artistic creations reflecting the photographer’s point of view? (Mar 11)</p>
<p>Is it important for people to spend time outdoors and to learn to appreciate the natural environment? (Oct 10)</p>
<p>Are the values of a society most clearly revealed in its popular culture? (Nov 09)</p>
<p>Should people let their feelings guide them when they make important decisions? (May 09)</p>
<p>thanks… make me easier … analyzing easier</p>
<p>After reading through these prompts I have decided that one should make up examples. There are always a certain number of prompts which will not fit into your predetermined examples. Always make up examples unless a glaring example seems obvious to you.</p>
<p>bump in case you are looking for something like this</p>
<p>With the 75 or so past essay prompts I honestly think that predicting the prompt is a waste of time. </p>
<p>Either focus on writing skills or focus on broad examples (books, historical items, personal experiences) that can apply to a wide array of prompts.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.education.com/reference/article/sat-prep-test-essay-writing-themes/[/url]”>Articles | Education.com; </p>
<p>I came up with 2 quotes and 3 stories/ characters for each of these to use.</p>
<p>bump for those that use AcademicHacker’s guide (help figure out Universal Template/practice) or want to practice for the SAT Essay</p>
<p>It’s very helpful. I am preparing examples from different categories. But do you have any suggestions on preparing good examples rather than the trite ones?</p>
<p>awesome man!! thank you :D</p>
<p>There are 15 core topics. Every SAT essay question will fit into more than one of these so called core topics. . If you really want to know more there is a very simple way to pre write your essay.
fifteen core topics
choices
motivation
competition vs. cooperation
perfection
conflict
perspective/truth
conscience/ethics
sacrifice/suffering
creativity
success
group vs. individual
technology/change
happiness
wisdom
heroism</p>
<p>anyone could update?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>bump this yo</p>
<p>bump for june testers</p>
<p>@"All American" what is the december sat essay?
Can any one get it from japan korea or china!!</p>
Quick question: is this list updated to all the questions until 2014?
Thanks a lot for this, it does give more idea on what to expect #:-S