gmat awa essays

GMAT AWA Writing Tips: 5 Steps for a 6.0 Score

Last Updated on May 12, 2023

GMAT test-takers tend to get a bit nervous about the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) because preparing for it doesn’t seem quite as straightforward as preparing for GMAT Quant or Verbal. Is it even possible to “study” how to write a high-scoring essay on an unknown topic with 30 minutes on the clock?

In truth, there is a formula to performing well on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment, and you don’t have to be Ralph Waldo Emerson to earn an enviable AWA score. In this article, I’ll give you 5 essential GMAT writing tips for scoring well on the Analytical Writing Assessment, including a 5-paragraph structure that will allow you to tackle any GMAT AWA question that gets thrown your way.

First things first, let’s review what exactly the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment is and how it’s scored.

What Is the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment?

How is the analytical writing assessment scored, how do i interpret my awa score, paragraph 1: intro, paragraphs 2-4: supporting points, paragraph 5: conclusion, tip #2: include transition words, tip #3: don’t neglect the basics, tip #4: don’t expect time to revise, tip #5: practice formulating supporting points.

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is a 30-minute section of the in-person GMAT that consists of one essay task, an “analysis of an argument.” Depending on what section order you choose for your exam, you’ll complete the AWA section either first or last when you sit for your GMAT. If you choose the default section order, the AWA section will appear first. If you choose to complete either the Quant or Verbal section first, the AWA section will appear last.

In AWA, an argument is presented to you that you must critique in an essay that can be any length. Your job is to analyze the argument’s reasoning, point out flaws and assumptions in the argument, and assess how evidence is used to support the argument’s conclusion, all while logically organizing and clearly communicating your ideas. AWA questions typically focus on business-related topics and are presented in the form of an excerpt from a hypothetical magazine or newspaper article, editorial, company memo or report, corporate or organization newsletter, or business plan, to name a few examples. The given argument in an AWA question is always accompanied by the following instructional statement:

“Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.”

Generally speaking, your AWA essay is evaluated on the basis of the overall strength of your analysis of the given argument, the relevancy of the points you make, how your essay is organized, and the effectiveness with which you communicate your ideas.

So, for example, an AWA question might present a short paragraph from a company memo. The paragraph explains the company’s reasoning behind a recent decision to change some aspect of the company’s operations. Your job is to find any flaws in the company’s reasoning, explain why they are flaws, and point out any further information that would be useful in assessing whether the company’s reasoning was valid. Fortunately, you are not required to give your personal views on the subject matter or have any specific knowledge of the given topic.

AWA questions do not require that you give your personal views on or have any specific knowledge of the given topic.

Now that we’ve reviewed the basics of what the GMAT AWA is, let’s take a look at how the section is scored.

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment is scored in half-point increments on a scale of 0 to 6. Your AWA score is not factored into your total GMAT score and is not included in the unofficial score report that you see on test day immediately after you finish your exam. The reason the AWA score is not included in your unofficial report is that, unlike the other sections of the GMAT, which are scored by the computer, the AWA is scored by both a computer and a human scorer. A trained human reader scores your essay using whole points from 0 to 6, and a computer algorithm scores your essay using half-point increments from 0 to 6.

Then, the two scores are averaged to produce your final score. If there is a large disparity between the human score and the computer score, a second human scorer evaluates your essay, and your score may be adjusted. Additionally, if you feel that your AWA score does not accurately reflect your essay, you can submit a request to have your essay rescored by an independent reader, for a fee of $45. Rescoring requests can be made only once per essay and must be submitted within 6 months of your test date.

Since the AWA takes longer to score than the other sections of the GMAT, you and any score recipients you select on test day will receive your AWA score when your Official Score Report is available, about two weeks after your test date. In the case of revised AWA scores, your new score will be sent to you and any designated schools about 20 days after you submit your rescore request.

Now let’s look at how to interpret AWA scores.

As with other GMAT section scores , every possible AWA score is associated with a percentile ranking. Here are the current percentile rankings, as compiled by GMAC:

These percentile rankings tell us, for example, that if you earn a perfect score of 6.0 on the AWA section, then you have scored better than 88% of all GMAT test-takers. According to GMAC, the mean AWA score was 4.45 for all test-takers who sat for the GMAT during the period from January 2017 through December 2019. As you can see in the table above, that mean is just below the 46th percentile. In general, schools consider a score of 4.5, or better than 46% of all test-takers, about average and consider a score of 5.0, or better than 56% of all test-takers, “good.” For most programs, your AWA score is likely to raise some eyebrows if it’s below 4.0.

Most schools generally consider an GMAT AWA score of 4.5 about average and a score of 5.0 “good.”

So, we know what the GMAT AWA section tests, how it’s scored, and what those scores mean. Now let’s take a look at the 5 essential GMAT AWA writing tips for earning a great score.

Tip #1: Use a 5-Paragraph Template

As I’ll discuss in further detail later, there are dozens and dozens of possible essay topics that can appear on the GMAT, and you have no way of knowing which topic will appear on your test. Thus, it is not a realistic or efficient strategy to try to game out answers to all of the possible essay prompts or memorize what the prompts are (a full list of the possible AWA questions is published by GMAC here ).

The great news is that you don’t need to know which argument you’ll be presented with on test day in order to write a well-organized response to it within the 30-minute time limit. Instead, you can apply a simple 5-paragraph structure to any GMAT essay topic in order to write a logically organized response containing the elements necessary to earn a high AWA score.

The standard 5-paragraph essay structure consists of the following:

• An introductory paragraph
• Three supporting points (paragraphs 2, 3, and 4)
• A conclusion (paragraph 5)

Although there is no required word count for a GMAT AWA essay, a wise strategy is to shoot for around 500 words , give or take.

No matter the topic or argument, the basic template above will provide you with a logical framework for organizing your essay.

Apply a simple 5-paragraph structure to any GMAT essay topic to write a logically organized and complete argument analysis.

Let’s take a look at each part of the 5-paragraph structure in greater detail.

