<p>Just wrote this today by hand in 25 minutes. Preparing for the October SAT, and I’m a little worried about the essay. The last time I took the SAT was as an 8th grader, and somehow, with absolutely no essay prep beforehand, I made an 11. But my essay scores are honestly always all over the place 
Thank you so much ahead of time!! I was sort of on a time crunch for this one, so it gets a little bit… iffy… at the end. 
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<p>Prompt: Can success be disastrous? (Blue book practice test #6 prompt) </p>
<p>Humans are often guided by their selfish goals. Many people set forth a plan that they carry out their entire life in order to achieve their definition of success. While success yields fulfillment and advantages, the road to achievement presents many obstacles that ultimately lead to one’s destruction, such as Ebineezer Scrooge ad his avarice, and candidates vying for the coveted spot as president.
Many people dream of making a fortune, never running out of money, and living a luxurious life. However, the few that make it that far often fall prey to the traps of great wealth. For example, in Charles Dickens’, “A Christmas Carol,” Ebineezer Scrooge, the protagonist, has a sole focus in life: money. As a result, he blocks out all other aspects of humanity like friends and love. The plot of the story is centered on Scrooge being led through his past, the present, and the possible future. He realizes that wealth isn’t everything, and that the narrow-minded perspective he has had all along will harm him in the future. Although this story is fictional, it heeds an important warning. Those who relentlessly pursue a goal must beware losing sight of what matters, or else their narrow perspectives will lead them down the path of destruction.
Personally, I have lived through a similar experience that has taught me lessons on the price of success. A year ago, my one and only desire was to win my school’s “highest GPA” award. My academic drive towards this goal powered me to the end, but with many losses along the way that I overlooked. I lost friends, lost a better purpose, and lost the time for relaxation. My personal account of this reminds me that the satisfaction of achievement will not always pay back the sacrifices that one has to make. This further justifies that one must beware the path they set out on before making the journey because sometimes, it’s too late to turn back.
Similarly, candidates in a presidential election must undergo a rough selection to earn the prize. Through these debates and speeches many candidates turn to immoral practices and unethical procedures to garner favor with the public and secure their goal. But as history shows, the achievement of a goal is often outweighed by the disasters of success. The underlying message of success stories remains clear: be careful what you wish for; there are always consequences. </p>