College Confidential
» CC HOME » FORUM HOME

  College Confidential > College Admissions and Search > SAT and ACT Tests & Test Preparation
New User

Welcome to College Confidential!
The leading college-bound community on the web
Join for FREE now, and start talking with other members, weighing in on community polls, and more.

Also, by registering and logging in you'll see fewer ads and pesky welcome messages (like this one)!
Discussion Menu
»Discussion Home
»Help & Rules
»Latest Posts
»NEW! CampusVibe™
»Stats Profiles
Top Forums
»College Chances
»College Search
»College Admissions
»Financial Aid
»SAT/ACT
»Parents
»Colleges
»Ivy League
Main CC Site
»College Confidential
»College Search
»College Admissions
»Paying for College
Sponsors
SuperMatch - The Future of College Search!
CampusVibe - Almost As Good As A Campus Visit!
Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-20-2012, 12:05 AM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5
Grade My SAT Essay

The word "uncompromising" is often used as a compliment, especially when it describes someone who is completely dedicated to certain principles and values. Uncompromising people have indeed recorded great achievements. But being uncompromising is not always a virtue. People who are uncompromising tend not to consider other people's views, seeing themselves as right and everyone else as wrong. All in all, it is better to be flexible and make compromises.

Assignment: Are people more likely to achieve their goals by being flexible or by refusing to compromise? 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.

Essay:

Although being uncompromising can help a person move a few steps toward his or her goal, it often leads to failure in the long run. To prosper in any aspect in life, the approval and alacrity of the public is needed. A building cannot stand without support. Support is needed. It is just as in the case of Adolf Hitler. He was not the most just and fair ruler, but his people gave him power because he was flexible. It is also as in the case of the American Civil Rights Revolution. The bigoted authorities did not heed their people's cries for equality and were eventually overthrown along with their racist and biased principals.

In the first example, Adolf Hitler was an adroit speaker. He listened to the people of Germany and knew what they wanted. He also knew what he wanted. He was skilful at making speeches to the public and he used this skill to his advantage: he told the German's exactly what they wanted to hear but was simultaneously hidebound by his obdurate beliefs and aims. It may be looked at as a form of manipulation but it was effective, and Hitler was not uncompromising.

In the second example, the United States before the twenty first century was a country of biased and unjust laws. The authorities of that time believed in the superiority of the white race. Over time, many people, such as Malcom X, began to rise in protest to these immoral beliefs and preached a lucid message to the public: they demanded equality. They demanded rights as human beings. But the authorities were just as tenacious. They refused to listen to the strong voice of the public and it was their stubbornness and uncompromising mentality that lead to their fall from power.

To conclude, it is worth mentioning that a person should have specific goals in mind and to stick by them. But it is just as important to be flexible enough to adapt to the public's needs and circumstances. Listening to the public's cries will determine whether or not a person will stay in power.
Marshal is offline   Reply   
Old 07-20-2012, 02:01 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 1,913
You can improve your essay by using better transition words (don't use "in the first example," "in the second example,"). And make the essay longer if you can (I know, I hate the length-score correlation).

I don't have the mind of an SAT grader (nor do I aspire to/care to), so idk what grade I'd give...maybe an 8.
rspence is offline   Reply   
Old 07-20-2012, 09:25 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Duke '15
Posts: 82
I agree that the essay should be made longer, not for the length-score correlation but that you'd do well with more substantive examples. Also, I had to look up alacrity, adroit, hidebound, and obdurate. Take from that what you will. With a little more meat to your essay, I think you could hit a 6/6, but I'd give this a 5/6 as it is. Maybe 4 if I was cranky.
Omicron is offline   Reply   
Old 07-21-2012, 03:46 AM   #4
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5
I'll try to make the next essay longer. This one took up 22 minutes though, so I don't know how I can make that happen. @rspencec , @Omicron :Thank you for taking the time to read and grade my essay; it's appreciated.
Marshal is offline   Reply   
Old 07-21-2012, 11:37 AM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Duke '15
Posts: 82
I think you need to be coming up with more examples or ways to further elaborate on your examples. The Hitler paragraph in particular could be easily condensed to 2-3 sentences. You should try focusing on throwing in events and dates and quotes from famous dead people and such.
Omicron is offline   Reply   
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
grading, sat essay

Thread Tools



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:38 AM.




Copyright 2001-2011, Hobsons, Inc., All Rights Reserved