The purpose of your introductory paragraph is to restate the argument that has been presented to you and state your intention for critiquing it. In stating your intention, you should mention the flaws in the argument that you plan to address. Essentially, this prepares the reader for the points that they will encounter in paragraphs 2 through 4, without providing the specific details that those later paragraphs will include. In fact, your intro paragraph should accomplish everything it needs to in around 5 or 6 sentences.

The purpose of your introductory paragraph is to restate the argument that has been presented to you and state your intention for critiquing it.

The first sentence of the intro paragraph should always restate the given argument. So, you might start off your essay in one of the following ways, for example:

The argument states that … The argument claims that … The argument makes the claim that …

No need to get creative with the jumping off point for your AWA essay; you simply want to show that you understand what the argument is. When restating the argument, you can repeat much of the same language that is used in the question stem, but you should aim to rephrase the argument in as concise a manner as possible. You want to encapsulate the crux of the argument, not just rewrite the entire essay prompt. In particular, if the argument provides supporting evidence, that evidence is not necessary to repeat in your restatement of the argument. You’ll address the given evidence later, in your supporting points.

To better understand how to restate an argument, let’s look at an example of an actual GMAT AWA example that a test-taker could see on the exam:

The following appeared as part of an annual report sent to stockholders by Olympic Foods, a processor of frozen foods:

“Over time, the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better, they become more efficient. In color film processing, for example, the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984. The same principle applies to the processing of food. And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrate its 25th birthday, we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits.”

So, your essay might start off with the following restatement of the given argument:

The argument claims that Olympic Foods’ nearly 25 years of experience in food processing will enable the company to minimize costs and thus maximize profits. This conclusion is based on the premise that the costs of processing go down over time because organizations become more efficient as they learn how to do things better.

As you can see, much of the exact same language used in the essay prompt is repeated in the restatement of the argument above. However, the information is reorganized somewhat; in this case, the premise and conclusion are in the reverse order, with the conclusion of the argument stated first, and the premise on which the conclusion is based stated afterward.

Furthermore, the perspective of how the argument is stated has changed. In the essay prompt, the perspective was that of a statement in an annual report sent to stockholders. Clearly, your essay response would not be written from such a perspective, so some changes to the wording of the prompt are necessary. Notice also that the somewhat conversational tone of the prompt has been eliminated in the restatement and that extraneous words are left out. Lastly, notice that the supporting example given in the prompt is not included in the restatement that begins our response.

Of course, how you restate a given argument will depend largely on what the argument is. In some cases, you may be able to restate an argument in one sentence. In other cases, as above, you may need two sentences. The goal is to clearly and succinctly state what the argument is, distilling it down to its essence using the language used in the prompt, but not including any of the “filler.” The good news is that no matter what AWA question you encounter, the first sentence or two of your response will essentially already be written for you!

Always begin a GMAT AWA with a restatement of the given argument.

Let’s continue with our Olympic Foods example above. Your next task in the intro paragraph, after you restate the argument, is to outline on what grounds you plan to attack the argument. For example, you might say that the argument fails to take several key factors into account in reaching its conclusion, and then list the 3 such factors that you will address in the paragraphs that follow. Or you might say that the argument makes faulty assumptions and bases its claims on insufficient evidence, and then mention what those assumptions are that you plan to critique. Again, your job here is to highlight only those weak points in the argument that you will critique in your supporting points, so you should not include any argument flaws in your intro that you won’t address later on. Quickly jotting down on your scratch pad which flaws you plan to address, before you start writing your essay, can help you organize your thoughts and pinpoint exactly what you want the focus of each supporting paragraph to be.

Remember, you may be able to find a dozen flaws in an argument, but you won’t have time to critique them all. Furthermore, you shouldn’t waste time finding more flaws than you need and trying to decide which are the “best” ones to write about. The flaws that are most obvious to you — in other words, the ones you notice first — are likely the ones that will be easiest for you to expound on. After all, you noticed them right away, so there are probably relatively clear reasons why they represent weak points in the argument.

So, your restatement of the argument should be followed by a brief summary or overview of what your response to the argument will be. Let’s take a look at how we might do that in the case of the Olympic Foods question:

However, the argument lacks relevant and sufficient evidence, making several assumptions that ignore key factors that could affect its conclusion. For example, the argument assumes that an organization becomes more efficient as time passes. Furthermore, the argument assumes that cost savings achieved in tandem with increased efficiency must be the result of increased efficiency. Finally, the argument assumes that the downward trend of costs that was observed in one sector of processing will replicate in another, unrelated sector of processing.

In total, our sample intro paragraph is 6 sentences: 2 sentences restating the argument, and 4 sentences laying out what our critique of the argument will be. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on the essay prompt, but this basic framework can apply to whatever GMAT AWA question you see.

In the intro paragraph, follow your restatement of the argument with a brief summary or overview of what your critique of the argument (supporting points) will be.

After you’ve introduced the points you’ll touch on in your AWA essay, you’ll need to expand on those points in the next 3 paragraphs. Let’s talk about that now.

Paragraphs 2 through 4 represent the “meat” of your essay, with each paragraph elaborating on one of the points of critique you summarized in your intro. At the beginning of each of these paragraphs, you’ll want to state what aspect of the argument you’re critiquing in that paragraph, and then why that aspect is flawed. You may want to use real-world examples to support your critique, particularly if the word count of your essay is a little light. At the end of each supporting paragraph, you may want to mention a way that the aspect of the argument you’re discussing could’ve been strengthened.

Let’s take for example the second flaw that we set out to critique in our Olympic Foods essay, which will be the focus of the essay’s third paragraph: the argument assumes that cost savings achieved in tandem with increased efficiency must be the result of increased efficiency. In this paragraph, you might start off by saying that the argument supports its conclusion with an example of a decrease in cost and coinciding increase in processing speed that was realized after a number of years. You might then go on to say that the argument provides no evidence to demonstrate that this correlation is actually a causal relationship. Then, you might provide the real-world example of increased automation over those years as a factor that could simultaneously cut the labor costs associated with processing (and therefore reduce the total processing cost) and increase processing speed. Of course, automation and other technological advancements may or may not be readily available at any point in time and can be implemented at an organization regardless of how long it has been in existence, and both of those facts undermine the argument’s conclusion that Olympic Foods can expect to minimize costs because of its long experience. Thus, the argument would have been more convincing if it presented evidence that established that the observed cost savings were actually the result of faster processing times as opposed to some other factor, such as increased automation.

