Mr. Schrefer, author of “Hack the SAT,” occasionally takes the exam in the service of his test-prep business. On this sitting, he set out to understand how the College Board would grade an essay that was morally repugnant yet had excellent structure, language and syntax.
In thoughtful and concise language, he developed over 20 minutes the most “monstrous argument” he could imagine. He praised the intellectual courage of the Nazis — some of the “brightest thinkers” of our time. Their genius, he noted, was in recognizing that not “everyone has the right to the same opportunities, or the right to exist at all.” He concluded that only by “safeguarding racial stratification and genetic superiority can true and ambitious progress be made.”
Top scores go to the essay that “effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position.” Guidelines say nothing about the quality of the point of view taken.
One of the two judges gave Mr. Schrefer a 5, and the other a perfect score of 6.
link: Blackboard - Test Prep - Just Following Orders - An Evil Essay - NYTimes.com
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