MY COLLEGE FINAL EXAM ESSAY

When I was going to college at Southern Illinois University our final exam was to be an essay. The professor told us at the beginning of the year that this essay was going to be 50 percent of our grade, and we could write about anything we wanted, and that he would choose the title of the essay at the end of the year when we took the final exam.

Each of us knew in advance that there was no way we could study for the exam, since we did not know the subject matter that the teacher wanted for this essay until he put the title on the board.

The day of the final exam arrived, and the professor put on the board the final title of the essay.

Everyone was in shock except for one student in the entire class of over 300 students.He quickly wrote his essay in less than one minute and handed it to the professor and left the classroom.

All of the students laughed quietly under their breath knowing that this student was surely going to fall the course. Most of them worked on their essays for more than one hour and turned in their paperwork.

Next week after all the essays had been graded the students returned and to their amazement , the professor said that only one person got an A on the essay.

I am sure you know by now who got the A. It was the student who left first and spend less than a minute on the essay.

The title the professor put on the board was:

"WHY"

and the student answered

"WHY NOT"

You see the professor wanted us to think, and not just reflect what was in the books and subject matter he taught.

This a great lesson for teachers and students.

So if anyone asks you now:

 Why you are doing what you are doing?

You have the correct answer.