Each of the 3 paragraphs between your intro and your conclusion should elaborate on 1 of the supporting points you summarized in your intro.

Before we move on to the conclusion paragraph, I want to address a common question among GMAT students: whether writing 2 supporting paragraphs instead of 3 is a score-killer in AWA. The truth is, you may be able to earn a decent AWA score by including just 2 supporting points in your essay. And if for some reason you are running seriously low on time or absolutely can’t come up with a third supporting point, then I would say that a completed essay with just 2 supporting points is certainly better than an essay with 2 and a half supporting points and no conclusion, or 3 supporting points and no conclusion. However, there is really no way to say for sure what exact score difference 2 vs. 3 supporting paragraphs makes. So, to be on the safe side — unless you are truly stumped for ideas — plan to write 3.

Your conclusion paragraph is similar to your intro paragraph in that it should summarize the ways that the given argument is flawed. However, your conclusion should also summarize how the argument could be strengthened or the argument’s conclusion could be more accurately assessed. So, essentially, your conclusion paragraph pulls from all of the paragraphs that came before it, providing a tight summary of the main points of your critique and “wrapping a bow” around what you have stated about the validity of the argument’s reasoning.

A conclusion paragraph often begins with a phrase such as “In conclusion,” or “In summary,” but depending on how you organize your thoughts, you may choose to begin your conclusion paragraph differently. Additionally, you may decide to include a “concession” as part of your conclusion. A concession is a statement recognizing that some aspect of a given argument may be valid. For example, a concession could be phrased as such:

Although the argument rightly acknowledges that increased efficiency is one way that an organization can achieve cost savings …

Similar to the intro paragraph, the conclusion paragraph should accomplish its aims in around 4 or 5 sentences. This is not the place to reiterate details, give examples, or introduce new information.

In about 4 or 5 sentences, your conclusion paragraph should provide a tight summary of the main points of your critique and “wrap a bow” around what you have stated about the validity of the argument’s reasoning.

Before we move on to tip #2, take a look at the GMAT analytical writing example question, along with an essay response that received the highest possible AWA score, 6.0, at the bottom of this page . Notice that the essay follows the basic structure of introduction, 3 supporting points with real-world examples, and conclusion. In this case, the writer broke the introductory paragraph into two paragraphs, with the first paragraph restating the argument, and the second paragraph summarizing the intended response, but you can see that the component parts of the essay remain the same as those in our standard 5-paragraph structure.

An important part of scoring well on GMAT Analytical Writing is demonstrating logical organization and clear communication of your thoughts from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. If your essay seems to jump randomly from one idea to the next, then the reader scoring your essay will have a harder time following your train of thought. Thus, your analysis of the given argument may seem confusing and poorly thought out.

The fact is, even if your ideas are laid out in a logical order, in order to make your essay more readable and understandable, you need to create smooth transitions between paragraphs and between different ideas within the same paragraph. One of the main ways to create smooth transitions is to introduce new ideas using transition words and phrases. For example, the phrase “for example” is a transition phrase that we can use any time we want to shift from talking about a concept to talking about an example that illustrates that concept. Such words and phrases form the “connective tissue” that brings together all of the different parts of an essay into a cohesive whole.

Transition words and phrases form the “connective tissue” that brings together all of the different parts of an essay into a cohesive whole.

Transition words are commonly used to introduce new paragraphs, but you should also seek to incorporate them within the paragraphs of your essay in order to introduce examples or opinions, indicate contrast or support, help sum up your thoughts, show a result, or add emphasis to an important idea. Here are some key transition words and phrases that often come in handy in writing GMAT AWA essays:

• For example
• For instance
• Additionally
• In addition
• Furthermore
• In contrast
• On the other hand
• As a result
• Consequently
• In conclusion

The point is not to memorize this list but to be aware of the importance of transition words for clarifying your ideas and showing the logical progression of your analysis. In short, transition words make your essay more readable! Remember, there will eventually be a person reading and scoring your essay, a person who likely has to evaluate many, many GMAT essays. So, you want to make your essay as clear and engaging as possible. Transition words can help you do just that.

Use transition words throughout your essay to introduce new paragraphs, link different ideas within paragraphs, and show the logical progression of your thoughts.

Although the AWA section is primarily scored with an eye toward the overall structure, cohesiveness, and clarity of your essay, technical aspects such as grammar, spelling, and word choice are still factored into your AWA score. In this respect, the knowledge you’ve gathered while training for GMAT Sentence Correction should come in handy. Are your sentences well-structured, clear, and concise, or are they wordy and circular? Does your essay contain any run-on sentences, redundant words, or incorrect idioms? While you shouldn’t expect to have time to make sure that your essay is grammatically perfect, you do want to make sure that you don’t turn in sloppy, rushed writing.

Keep in mind that a few errors here and there are not going to sink your AWA score, but your essay will appear more polished and “finished” if you’re mindful of basic grammar rules and spelling. If a sentence is becoming overly long and winding, break it into two sentences. Demonstrate a broad vocabulary by varying your word choice. Most importantly, be aware that, even if your analysis is sound and your essay is well-organized, if you completely neglect the basics of grammar and spelling, your ideas will be less clear and your essay will be less readable overall.

Vary your word choice, break up overly long sentences, and be mindful of basic grammar and spelling in order to create a more polished essay.

You may be surprised at how quickly the time flies by when you’re writing your essay. So, don’t expect that you’ll have time at the end of the section to do significant revisions of what you wrote. In fact, you’re likely to find that you have no more than a minute or two — if that — to do a quick read-through of your completed essay. So, it’s important to construct your essay carefully and methodically as you’re writing it , because you probably won’t have time to go back later and do a major cleanup of your work or flesh out a bunch of half-formed ideas.

