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MCAT Writing Sample Prompts 5


The best policy for a nation is to exert a strong foreign influence.
Describe a specific situation in which the best policy for a nation might not be to exert a strong foreign influence. Discuss what you think determines when a nation should exert a strong foreign influence and when it should not.
The abundance of information on the Internet limits its usefulness.
Describe a specific situation in which the abundance of information on the Internet might not limit its usefulness. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the abundance of information on the Internet limits its usefulness.
Education occurs when the student has a desire to learn.
Describe a specific situation in which education might occur without the student's having a desire to learn. Discuss what you think determines when education requires that the student have a desire to learn and when it does not.
In achieving political compromise, a rational argument is more effective than a threat to disrupt order.
Describe a specific situation in which a threat to disrupt order might be more effective than a rational argument in achieving a political compromise. Discuss what you think determines whether a rational argument or a threat to disrupt order is more effective in achieving political compromise.
The power of politicians is often due to their reputations.
Describe a specific situation in which the power of a politician might not be due to reputation. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a politician's power is due to reputation.
A politician's lifestyle should reflect his or her political views.
Describe a specific situation in which a politician's lifestyle might not reflect his or her political views. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a politician's lifestyle should reflect his or her political views.
We too often measure our freedom by what we do not have to do rather than by what we should do.
Describe a specific situation in which we might measure our freedom by what we should do. Discuss what you think determines whether we measure our freedom by our obligations or our lack of them.
Employers should not withhold information from their employees.
Describe a specific situation in which an employer might justifiably withhold information from employees. Discuss what you think determines when employers should withhold information from their employees and when they should not.
Once elected, a politician's only goal is to stay in office.
Describe a specific situation in which a politician might have a goal other than to stay in office. Discuss what you think determines when staying in office becomes the sole objective of a politician and when it does not.
In business, quick solutions often do not address the real source of a problem.
Describe a specific business situation when a quick solution might address the real source of a problem. Discuss what you think determines when quick solutions in business address the real source of a problem and when they do not.
Groups that attempt to influence government policy are only interested in benefiting themselves.
Describe a specific situation in which a group attempting to influence government policy might be interested in benefiting others. Discuss what you think determines when groups attempting to influence government policy do so for their own benefit and when they do so for the benefit of others.
It is not good ideas, but rather personal influence, that leads to success in politics.
Describe a specific situation in which good ideas might lead to success in politics. Discuss what you think determines whether good ideas or personal influence leads to success in politics.
What is taught in school should be a representation of the best that has been thought and said in the past.
Describe something that should be taught in school but does not represent "the best that has been thought and said in the past." Discuss what you think determines when education should emphasize the past.
Pride weakens powerful nations.
Describe a specific situation in which pride would not weaken a powerful nation. Discuss what you think determines whether or not pride weakens powerful nations.
A leader cannot act fairly and at the same time please everyone.
Describe a specific situation in which a leader might act fairly and still please everyone. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a leader's acting fairly can please everyone.
In politics, appearing decisive is more important than actually making decisions.
Describe a specific situation in which making decisions in politics might be more important than appearing decisive. Discuss what you think determines when it is more important in politics to appear decisive and when it is more important to make decisions.
History is the record of but a few events, repeated again and again, different only in time and context.
Describe a specific historical event that was or might be unique rather than a repetition of a previous event from a different time and context. Discuss what you think determines when historical events can be said to be unique and when they can be described as repetitions of events from earlier times and contexts.
Good government demands that principles must sometimes be compromised.
Describe a specific situation in which good government might not demand that principles be compromised. Discuss what you think determines whether or not good government requires that principles be compromised.
Developed nations have an obligation to provide aid to the underdeveloped nations of the world.
Describe a specific situation in which a developed nation might not be obligated to provide aid to an underdeveloped nation. Discuss what you think determines when developed nations have an obligation to provide aid to underdeveloped nations.
Truth is an ideal to which all researchers should aspire, but they should never assume they have actually found it.
Describe a specific situation in which researchers might reasonably assume they have found the truth. Discuss what you think determines whether or not researchers can reasonably be said to have found the truth.
Politicians should maintain ethical standards higher than those of other citizens.
Describe a specific situation in which a politician should not be expected to maintain higher ethical standards than other citizens. Discuss what you think determines when politicians should be expected to maintain higher ethical standards than other citizens and when they should not.
Most advertising is designed to prevent consumers from making rational choices.
Describe a specific situation in which advertising does or might help consumers make rational choices. Discuss what you think determines whether or not advertising prevents customers from making rational choices.
