<p>Hello guys, first time poster here on the CC forums, though I have followed them for a while now. Anyway, I’m taking the SAT in 1 week so I’m freaking out and have been taking a practice SAT every other day. Although my range is from 2000-2150, I always wonder how well I did on my essay. I usually get 8-12 depending on the day but here is one that I did today and I got a 12 but I’m still not sure why. The SAT graders can be picky =/ 25 minutes as always and here it is:
Edit: BTW the question was: Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things their own way?</p>
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<p>When people are allowed to become self-sufficient, they are able to accomplish more because they know their own goals and expectations. Being told to do something is very stressful because there is the additional pressure of messing up and disappointing that person. Two examples that show this are the character Adam from East of Eden and my personal experience looking for a part time job.</p>
<p>In John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, he recreates that biblical story of Cain and Abel in modern times, using the characters Charles and Adam. Charles and Adam are both under pressure from their father, Cyrus to be strong military men. However, Cyrus openly prefers Adam over Charles, and in a classic case of sibling rivalry, Charles gets jealous. Until, this point Adam always felt suppressed and unable to be his own person. Charles’ anger finally erupts as he beats his brother almost to death. Adam, seeing his brother with eyes wild and dangerous decides that it is his time to experience the world. Adam leaves the house and joins the military in an attempt to please his father. He figures that as soon as his service is up, he can experience the world. Adam finds a wife, has twins, and moves to Salinas, California, finally settling in his own private land. He is finally satisfied with his life and openly admits that he attributes his success to his own ability to be self-sufficient. Charles is kept under the iron grip of his father, obeying his every word, but he never leaves the farm he was born in. Adam is the epitome of potential unlocked when left to his own devices. He had a very intelligent mind and only when he was left to himself, was he able to thrive.</p>
<p>As a young 11 year old boy, I was clueless to the way the world functions. Bills meant nothing, money wasn’t important, and everything was provided for me. after moving on to Junior High School, I met many intelligent friends that were somewhat more educated in the economy than I was. Our discussions changed from cartoons to money because I was very interested in this new take on the world. That summer I asked my parents if I could get a job. They refused saying that I was too young to start working, but nothing could stop my ambition. Finally at 14, they got me a minimum wage job, working as a cashier in a small grocery store, and I was miserable. The pay was good at the time, but I felt nothing to indicate that I was becoming more experienced at life. For the next year I pleaded with my parents to allow me to find my own job or internship. They finally concurred that if I was able to, then I could work there. After finding a college professor who had a biology lab working with lab mice, I was ecstatic. I was an unpaid intern, doing menial work, but I was happy. That experience alone allowed me to get a 100 in biology in my sophomore year of High School. I’m still in contact with that professor and he has agreed to write me a letter of recommendation to the college of my choosing. Today, I find that summer to be one of the most important experiences in my life. It gave me the confidence I needed to know that if I go out there and try hard, I will get rewarded.</p>
<p>Knowing that ambition provides opportunity, I am sure that surrogate confidence coming from someone other than yourself can never be as helpful. Until the chains that have been weighing one down can be lifted, the person has no chance to succeed. Adam and I have shown that when allowed to finally do things our way, we got the job done. We had confidence in our own abilities and had success because of it.</p>