As you’re writing, make each sentence a “finished product” before you move onto the next one. Does that mean writing and rewriting the same sentence four times until you think it’s perfect? No. You will never be able to write a full and complete essay in the allotted time if you’re agonizing over every sentence. You don’t have time to seek perfection, nor do you need to in order to earn a great AWA score. If possible, use the last 2 minutes or so of your time to do a quick check for any spelling errors or glaring grammatical mistakes in your essay. Just don’t expect to have the last 10 or even 5 minutes of the section time to revise your work.

If possible, use the last 2 minutes of your time to do a quick check for spelling and grammar errors, but don’t expect to have 5 or 10 minutes to make significant revisions to your essay.

One of the most challenging and time-consuming aspects of the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment is coming up with 3 supporting points. Your supporting points make up the bulk of your essay, and also the portion of your essay that requires the most critical thinking, creativity, and original thought. A great way to prepare yourself for this challenge is to practice thinking up supporting points for the actual essay topics published by GMAC. As a side benefit, this method of practice will also give you a chance to get acquainted with what AWA questions look like, the types of arguments they present, and how those arguments may be flawed.

Browse the topics list and choose a few at random for which you can practice coming up with 3 supporting points with real-world examples. You could also do a full practice essay or two, but I don’t recommend preparing for AWA by writing numerous, complete practice essays. The fact is, if you have the 5-paragraph template down, and you’ve reviewed the types of arguments presented in AWA questions, writing many practice essays really isn’t necessary in order to prepare for GMAT AWA. There is plenty to learn and practice for the GMAT , so you don’t want to waste valuable study time doing more than is actually needed to earn a high score. Thus, I also don’t recommend reading through the entire AWA question list (or attempting to memorize the essay prompts) as a productive use of your time.

Choose random essay prompts from the AWA question list published by GMAC, and practice coming up with 3 supporting points and real-world examples for them.

Now that you know these 5 key GMAT writing tips for scoring 6.0 on the Analytical Writing Assessment, check out these 8 tips for conquering GMAT Sentence Correction and these 8 GMAT Reading Comprehension dos and don’ts .

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Scott Woodbury-Stewart is the founder & CEO of Target Test Prep. A passionate teacher who is deeply invested in the success of his students, Scott began his career teaching physics, chemistry, math, and biology. Since then, he has spent more than a decade helping students gain entry into the world’s top business schools, logging 10,000+ hours of GMAT, EA, GRE and SAT instruction. Scott also served as lead content developer and curriculum architect for the revolutionary courses Target Test Prep GMAT, Target Test Prep EA, Target Test Prep GRE and Target Test Prep SAT Quant.

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GMAT AWA Essay Rater & Checker: Evaluate online & get scores for practice essays

“How do I evaluate my GMAT AWA essay?” “How can I get GMAT AWA scores for practice?” “Are there any free good online AWA essay raters?”

These are questions that we got from many MBA applicants. So I brushed up my rusty programming skills, read up on the basics of NLP and created this automated AWA essay rater .

If you want to know whether those GMAT AWA templates you downloaded from various online forums are really useful, create a few GMAT AWA sample essays and test them out here using our GMAT AWA Rater. Though even the best essay checker software cannot match the accuracy of the official test, it’s still a good way to know where you stand.

Read these GMAT AWA essay tips . Once you are ready to get some practice, come back to this page and try out the GMAT AWA Rater which will rate your AWA essays. You can do it any number of times. And yeah, it’s free.  

How to use the GMAT AWA Rater to evaluate & grade GMAT essays

Step 1: Write your GMAT AWA essays in a text editor (like Notepad or MS Word). Step 2: Organise the AWA essay into paragraphs. Step 3: Enter a blank line to indicate the completion of a paragraph. Step 4: Copy and paste the entire AWA essay in the big text box below. Step 5: Click on the ‘Check’ button.

The rating for your AWA essay will be displayed below the button.

[In the advanced version, we display the breakup and additional information as well. If you are a GMAT trainer and would like your students to access our premium version, get in touch with us.]  

Parameters on which your GMAT AWA essay samples would be rated

Coherence and connectivity: This rating evaluates how the expressions & ideas flow across paragraphs. Whether you are expressing a point of view for or against an argument, you can increase this rating by effectively using structure words and connectives. This strengthens the linkage of common themes across the essay.

Organization: How you’ve divided the AWA essay into relevant paragraphs is tested under this parameter. You can take this score higher by organizing the essay into paragraphs. It is also desirable to demarcate the ideas by following the regular convention of leaving blank lines to mark the logical and physical conclusion of that idea. The next paragraph can then build upon a related by distinct idea.

Readability: Your grasp on the language and your ability to display the variety in it is tested here along with the sentence structure. You don’t get brownie points for complicated sentences. Keep it simple and structured.

Note: While the GMAT provides scores at intervals of 0.5 only, this GMAT AWA Rater provides scores in continuous decimal points so that you can know exactly how you’ve been progressing with every attempt.  

Essay Checker Limitations: What the GMAT AWA Essay Rater can’t do

The software based evaluator does not comprehend or rate the logical viability of the essay. The submitted piece is evaluated as an independent argument essay on the above mentioned attributes. In the current version, the software skips grammatical mistakes. There may be many other limitations as well. Rather than aiming for perfection, the objective here is to offer something meaningful and useful.

So instead of trying to focus on the shortcomings, use the output as an additional data point and continue using the other GMAT AWA templates or samples that you have, to improve your AWA skills.

And while you focus on GMAT prep, make sure you understand the bigger picture of the world you are trying to enter. Read Beyond The MBA Hype .

Also read these MBA application success stories of applicants just like you who have overcome low GMAT scores to get into good business schools, many with partial and full tuition waivers and MBA scholarships .  

Start using the GMAT AWA Rater

[If you don’t see the text box below this line, refresh the page]

Disclaimer: The GMAT AWA rater uses a proprietary algorithm that has no connection with the official GMAT AWA rating logic. Neither the software nor MBA Crystal Ball are connected with the official GMAT team. The results aren’t meant to be an accurate indicator of your performance on the real GMAT test. Use it for practice and at your own risk.

What do you think about the AWA essay rater? Let us know your thought in the comments below.

