Many Americans believe that in this country, if you work hard, you'll get ahead.  For this paper, I would like you to think about this idea and then write a paper in which you take a stand.  Here are some ideas you might think about:

You do not have to answer all these questions; in fact, you do not have to answer any of them.  They are just there to help you get started thinking about this topic.

What you do need to do is this: write a paper in which you state an opinion about the general topic of hard work and getting ahead.  Make sure you support your opinion with facts, examples, expert opinion, data, or reasoning. 

There is no required length for this paper, although the average length of papers I've received in the past is between two and three double-spaced pages.  Consider me to be the audience for your paper.