SAT Practice Essay

Here is the SAT practice essay we did in class. The first line should give a decent enough outline about what it's about. I think my downfall is that I don't like to think in concrete examples but more via rhetorical means. Oh well.



In a quote, a writer states that “I am concerned that learning for learning’s sake is no longer considered desirable, that everything we do and think must be directed towards the solution of a practical problem.” This is true in many ways, and even is evident in the hectic atmosphere of high school. It can be seen in classes of all types; many students are apathetic about anything that does not contribute to them getting an A. Why is this, exactly? When did the love of learning, which the majority of us had in our younger years, begin to dissipate?
In English class, we are all assigned literature to read and discuss in class and for homework. Many times, students admit that the books we read are generally enjoyable. But even with that response, does it mean that they would have read that book in the free time? The Poisonwood Bible is a good example of this. It is a well-written book that is dramatic, riveting and well-paced. However, if this book was not assigned as a text, what percentage of the Sophomore class would go borrow or buy it? It is most likely that majority would ignore even the most extravagant acclaim for the book and go on doing schoolwork.
The reason for this is probably because of our constrictive high-school environment. In school our grades are emphasized, not our discovery of new and novel information. Sure, we might learn something unique off hand in a class, but most of our academic lives are spent worrying about our exams and our GPA. Because of this expectation or goal hovering above our heads, it is an inherent fact that there is a tendency for students to ignore “frivolous” information that, in real life, can be very enriching. For much of our lives, we have goals to reach on a constant basis. It is not only in high school that we are pressured to be efficient and pragmatic. We all have necessary actions, such as doing well on a test, paying off a loan, etc. that restrict the learning of things not related to these tasks. In the chaos of attempting to streamline our lives, the will to learn new things also get thrown out.
The problem with this, however, is that it can be taken to extremes. Technically speaking, nothing is really necessary but the skill set needed to work in a specific occupation. This provides the money in order to live without going destitute. It would also be the most efficient route of living. From birth, kids could be placed on a specific track towards an occupational goal. But could you imagine that? What an Orwellian existence that would be! We would be more like robots from a factory than humans. It is simply human nature to be curious about the unknown. Through this learning, we have created the world we know today. Without this curiosity, we would become solitary, single-minded beings, ignorant to the world around us.
Of course, it is important to prioritize and question the necessity of the things that could potentially complicate our lives. The modern world is complex and in the search to find purpose in our lives, many people shut out things they deem do not apply to them. However, it is important to realize that our understanding and learning of things outside our own lives is what makes us human. So yes, maybe reading a new book or exploring art or anything like that might not give us an advantage in the future. And yes, people might say that it is necessary to focus on practical skills in order to succeed in life. But there will always be time to knick back, pick up a novel, and explore a completely foreign world. Life is not always predictable, efficient, and pragmatic. In the same way, we should not lock ourselves in a world where practicality reigns. The question here is not one about if we are pressured to learn practical skills – this is an inevitable fact in a world where working is the primary method of living happily and successfully. The real question is: Will you spend your days in accordance to what practicality dictates, or will you go out and live, learning for learning’s sake?