If you are just starting off, here are some basic articles for you: Full form of MBA | What is MBA | GMAT exam India

Mini-MBA | Start here | Success stories | Reality check | Knowledgebase | Scholarships | Services Serious about higher ed? Follow us:                

18 thoughts on “GMAT AWA Essay Rater & Checker: Evaluate online & get scores for practice essays”

The rater is no more accepting the essay I put in the box. Has it stopped working? Does it require any registration process which I need to go through.

For security reasons, the AWA essay rater had an upper limit set for the number of essays that could be tested. That number got shattered pretty quickly. Seems like we underestimated the popularity of this tool. We’ve increased the upper limit, so you should be able to get your AWA essays rated.

Hi.. can you please explain about the accuracy of this tool?

@Bharath: The tool is only meant to provide an estimation. Read the section on limitations of the AWA rater. Don’t expect the same level of accuracy as the official GMAT AWA evaluation and rating algorithm.

Is there any’ minimum number of words requirement’ for GMAT AWA?

According to the author the advertising on radio station helped the Cumquat Café to grow up the revenue. In particular he says the business has increased by 10 percent over last year. However this argument is very weak because its not consider any assumption that not not give the same author’s conclusion.

Fist the argument ready assumes that the success of Cumquat Café is cased by the only advertising on local radio. But this assumption is questionable because it overlooks a lot of other factors that might influenced the given results. For example the success is the consequence of the change of the menu or thanks to the change of the Café’s staff ( at firstly the chiefs). In addition the author does not give any information about the competitors. Infact the increase of the Café’s business is due to the come out of any local competitor. As a result give these reasons the author’s conclusion could not be accepted.

In the second place the argument claims that the advertising on radio gives more positive prospects in terms of profitable. Even if it is granted that the advertising on radio helps to increase the visibility the same success is not guaranteed to any and all other business. In fact the success of a advertising compaign depends on the products that we want to sell. Once again the author’s conclusion in unconvincing.

In conclusion, the argument is flawed for above-mentioned reasons and it is therefore unconvincing. It could be considerably strengthened if the author has considered more other variables.

This is the essay i wrote. Can anyone help me know my rating for the below mentioned essay ?

1. “What really matters in the leadership of business and organizations is getting results, reaching benchmarks, and achieving success.” – In this issue the importance of ways of achieving success have been stated. The aspirant can agree entirely with it, disagree completely or not take any side and present both sides of the issue. In any case, these need to be substantiated with actual examples of where business organizations either benefit from a result-oriented approach or they did badly because of it.

In the above argument the author has very correctly stated the formula for growth and success in a company or any organization. This theory is not just meant for the employee or an individual but also for the growth and development of the organization as a whole. _____________________________________________________________ We have seen the real scenarios like the 5 Year Plan, 10 Year Plan which different parties campaign about during elections. These target set by the party, makes a citizen to vote for a party and give them an opportunity to form government if the impact and result of these target are convincing to the audience. As and when the party comes into power, they put in their best effort to achieve the target and give results as they very well understand that only results will help them to continue their government else, the party might be voted out ! _____________________________________________________________ Competition is everywhere. It may be schools, colleges, firms, organizations etc. One has to get the results within the set time to prove himself/herself over others . Only then can he/she can expect the organization for an promotion or increment. A theory which runs very truly in today’s scenario is the: Survival of the Fittest..!! _____________________________________________________________

@Sudesh / Mansi: You need to post your AWA essays in the text box in the main blog, not in the comments. @Nisha: Probably the special characters (line) are causing the issue. Try pasting pure text.

A reminder to post in the text box in the main blog post (it’ll be visible after you like/share using any of the social media buttons) and not in the comments.

Awesome man! Thanks and much appreciated!

Hi sameer.where could we purchase the tool for advanced usage

Why did you guys put your essay in this comment box? Could you read the information? I really can’t understand the reason why they just did that. Anyway, thank you for your awsome device to estimate my score in GRE AWA section. Although it may give different score compared to the real test’s result, it will be a good indicator for my essay.

Got 5.1 on my first try. Thank you! 🙂

The tester gave me a score of 5.2 when I entered the question of my issue task along with the essay, and scored 5.0 without any question. What is the correct way of posting essays in order to optimize scoring.

Post only the essay, without the question. Based on what you shared, the essay rating is 5.0

Hi, I’d like to share some thoughts for this development. Maybe you can add an extra box for question and evaluate whether the essay submitted already answer the points being asked in the question. But this is a great free tool, kudos!

How accurate is this to the actual GRE test AWA scoring

surprisingly accurate actually…checked w frnds who use the official sfotware…ratings were off by arnd 0.5 on avg….not bad at all fr a completely free tool…

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How to write your GMAT AWA Essay [Effectively]

INTRODUCTION

Hello there!

If you’ve found your way to this blog, we assume that you have begun to think about that often-neglected section of the GMAT – the AWA!

If wishes could come true, we’re guessing that GMAT aspirants would have wished away the AWA section away by now!

The AWA involves staring at a blank page and cursor and thinking up stuff to write, not an easy task for many people.

It also consumes a lot of mental bandwidth at the very beginning of the test.

To top it off, it does not even add to your final score!

We can understand why it isn’t your favorite section on the GMAT 🙂

But here’s the good news! There are not many shortcuts to mastering GMAT Quant and Verbal, but there are shortcuts to cracking the AWA section.

By the time you finish reading this guide, you will know what these hacks are. You will learn how to write an effective AWA essay that gets you a good score and leaves you charged for the real test that lies ahead.

This blog will teach you –

• What you need to know BEFORE you start preparing for the AWA
• How to use the 30 minutes allotted to AWA to maximum effect
• How to use a template to make the AWA writing process simpler

Besides this, you will find 8 sample AWA essays to observe and learn from.

Happy reading! 🙂

7 Things to remember before you start prepping for the AWA

Before you dive into AWA preparation, there are a few things you should know about the AWA. Many of these facts will ease your AWA fears and bring a smile to your face!