Scientists should seek to confirm theories or hypotheses rather than to refute them.
Describe a specific situation in which a scientist might seek to refute a theory or hypothesis rather than to confirm it. Discuss what you think determines when scientists should seek to confirm theories or hypotheses and when they should seek to refute them.
People are influenced more by the media than by their parents' values.
Describe a specific situation in which people might be more influenced by their parents' values than by the media. Discuss what you think determines whether or not people are influenced more by the media than by their parents' values.
To be successful in business, it is important to appear socially acceptable.
Describe a specific situation in which a person or group was or might be successful in business without appearing socially acceptable. Discuss what you think determines when success in business depends upon appearing socially acceptable.
Visual images convey reality more accurately than words do.
Describe a specific situation in which visual images might not convey reality more accurately than words do. Discuss what you think determines whether or not visual images convey reality more accurately than words do.
Education makes everyone equal.
Describe a specific situation in which education does not make everyone equal. Discuss what you think determines whether or not education makes everyone equal.
Music has the power to entertain, but seldom to educate.
Describe a specific situation in which music might have the power to educate. Discuss what you think determines when music has the power to entertain and when it has the power to educate.
The success of a business depends on its ability to compete.
Describe a specific situation in which the success of a business might not depend on its ability to compete. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the success of a business depends on its ability to compete.
Wealthy people should be required to share a portion of their wealth with the less fortunate.
Describe a specific situation in which wealthy people should not be required to share a portion of their wealth with the less fortunate. Discuss what you think determines whether or not wealthy people should be required to share a portion of their wealth with the less fortunate.
Reading educates. Television entertains.
Describe a specific situation in which television can or might educate. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television can be educational.
A nation's history is shaped more by popular ideas than by the actions of its government.
Describe a specific situation in which a nation's history might be shaped more by the actions of its government than by popular ideas. Discuss what you think determines whether a nation's history is shaped more by popular ideas or by the actions of its government.
We must obey not only the laws of which we approve, but also those of which we may not approve.
Describe a specific situation in which one who does not approve of a law might justifiably break that law. Discuss what you think determines when it is justified to break a law.
The function of the press should be to report only the facts of daily events, not to influence the public's opinion about those facts.
Describe a specific situation when the press might be justified in attempting to influence the public's opinion. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the press should attempt to influence public opinion.
Heroes are ordinary people made heroic by circumstance.
Describe a specific situation in which someone might be heroic because of something other than circumstance. Discuss what you think determines when heroism is dependent on circumstance and when it is not.
One must learn discipline before one can learn anything else.
Describe a specific situation in which a person might not need to learn discipline before learning anything else. Discuss what you think determines when a person must learn discipline before learning anything else.
Political debate often gets in the way of political action.
Describe a specific situation in which political debate might not get in the way of political action. Discuss what you think determines whether or not political debate will get in the way of political action.
Democratic nations should offer refuge to citizens of oppressive governments.
Describe a specific situation in which a democratic nation should not offer refuge to citizens of an oppressive government. Discuss what you think determines whether democratic nations should offer refuge to citizens of oppressive governments.
In politics, campaign promises are seldom kept after the election is won.
Describe a specific situation in which a campaign promise is likely to be kept after an election is won. Discuss what you think determines whether a particular campaign promise will be kept.
The main concern of law is the protection of persons, not the protection of property.
Describe a specific situation in which the main concern of a law might be to protect property rather than persons. Discuss what you think determines when the main concern of law is the protection of persons and when it is the protection of property.
Only the history of free nations is worthy of study.
Describe a specific situation in which the study of a nation that was or is not free might be worthy of study. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a nation's history is worthy of study.
For a leader, good management is often more important than clear policy.
Describe a specific situation in which clear policy might be more important for a leader than good management. Discuss what you think determines whether good management or clear policy is more important for a leader.
Technological advances contribute to the development of a free and open society.
Describe a specific situation in which technological advances might not contribute to the development of a free and open society. Discuss what you think determines whether or not technological advances contribute to the development of a free and open society.
In a truly free and open society, censorship of the press can never be justified.
Describe a specific situation when, in a free and open society, censorship of the press might be justified. Discuss what you think determines when censorship of the press can be justified in a free and open society and when it cannot.
Advances in technology benefit some people while disadvantaging others.
Describe a specific situation in which advances in technology benefit everyone. Discuss what you think determines whether or not advances in technology benefit everyone.
Students should be granted the same rights inside school as they possess outside school.
Describe a specific situation in which students might reasonably not be granted a right in school that they are granted outside school. Discuss what you think determines when a right granted to students outside school is justifiably denied them in school.