Oh, the SATs. One minute you are such a super hard test that well-to-do kids in Long Island are hiring other kids to take it for them and the next minute you have essay questions about "reality" entertainment? No, really! In last Saturday's test one-third of the kids got the following essay question (worth 40% of their writing score): "Do we benefit from forms of entertainment that show so-called 'reality,' or are such shows harmful?"
Naturally the kids who go and comment on websites about the SATs were a bit flummoxed by the question posting things like "I've never gotten such a ridiculous essay question. Hope they are lenient about it?" and "Jesus, that essay...My jaw dropped and hand started shaking when I read it. It took me too long to compose myself and only got a page and a half." Though not everyone was upset. One girl on the boards "found the essay to be hilarious because I live at the jersey shore... so I had PLENTY personal experience for this one."
But no matter, the News's Joanna Molloy was not amused, since she feels it was unfair to those kids without television—even though the question makes no mention of the boob tube. One "honors student at LaGuardia" student complains to her that "A lot of what we did in SAT prep classes was to use historical events or literature in our essays. It was so difficult to try to connect something you've learned in school with that topic. Some of my friends don't watch TV at all. They are really, really scared."
Honestly, we're a little scared that an honors student at New York City's most prestigious arts school couldn't find parallels between modern "reality" entertainment and historical literature. But our SAT tutor friends tell us we're a bit snobby when it comes to the Big Test. Other kids on Saturday got essay questions like "Is patience a virtue?" Do you think the "reality" question was an appropriate one for the College Board to ask?
