[quote=@SleepingSilence]
Oh, while I'm at it. Sample writing is just about the most pointless thing on the face of the earth. (Especially, if they aren't new and already have previous posts.) Please never actually do this if you're running a campaign, you [b]will[/b] look pretentious. Nor should you bother writing one if somebody asks you too. You're RPing to have fun. You don't/shouldn't need to write a goddamn resume. 

Plus, even if you do. ([i]like an idiot.[/i]) You'll just get some jackass to tell you after 3 weeks longer than it should of. "That your [u][b]'grammer'[/b][/u] is off."
[/quote]

A sample's relevance lies in the fundamental difference between writing and roleplaying.

Creating a character sheet is largely an act of writing, to be specific, informative writing. It is creating data, and data typically does not need much ingenuity in its presentation (speaking very generally). People can easily create long drawn sheets, even sheets of BS, that simply present information. It's you doing the presentation.

Roleplaying is a specific subset, a form of creative writing, that is dynamic. While a sample does not cover the part where a roleplayer reacts to another action, it does show people how you present your character in practice. A character sheet is theoretical about your character; the sample is literally your character. You can say, with the sample, this is how the character operates. And you can do that without writing a big wall of text about someone's backstory that may or may not [i]ever[/i] become relevant in-character.

[quote=@SleepingSilence]
Going with the flow and roleplaying, ya know the best part of it. Is less likely to be the case if you have to take a test beforehand. So yes, again in my opinion. Forcing players to write a CS AND a sample post. (especially if not new/lacking in a back catalog.) Shows that person will likely NOT be able to handle something going wrong or a little different than they're expecting. Because that person is displaying controlling tendencies right off the bat. So it's not just some random insult, it's a preview of the GM's behavior. <.<
[/quote]

What is a character sheet, exactly?

Character sheets can be considered "forced" all by themselves. There are character sheets that go over stuff like pets and topics that, again, may never become relevant in a roleplaying context. A CS is a static infodump unless you're one of the folks who edits your CS to accommodate character growth every 5 IC posts.

A sample gives you the opportunity to present your character as your character will be presented when the roleplay starts. Something that is more useful to a GM trying to do basic quality control than writing about the rise of your legend and your childhood when neither is likely to become relevant in the roleplay itself. Having both can serve two purposes, neither of which I would consider "controlling tendencies". Firstly, they can prove that someone gives enough of a shit to sit down and write something, a basic check many people fail off the bat. It's not perfect, but it does help weed some of the fluff. Secondly, it allows the GM to see a fleshed out character from the perspective of raw information and the perspective of the information given practical purpose.