  Hey Frank, go here urlLink AP Central's English Language and Composition past essay prompts. , although you need a collegeboard Login (Which it's good and very helpful to have one). Here is an EXCELLENT article from "KidSource Online" urlLink that provides insights into students' attitudes in schools with survey statistics and some common misconceptions. All students and especially teachers should take the time to read this article . This statement below from that article is VERY true: Popular opinion has it that students' academic success depends on the quality of their teachers and textbooks.
Ask the students themselves, however, and you get a different view. Here is how they account for their academic achievement: Most students believe their ability and effort are the main reasons for school achievement. By the same token, if asked whether they would prefer to be called smart or hard-working, they will choose smart almost every time. Why? Because they believe that hard-working students risk being considered either excessively ambitious or of limited ability, both of which they would find embarrassing. 