1. Why is the AWA section on the GMAT?

Each section of the GMAT is carefully constructed ( at the expense of millions of dollars, we kid you not!), to test your readiness for an MBA program and for your post-MBA career. One of the skills you will definitely need post-MBA is an ability to analyze an argument impartially and convey your perspective clearly.

This is what the AWA tests you on.

2. On the AWA, you need to be a lawyer, that is, you need to find faults with the given argument. You do not need to be a journalist, that is, you do not need to write about all possible perspectives of an issue.

Also remember, that this is an analysis, not an opinion piece. Do not bring YOUR perspective and your opinions into the essay. Your only goal is to analyse the given argument.

3. Unlike the Quant and Verbal sections, where your thumb-rule should be to get as high a score as possible, we’d suggest that you do not expend too much mental energy on the AWA, trying to score a 6 on 6.

Getting a perfect 6 will look good on your GMAT score card, and will sound great as you’re telling your friends about it. But it will not be the make-or-break factor in your application. A 4 or a 5 is good enough.

4. The AWA is graded by an E-reader application and by a human reader. Since there is an element of automated grading, you can rig the test to an extent. We’ve found that if you write a substantial essay of over 500 words, and if you structure the argument well ( check our CrackVerbal template in the following chapter), you are almost guaranteed to get a 4+ score!

5. Assuming that you prepare for the GMAT over a course of three months, we recommend that you practice writing 5 to 10 essays, and make sure you get feedback for all of them. If you cover this much practice ground, you’re good to go!

6. One of the best things about the AWA section is that you know all of the questions beforehand (yes, they’re all up there on the GMAC site – Analytical Writing Section ). So you do not have to go hunting for ‘authentic’ AWA essay questions.

7. Now you can choose the order in which you want to take up the sections before starting the test. It is advisable to keep in mind the order that would be helpful for you and prepare for the AWA based on that strategy. This is a recent change to the GMAT test structure. It was introduced in July 2017. We have done a detailed analysis of what this means to an Indian GMAT test-taker in the this blog

8. We saved the coolest point for last 🙂

The AWA lends itself very easily to the use of an essay template. No matter what the argument prompt is, you can bet that there will be at least 3 glaring errors of logic in it. You can, therefore, use a template to structure your AWA essay. Using a template takes most of the stress away from the AWA section.

In the few minutes before you start, you can jot down the template on your scratchpad, so that you don’t have to remember it anymore. Also, because you can plan many of your sentences beforehand, you can get at least a 100 words down before you even read the question!

There are a lot of templates on the internet – probably the most famous one being the Chineseburned AWA template.

At CrackVerbal, we have our own template for the AWA, a modified version of the Chineseburned template. We call it the CrackVerbal AWA Template on Steroids! 🙂

The AWA Writing Process

1. Write your templatized response

This should take you about 5 minutes:

Type out your prepared template response. Below is a sample. We definitely do not recommend that you use the same words. What you can do, however, is read a few templates on the net, and then write your own. Since you have written it yourself, it will be that much easier to memorise it.

CRACKVERBAL AWA TEMPLATE

The argument claims that < restate the argument >. Stated in this way the argument fails to take into account a few key factors which could call the conclusion to question. It rests on some assumptions, for which there is no clear evidence. Therefore, the argument is unconvincing and falls apart at the seams.

Paragraph 1:

1. Firstly, ( ) 2. This statement is a stretch and not substantiated in any way. 3. The argument would have been much clearer if ( )

Paragraph 2:

1. Second ( ). This is again a very weak and unsupported claim as the argument ( ). 2. For example, 3. This argument would have sounded a lot more convincing if 4. In addition, it would have been strengthened ever further if the argument provided evidence that

Paragraph 3:

1. Finally, the argument concludes that 2. However, what is not clear here is ( ) 3. If there had been evidence to support ( )

In summary, the argument fails to convince because of the faulty assumptions aforementioned. If the argument had drawn upon examples as suggested, and thereby plugged in the holes in the reasoning, it would have been far sounder on the whole.

2. Brainstorm

Now that you have put the pre-planned portion of the essay down, it’s time to read the AWA prompt and wear your thinking hat. GMAT, in its politically correct, non-partisan way, says ‘Discuss how well-reasoned you find this argument’. Remember however, that an AWA argument is never well-reasoned!

There are always a couple of glaring flaws in logic you can pounce on. If these flaws do not occur to you immediately, because of test-day stress, do not assume that you have been given a particularly sound argument. There is no such thing on the AWA!

If you’re unable to be critical, imagine that the author of the argument is somebody you dislike..a teacher you hated at college, or that guy who overtook you and almost dented your car this morning! There, now you’re in the right frame of mind to attack the argument 🙂

Before you do so, you need to understand the three elements of the argument – Conclusion, Premise and Assumptions.

Let us look at an example, and detect these three elements.

“Most companies would agree that as the risk of physical injury occurring on the job increases, the wages paid to employees should also increase. Hence it makes financial sense for employers to make the workplace safer: they could thus reduce their payroll expenses and save money.”

The conclusion is the decision/statement that the author has arrived at. In this case, the conclusion is the last sentence – “Hence it makes financial sense for employers to make the workplace safer: they could thus reduce their payroll expenses and save money.”

The premises are the building blocks of facts on which the conclusion rests. In other words, a premise is what is offered as support for the conclusion. In this case, the premise is – Most companies would agree that as the risk of physical injury occurring on the job increases, the wages paid to employees should also increase.

Assumptions are the unstated, unwritten premises that plug the gap between the written premises and the conclusion. It is the assumptions that you need to attack on the AWA!

How do you attack assumptions?

Remember that an assumption can be incorrect for a variety of reasons. Here are a few types of incorrect assumptions –

1. The Sampling Assumption – The sampling argument assumes that a small group is representative of a much larger group to which it belongs.

2. The illogical analogy assumption – The illogical analogy states that because something applies to A, it applies to B also.

3. The Causal Assumption – The Causal Assumption confuses correlation with causation. That means, just because ‘A’ usually occurs after ‘B’ occurs, does not necessarily imply that B happens because of A.

4. The Data Bias – This occurs when the data for a statistical inference itself is drawn from a sample that is not representative of the population under consideration. This is a case of faulty data leading to faulty assumptions.

