Conformity v. Individuality–Following the Crowd
- 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?
–Following Authority
- 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?
- Does planning interfere with creativity?
–Following Creativity
- 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?
–Collaboration and Success
- 1s 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?
–Ethics and Success
- 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?
–Quality or Quantity and Success
- 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?
Technological “Progress”
- 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?
- 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?
Motivation and Success
–Hardship and Success
- 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?
- 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?
–Self-Determination and Success
- 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 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?
–Self-Expectation and Success
- 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?
- 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?
Heroes
- 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?
- 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?
Tradition
- 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?
- 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?
- Is acting an essential part of everyday life?
Loyalty
-Should people always be loyal?
-Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the truth?
-Can deception—pretending that something is true when it is not—sometimes have good results?
-Do circumstances determine whether or not we should tell the truth?
-Can deception—pretending that something is true when it is not—sometimes have good results?
Others (less clearly defined; separated by spaces)
- Is it sometimes necessary to be impolite ?
- 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”?
- Should people choose one of two opposing sides of an issue, or is the truth usually found “in the middle”?
- 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?
- Can books and stories about characters and events that are not real teach us anything useful?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- Can people have too much enthusiasm?
- Do images and impressions have too much of an effect on people?
- 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?
- 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?
- Is criticism—judging or finding fault with the ideas and actions of others—essential for personal well-being and social progress?
- Does having a large number of options to choose from make people happy?
Source: satninja.com, SAT Essay Prompts since 2005
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