MCAT Writing Section Sample Prompts 2
Too many politicians turn public matters into private gains. Describe a specific situation in which a politician might not turn a public matter into a private gain. Discuss what you think determines whether or not politicians will turn public matters into private gains. | By studying other cultures we increase our understanding of our own culture. Describe a specific situation in which studying another culture might not increase the understanding of one's own culture. Discuss what you think determines when the study of another culture increases the understanding of one's own culture and when it does not. |
A democratic government must provide equal opportunity for all citizens. Describe a specific situation in which a democratic government might not have to provide equal opportunity for all its citizens. Discuss what you think determines when democratic governments must provide equal opportunity for all citizens and when they need not. | Freedom of speech should include acts or opinions that may be objectionable to the majority of people. Describe a specific situation in which an act or opinion objectionable to the majority of the people should not be protected by the right to free speech. Discuss what you think determines when an objectionable act should be protected under freedom of speech. |
An effective leader must possess the ability not only to deal with current problems, but also to anticipate future ones. Describe a specific situation in which a leader might be effective without anticipating future problems. Discuss what you think determines whether or not it is necessary for a leader to anticipate future problems. | Leadership involves speaking out when others might keep silent. Describe a specific situation in which leadership might involve keeping silent. Discuss what you think determines whether a leader should speak out or keep silent. |
In politics, good intentions cannot justify bad actions. Describe a specific situation in which good intentions in politics might justify a bad action. Discuss what you think determines whether or not good intentions in politics can justify bad actions. | Human behavior is guided primarily by self-interest. Describe a specific situation in which human behavior might not be guided primarily by self-interest. Discuss what you think determines when human behavior is guided primarily by self-interest and when it is not. |
A country's strength increases in direct proportion to its freedoms. Describe a specific situation in which a country's strength might not increase in direct proportion to its freedoms. Discuss what you think determines when a country's strength will increase in direct proportion to its freedoms and when it will not. | Politicians should concentrate on making policy rather than attempt to affect people's beliefs. Describe a specific situation in which politicians might attempt to affect people's beliefs rather than make policy. Discuss what you think determines when politicians should concentrate on making policy and when they should attempt to affect people's beliefs. |
Wealthy politicians cannot offer fair representation to all the people. Describe a specific situation in which a wealthy politician might offer fair representation to all the people. Discuss what you think determines whether a wealthy politician can or cannot offer fair representation to all the people. | Government policy should be directed at addressing the needs of the present. Describe a specific situation in which government policy might be directed at addressing concerns of the future rather than the needs of the presents. Discuss what you think determines when government policy should be directed at addressing present needs and when it should be directed addressing future concerns. |
Alliances between nations are more often a matter of economics than of shared ideologies. Describe a specific situation in which an alliance between nations might be a matter of shared ideology. Discuss what you think determines when alliances between nations are a matter of economics and when they are a matter of shared ideologies. | Most positive outcomes in politics are the result of skillful planning. Describe a specific political situation in which a positive outcome might not be the result of skillful planning. Discuss what you think determines whether or not skillful planning in politics will result in positive outcomes. |
Democracy necessarily implies the suppression of some individual interests for the good of society as a whole. Describe a specific situation in which a democratic government might place individual interests ahead of the good of the whole society. Discuss what you think determines when the good of society should take precedence over the interests of individuals. | The role of a political opposition is to criticize the policies of those in power. Describe a specific situation in which the role of a political opposition might be something other than to criticize the policies of those in power. Discuss what you think determines when the role of a political opposition should be to criticize the policies of those in power and when it should not. |
The role of technology should be to improve human life, but not to affect human values. Describe a specific situation in which technology might justifiably affect human values. Discuss what you think determines whether or not technology should affect human values. | Higher education would be more effective if colleges were more selective in choosing students. Describe a specific situation in which higher education would not be more effective if colleges were more selective in choosing students. Discuss what you think determines whether or not higher education would be more effective if colleges were more selective in choosing students. |