5. The Non Sequitur – This simply means, finding a connection where there is none. Non Sequitur means “does not follow,” which is short for: the conclusion does not follow from the premise.

Don’t let these categories overwhelm you. We’ve put them down here to get you thinking. However, you can find faulty assumptions with ease, even if you have no clue what a non sequitur is!

As you brainstorm, you will need to jot down your thoughts on the scratchpad. Keep it crisp and brief. Make sure you have these things down –

1. Conclusion + Premise: 2. Flawed Assumption #1: 3. Flawed Assumption #2: 4. Flawed Assumption #3:

For each assumption, also make a cursory note of why it is flawed, an example that talks about why it is flawed, and what additional data would strengthen the argument ( or if you are convinced that you can remember these additional details without having to make a note of them, you can get on with the writing! )

This should take you about 15 minutes:

Here is where you fill in your templatized response with specific details.

The only detail you need to add to the first paragraph is a summary of the argument that is presented. In the above template, your summary should go here ->

1. Start off by pointing out the first flawed assumption. 2. Explain why this assumption is flawed. 3. Give an example that supports the flaw. 4. Explain what further information could have strengthened this argument.

1. Start off by pointing out the second flawed assumption. 2. Explain why this assumption is flawed. 3. Give an example that supports the flaw. 4. Explain what further information could have strengthened this argument.

Paragraph 4:

1. Start off by pointing out the third flawed assumption. 2. Explain why this assumption is flawed. 3. Give an example that supports the flaw. 4. Explain what further information could have strengthened this argument.

Paragraph 5:

This is the concluding paragraph. You already have it down in your template! 🙂

4. Proofread

Are you wondering if three minutes is really enough time to proof-read a 500 word essay?

Here’s the deal – The AWA section is about whether you can analyse an argument and discuss it in an articulate manner. It is not a test of grammar and spelling. Hence, the GMAT will excuse minor errors in spelling and grammar.

However, you should understand that a human reader is going to be reviewing your work, and any human reader will have an unconscious bias against bad grammar and spellings. Hence, you want to keep your essay as error-free as possible, without worrying about it too much.

Three minutes should be able time for you to quickly glance through the document and make sure you haven’t made any obvious errors.

Voila! 🙂 Your AWA essay is ready!

Also Read: GMAT Section Selection – Everything you need to know

Sample AWA Essays

Sample Essay 1

”Most companies would agree that as the risk of physical injury occurring on the job increases, the wages paid to employees should also increase. Hence it makes financial sense for employers to make the workplace safer: they could thus reduce their payroll expenses and save money.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument.

For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlying the thinking and what alternative explanations or counter examples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Introduction:

This argument states that it makes financial sense for employers to make the workplace safer because lower wages could then be paid to employees. This conclusion is based on the premise that as the risk of physical injury increases, the wages paid to employees should also increase. However, this argument makes several unsupported assumptions. For example, the argument assumes that the costs associated with making the workplace safe do not outweigh the increased payroll expenses due to hazardous conditions.

Body Paragraph 1

The first issue to be addressed is whether increased labor costs justify large capital expenditures to improve the work environment. Clearly one could argue that if making the workplace safe would cost an exorbitant amount of money in comparison to leaving the workplace as is and paying slightly increased wages than it would not make sense to improve the work environment. For example, if making the workplace safe would cost $100 million versus additional payroll expenses of only $5,000 per year, it would make financial sense to simply pay the increased wages. No business or business owner would pay all that extra money just to save a couple dollars and improve employee health and relations. To consider this, a cost benefit analysis must be made. I also feel that although a cost benefit analysis should be the determining factor with regard to these decisions making financial sense, it may not be the determining factor with regard to making social, moral and ethical sense.

Body Paragraph 2

Finally one must understand that not all work environments can be made safer. For example, in the case of coal mining, a company only has limited ways of making the work environment safe. While companies may be able to ensure some safety precautions, they may not be able to provide all the safety measures necessary. In other words, a mining company has limited ability to control the air quality within a coal mine and therefore it cannot control the risk of employees getting black. In other words, regardless of the intent of the company, some jobs are simply dangerous in nature.

In conclusion, while at first it may seem to make financial sense to improve the safety of the work environment sometimes it truly does not make financial sense. Furthermore, financial sense may not be the only issue a company faces. Other types of analyses must be made such as the social ramifications of an unsafe work environment and the overall ability of a company to improve that environment (i.e., coal mine). Before any decision is made, all this things must be considered, not simply the reduction of payroll expenses.

Sample Essay 2

The following appeared in a memorandum issued by a large city’s council on the arts.

“In a recent citywide poll, fifteen percent more residents said that they watch television programs about the visual arts than was the case in a poll conducted five years ago. During these past five years, the number of people visiting our city’s art museums has increased by a similar percentage. Since the corporate funding that supports public television, where most of the visual arts programs appear, is now being threatened with severe cuts, we can expect that attendance at our city’s art museums will also start to decrease. Thus some of the city’s funds for supporting the arts should be reallocated to public television.”

Discuss how well reasoned… etc.

Introduction

In this argument the author concludes that the city should allocate some of its arts funding to public television. The conclusion is based on two facts: (1) attendance at the city’s art museum has increased proportionally with the increases in visual-arts program viewing on public television, and (2) public television is being threatened by severe cuts in corporate funding. While this argument is somewhat convincing, a few concerns need to be addressed.

To begin with, the argument depends on the assumption that increased exposure to the visual arts on television, mainly public television, has caused a similar increase in local art-museum attendance. However, just because increased art-museum attendance can be statistically correlated with similar increases in television viewing of visual-arts programs, this does not necessarily mean that the increased television viewing of arts is the cause of the rise in museum attendance.

Moreover, perhaps there are other factors relevant to increased interest in the local art museum; for instance, maybe a new director had procured more interesting, exciting acquisitions and exhibits during the period when museum attendance increased, in addition, the author could be overlooking a common cause of both increases. It is possible that some larger social or cultural phenomenon is responsible for greater public interest in both television arts programming and municipal art museums.

