SAT Essay Questions

Prompt:
"That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. It is
dearness only which gives everything its value."
Thomas Paine
Assignment:
Do we value only what we struggle for? Plan your response, and
then write an essay to explain your views on this issue. Be sure to
support your position with specific points and examples. (You may
use personal examples or examples from your reading,
observations, or, knowledge of subjects such as history, literature,
science.)

Prompt:
If we are afraid to reveal our lack of knowledge we will not be able
to learn. In order to make progress we must admit where we are
now. Such an admission of ignorance is not easy. As Thoreau says,
“How can we remember our ignorance which our growth requires,
when we are using our knowledge all the time?”
Assignment:
Does the present system of education encourage us to admit our
lack of knowledge, or is there too much pressure to demonstrate the
acquisition of knowledge? Plan your response, and then write an
essay...

Prompt:
“A little inaccuracy saves a world of explanation.”
C.E.Ayers
Assignment:
Is it always essential to tell the truth, or are there circumstances in
which it is better to lie? Plan your response, and then write an
essay...

Prompt:
Many societies believe that the pursuit of happiness is a
fundamental human right. But it is also true that attainment of
happiness remains elusive. Perhaps Bertrand Russell had it right
when he said, “To be without some of the things you want is an
indispensable part of happiness.”
Assignment:
What gives us more pleasure and satisfaction: the pursuit of our
desires or the attainment of them? Plan your response, and then
write an essay...

Prompt:
“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
Winston Churchill
Assignment:
Do we expect too much from our public figures? Plan your response,
and then write an essay...

Prompt:
“A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong,
which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he
was yesterday.”
Alexander Pope
Assignment:
Do we learn more from finding out that we have made mistakes or
from our successful actions? Plan your response, and then write an
essay...

Prompt:
“What man calls civilization always results in deserts. Man is never
on the square – he uses up the fat and greenery of the earth. Each
generation wastes a little more of the future with greed and lust for
riches.”
Don Marquis
Assignment:
With our modern awareness of ecology are we likely to make
sufficient progress in conservation, or are we still in danger of
damaging the earth beyond repair? Plan your response, and then
write an essay...

Prompt:
A man who waits to believe in action before acting is anything you
like, but he is not a man of action. It is as if a tennis player before
returning the ball stopped to think about his views of the physical
and mental advantages of tennis. You must act as you breathe.
Georges Clemenceau
Assignment:
Is it true that acting quickly and instinctively is the best response to
a crisis? Or are there times when an urgent situation requires a
more careful consideration and a slower response? Plan your
response, and then write an essay...

Prompt:
There is usually a kernel of truth in the words Oscar Wilde puts in
the mouth of his most outrageous characters – they wouldn’t be
funny otherwise. One such gem that is worth pondering is: The only
thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to
oneself.
Assignment:
Is it true that when we most need advice we are least willing to
listen to it? Or is good advice always welcome? Plan your response,
and then write an essay...

Prompt:
“Independence? That’s middle class blasphemy. We are all
dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.” Bernard
Shaw expected to provoke controversy with these words, but I would
agree with him that these days there is too much emphasis on
independence. While it is certainly true that excessive dependence
on others is not a sign of maturity, total independence of others is
neither attainable nor desirable: we need to be mature, and
unselfish enough to recognize our interdependence.
Assignment:
Do we put too much emphasis on self-reliance and independence,
and are we afraid of admitting that we need other people in our
lives? Plan your response, and then write an essay...

Experience
• Do we benefit from learning about the flaws of people we admire
and respect?
• Should we pay more attention to people who are older and more
experienced than we are?
• Do incidents from the past continue to influence the present?
• Do we really benefit from every event or experience in some way?
• Can books and stories about characters and events that are not
real teach us anything useful?
• Does true learning only occur when we experience difficulties?
• Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the
past and succeed in the present?
• Do people put too much emphasis on learning practical skills?

Hard Work
• Is it best for people to accept who they are and what they have, or
should people always strive to better themselves?
• Do highly accomplished people achieve more than others mainly
because they expect more of themselves?
• Is persistence more important than ability in determining a
person's success?
• Is identity something people are born with or given, or is it
something people create for themselves?
• Do people achieve greatness only by finding out what they are
especially good at and developing that attribute above all else?
• Do people truly benefit from hardship and misfortune?
• Is it best to have low expectations and to set goals we are sure of
achieving?
• Is it better to change one's attitude than to change one's
circumstances?
• Is it better for people to be realistic or optimistic?
• Can people achieve success only if they aim to be perfect?
• Is it sometimes better to take risks than to follow a more
reasonable course of action?