A nation's ability to survive is often dependent upon its military strength. Describe a specific situation in which a nation's ability to survive might not depend on its military strength. Discuss what you think determines when a nation's ability to survive is dependent upon its military strength. | Stability in society can lead to stagnation. Describe a specific situation in which stability in society might not lead to stagnation. Discuss what you think determines whether or not stability in society leads to stagnation. |
Education should promote learning outside the classroom as well as within. Describe a specific situation in which education might justifiably not promote learning outside the classroom. Discuss what you think determines whether or not education should foster learning outside the classroom. | Lies are often less harmful than the truth. Describe a specific situation in which the truth might be less harmful than lies. Discuss what you think determines whether or not lies are less harmful than the truth. |
Globalization eliminates important cultural differences. Describe a specific situation in which globalization might not eliminate important cultural differences. Discuss what you think determines whether or not globalization eliminates important cultural differences. | In business, the image of a product is more important than the product itself. Describe a specific situation, in business, in which the product itself might be more important than the image of the product. Discuss what you think determines, in business, whether or not the image of a product is more important than the product itself. |
The most effective way to change people's opinions is to appeal to their emotions. Describe a specific situation in which the most effective way to change people's opinions might not be to appeal to their emotions. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the most effective way to change people's opinions is to appeal to their emotions. | Art should not challenge our perception of the world. Describe a specific situation in which art challenges our perception of the world. Discuss what you think determines whether or not art should challenge our perception of the world. |
A witness who has something to gain from providing testimony is often lying. Describe a specific situation in which a witness who has something to gain from providing testimony might not be lying. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a witness who stands to gain from providing testimony will lie. | It is better to tolerate minor defects in the law than to change it. Describe a specific situation in which it might be better to change the law than to tolerate minor defects in it. Discuss what you think determines when it is better to tolerate minor defects in the law than to change it and when it is better to change it. |
Creative inspiration, rather than careful planning, often results in the best solution to a problem. Describe a specific situation in which careful planning might result in the best solution to a problem. Discuss what you think determines whether creative inspiration or careful planning can best solve a problem. | A good education is its own reward. Describe a specific situation in which a good education might not be its own reward. Discuss what you think determines when a good education is its own reward and when it is not. |
Social justice can occur only when people accept the equality of others. Describe a specific situation in which social justice might occur without people accepting the equality of others. Discuss what you think determines whether or not social justice can occur only when people accept the equality of others. | Progress seldom comes from the deliberations of a group. Rather, progress most often comes from the creative thinking of individuals working alone. Describe a specific situation in which progress might come from the deliberations of a group rather than the creative thinking of individuals working alone. Discuss what you think determines whether the deliberations of a group or the creative thinking of individuals working alone will result in progress. |
Ordinary citizens, not heroes, determine the history of a nation. Describe a specific situation in which heroes, not ordinary citizens, determine the history of a nation. Discuss what you think determines whether ordinary citizens or heroes determine the history of a nation. | A person who enters public life is necessarily forced to surrender some degree of personal privacy. Describe a specific situation in which a public figure should not have to surrender personal privacy. Discuss what you think determines when a public figure's personal privacy ought to be surrendered. |
Action taken for the good of the greatest number can sometimes be detrimental to the interests of the few. Describe a specific situation in which an action taken for the good of the greatest number might not be detrimental to the interests of the few. Discuss what you think determines whether or not action taken for the good of the greatest number will be detrimental to the interests of the few. | In the recording of history, it is impossible to be objective. Describe a specific situation in which it might be possible to be objective in the recording of history. Discuss what you think determines when objectivity in the recording of history is possible and when it is not. |
The benefits of a competitive society extend only to those willing to compete. Describe a specific situation in which someone not willing to compete might benefit in a competitive society. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a competitive society extend only to those willing to compete. | Any business must be concerned with the long-term consequences of its actions. Describe a specific situation in which a business might justifiably not be concerned with the long-term consequences of its actions. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a business must be concerned about the long-term consequences of its actions. |