Winning
• When some people win, must others lose, or are there situations in
which everyone wins?
• Do people place too much emphasis on winning?
• Do people learn more from losing than from winning?
• Is the effort involved in pursuing any goal valuable, even if the
goal is not reached?

Happiness
• Do people need to compare themselves with others in order to
appreciate what they have?
• Does fame bring happiness, or are people who are not famous
more likely to be happy?
• Does having a large number of options to choose from make
people happy?
• 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 happiness something over which people have no control, or can
people choose to be happy?
• Do success and happiness depend on the choices people make
rather than on factors beyond their control?

Popular Views
• Can common sense be trusted and accepted, or should it be
questioned?
• Is it better for a society when people act as individuals rather than
copying the ideas and opinions of others?
• Are widely held views often wrong, or are such views more likely to
be correct?
• Are organizations or groups most successful when their members
pursue individual wishes and goals?
• Is it always better to be original than to imitate or use the ideas of
others?
• Is it always necessary to find new solutions to problems?
• Is criticism—judging or finding fault with the ideas and actions of
others—essential for personal well-being and social progress?
• Can people ever be truly original?
• 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?
• Do we put too much value on the ideas or actions of individual
people?
• Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in
positions of authority?
• Do we tend to accept the opinions of others instead of developing
our own independent ideas?

Teamwork
• Is it necessary for people to combine their efforts with those of
others in order to be most effective?
• Is compromise always the best way to resolve a conflict?
• Can a group of people function effectively without someone being
in charge?
• Do people achieve more success by cooperation than by
competition?

Making Decisions
• Should people let their feelings guide them when they make
important decisions?
• Does planning interfere with creativity?
• Should people change their decisions when circumstances change,
or is it best for them to stick with their original decisions?
• Are decisions made quickly just as good as decisions made slowly
and carefully?

Heroes
• 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?

Ethics
• Does being ethical make it hard to be successful?
• Are people's actions motivated primarily by a desire for power
over others?
• Should people always be loyal?
• Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the
truth?
• Is it important to try to understand people's motivations before
judging their actions?
• Can deception—pretending that something is true when it is not—
sometimes have good results?
• Are established rules too limited to guide people in real-life
situations?
• Should schools help students understand moral choices and social
issues?

Social
• Is it sometimes necessary to be impolite?
• Do all established traditions deserve to remain in existence?
• Is the main value of the arts to teach us about the world around
us?
• Should modern society be criticized for being materialistic?
• Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that
affect their communities or the nation in general?

Technology
• Has today's abundance of information only made it more difficult
for us to understand the world around us?
• Should society limit people's exposure to some kinds of
information or forms of expression?
• Are there benefits to be gained from avoiding the use of modern
technology, even when using it would make life easier?
• Do images and impressions have too much of an effect on people?
• 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?
• Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?
• Is education primarily the result of influences other than school?
• Does a strong commitment to technological progress cause a
society to neglect other values, such as education and the
protection of the environment?
• Are all important discoveries the result of focusing on one subject?
• Do newspapers, magazines, television, radio, movies, the Internet,
and other media determine what is important to most people?

June 2009
1. Do we benefit from learning about the flaws of people we admire
and respect?
2. Is it best for people to accept who they are and what they have,
or should people always strive to better themselves?
3. Can common sense be trusted and accepted, or should it be
questioned?
4. When some people win, must others lose, or are there situations
in which everyone wins?

May 2009
1. Should we pay more attention to people who are older and more
experienced than we are?
2. Should people let their feelings guide them when they make
important decisions?
3. Has today's abundance of information only made it more difficult
for us to understand the world around us?

March 2009
1. Does being ethical make it hard to be successful?
2. Is it sometimes necessary to be impolite?
3. 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?
January 2009
1. Does planning interfere with creativity?
2. Do highly accomplished people achieve more than others mainly
because they expect more of themselves?
3. Should people change their decisions when circumstances
change, or is it best for them to stick with their original decisions?

December 2008
1. Is persistence more important than ability in determining a
person's success?
2. Is acting an essential part of everyday life?
3. Can people have too much enthusiasm?

November 2008
1. Do all established traditions deserve to remain in existence?
2. Do people need to compare themselves with others in order to
appreciate what they have?
3. Should society limit people's exposure to some kinds of
information or forms of expression?
4. Is it necessary for people to combine their efforts with those of
others in order to be most effective?

October 2008
1. Is compromise always the best way to resolve a conflict?
2. Are decisions made quickly just as good as decisions made slowly
and carefully?
3. Can a group of people function effectively without someone being
in charge?

June 2008
1. Does fame bring happiness, or are people who are not famous
more likely to be happy?
2. Is it better for a society when people act as individuals rather
than copying the ideas and opinions of others?
3. Are widely held views often wrong, or are such views more likely
to be correct?
May 2008
1. Are there benefits to be gained from avoiding the use of modern
technology, even when using it would make life easier?
2. Do people place too much emphasis on winning?
3. Are people's actions motivated primarily by a desire for power
over others?
4. Do incidents from the past continue to influence the present?

March 2008
1. Are organizations or groups most successful when their members
pursue individual wishes and goals?
2. Should people always be loyal?
3. Do people learn more from losing than from winning?

January 2008
1. Is it always better to be original than to imitate or use the ideas of
others?
2. Is the effort involved in pursuing any goal valuable, even if the
goal is not reached?
3. Should people always prefer new things, ideas, or values to those
of the past?
4. Is there any value for people to belong only to a group or groups
with which they have something in common?

December 2007
1. Do people need to "unlearn," or reject, many of their assumptions
and ideas?
2. Should people choose one of two opposing sides of an issue, or is
the truth usually found "in the middle"?
3. Do images and impressions have too much of an effect on
people?
4. Is the most important purpose of technology today different from
what it was in the past?

November 2007
1. Does having a large number of options to choose from make
people happy?
2. Is it always necessary to find new solutions to problems?
3. Is the main value of the arts to teach us about the world around
us?
4. Is criticism—judging or finding fault with the ideas and actions of
others—essential for personal well-being and social progress?

October 2007
1. Is identity something people are born with or given, or is it
something people create for themselves?
2. Can people ever be truly original?
3. Do people achieve greatness only by finding out what they are
especially good at and developing that attribute above all else?
4. Should we admire heroes but not celebrities?

June 2007
1. Are people more likely to be happy if they focus on goals other
than their own happiness?
2. Is there a value in celebrating certain individuals as heroes?
3. Have modern advancements truly improved the quality of
people's lives?
4. Do people truly benefit from hardship and misfortune?

May 2007
1. Should modern society be criticized for being materialistic?
2. Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?
3. Is it always best to determine one's own views of right and wrong,
or can we benefit from following the crowd?
4. Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the
truth?

March 2007
1. Is it more valuable for people to fit in than to be unique and
different?
2. Is it best to have low expectations and to set goals we are sure of
achieving?
3. Do we really benefit from every event or experience in some
way?
January 2007
1. Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that
affect their communities or the nation in general?
2. Is it more important to do work that one finds fulfilling or work
that pays well?
3. Is education primarily the result of influences other than school?
4. Is it better to change one's attitude than to change one's
circumstances?

December 2006
1. Are people more likely to be productive and successful when they
ignore the opinions of others?
2. Is it better for people to be realistic or optimistic?
3. Is it important to try to understand people's motivations before
judging their actions?
4. Is happiness something over which people have no control, or can
people choose to be happy?

November 2006
1. Do we put too much value on the ideas or actions of individual
people?
2. Can books and stories about characters and events that are not
real teach us anything useful?
3. Can people achieve success only if they aim to be perfect?
4. Do success and happiness depend on the choices people make
rather than on factors beyond their control?

October 2006
1. Do people achieve more success by cooperation than by
competition?
2. Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in
positions of authority?
3. Does true learning only occur when we experience difficulties?
4. Can deception—pretending that something is true when it is not—
sometimes have good results?

June 2006
1. Does a strong commitment to technological progress cause a
society to neglect other values, such as education and the
protection of the environment?
2. Are established rules too limited to guide people in real-life
situations?
3. Is it sometimes better to take risks than to follow a more
reasonable course of action?
4. Do we tend to accept the opinions of others instead of developing
our own independent ideas?

January 2006
1. Are all important discoveries the result of focusing on one
subject?

June 2005
1. Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from
the past and succeed in the present?
2. Do people put too much emphasis on learning practical skills?
3. Should schools help students understand moral choices and social
issues?
4. Do newspapers, magazines, television, radio, movies, the
Internet, and other media determine what is important to most
people?

March 2005
1. Is creativity needed more than ever in the world today?