Body Paragraph 3

To be fair, however, we must recognize that the author’s assumption is a special case of a more general one that television viewing affects people’s attitudes and behavior. Common sense and observation tell me that this is indeed the case. After all, advertisers spend billions of dollars on television ad time because they trust this assumption as well.

In conclusion, I am somewhat persuaded by this author’s line of reasoning. The argument would be strengthened if the author were to consider and rule out other significant factors that might have caused the increase in visits to the local art museum.

Sample Essay 3

The following appeared in a report presented for discussion at a meeting of the directors of a company that manufactures parts for heavy machinery.

“The falling revenues that the company is experiencing coincide with delays in manufacturing. These delays, in turn, are due in large part to poor planning in purchasing metals. Consider further that the manager of the department that handles purchasing of raw materials has an excellent background in general business, psychology, and sociology, but knows little about the properties of metals. The company should, therefore, move the purchasing manager to the sales department and bring in a scientist from the research division to be manager of the purchasing department.”

In response to a coincidence between falling revenues and delays in manufacturing, the report recommends replacing the manager of the purchasing department. The grounds for this action are twofold. First, the delays are traced to poor planning in purchasing metals. Second, the purchasing manager’s lack of knowledge of the properties of metals is thought to be the cause of the poor planning. It is further recommended that the position of the purchasing manager be filled by a scientist from the research division and that the current purchasing manager be reassigned to the sales department. In support of this latter recommendation, the report states that the current purchasing manager’s background in general business, psychology, and sociology equip him for this new assignment. The recommendations advanced in the report are questionable for two reasons.

To begin with, the report fails to establish a causal connection between the falling revenues of the company and the delays in manufacturing. The mere fact that falling revenues coincide with delays in manufacturing is insufficient to conclude that the delays caused the decline in revenue. Without compelling evidence to support the causal connection between these two events, the report’s recommendations are not worthy of consideration.

Second, a central assumption of the report is that knowledge of the properties of metals is necessary for planning in purchasing metals. No evidence is stated in the report to support this crucial assumption. Moreover, it is not obvious that such knowledge would be required to perform this task. Since planning is essentially a logistical function, it is doubtful that in-depth knowledge of the properties of metals would be helpful in accomplishing this task.

In conclusion, this is a weak argument. To strengthen the recommendation that the manager of the purchasing department be replaced, the author would have to demonstrate that the falling revenues were a result of the delays in manufacturing. Additionally, the author would have to show that knowledge of the properties of metals is a prerequisite for planning in purchasing metals.

Sample Essay 4

The following appeared in an announcement issued by the publisher of The Mercury, a weekly newspaper.

“Since a competing lower-priced newspaper, The Bugle, was started five years ago, The Mercury’s circulation has declined by 10,000 readers. The best way to get more people to read The Mercury is to reduce its price below that of The Bugle, at least until circulation increases to former levels. The increased circulation of The Mercury will attract more businesses to buy advertising space in the paper.”

A newspaper publisher is recommending that the price of its paper, The Mercury, be reduced below the price of a competing newspaper, The Bugle. This recommendation responds to a severe decline in circulation of The Mercury during the 5-year period following the introduction of The Bugle. The publisher’s line of reasoning is that lowering the price of The Mercury will increase its readership, thereby increasing profits because a wider readership attracts more advertisers. This line of reasoning is problematic in two critical respects.

While it is clear that increased circulation would make the paper more attractive to potential advertisers, it is not obvious that lowering the subscription price is the most effective way to gain new readers. The publisher assumes that price is the only factor that caused the decline in readership. But no evidence is given to support this claim. Moreover, given that The Mercury was the established local paper, it is unlikely that such a mass exodus of its readers would be explained by subscription price alone.

There are many other factors that might account for a decline in The Mercury’s popularity. For instance, readers might be displeased with the extent and accuracy of its news reporting, or the balance of local to other news coverage. Moreover, it is possible The Mercury has recently changed editors, giving the paper a locally unpopular political perspective. Or perhaps readers are unhappy with the paper’s format, the timeliness of its feature articles, its comics or advice columns, the extent and accuracy of its local event calendar, or its rate of errors.

In conclusion, this argument is weak because it depends on an oversimplified assumption about the causal connection between the price of the paper and its popularity. To strengthen the argument, the author must identify and explore relevant factors beyond cost before concluding that lowering subscription prices will increase circulation and, thereby, increase advertising revenues.

Sample Essay 5

The following appeared as part of an article in a magazine devoted to regional life.

“Corporations should look to the city of Helios when seeking new business opportunities or a new location. Even in the recent recession, Helios’s unemployment rate was lower than the regional average. It is the industrial center of the region, and historically it has provided more than its share of the region’s manufacturing jobs. In addition, Helios is attempting to expand its economic base by attracting companies that focus on research and development of innovative technologies.”

In this argument corporations are urged to consider the city of Helios when seeking a new location or new business opportunities. To support this recommendation, the author points out that Helios is the industrial center of the region, providing most of the region’s manufacturing jobs and enjoying a lower-than-average unemployment rate. Moreover, it is argued, efforts are currently underway to expand the economic base of the city by attracting companies that focus on research and development of innovative technologies. This argument is problematic for two reasons.

To begin with, it is questionable whether the available labor pool in Helios could support all types of corporations. Given that Helios has attracted mainly industrial and manufacturing companies in the past, it is unlikely that the local pool of prospective employees would be suitable for corporations of other types. For example, the needs of research and development companies would not be met by a labor force trained in manufacturing skills. For this reason, it’s unlikely that Helios will be successful in its attempt to attract companies that focus or research and development of innovative technologies.

Another problem with the available work force is its size. Due to the lower than average unemployment rate in Helios, corporations that require large numbers of workers would not find Helios attractive. The fact that few persons are out of work suggests that new corporations will have to either attract new workers to Helios or pay the existing workers higher wages in order to lure them away from their current jobs. Neither of these alternatives seems enticing to companies seeking to relocate.

In conclusion, the author has not succeeded in providing compelling reasons for selecting Helios as the site for a company wishing to relocate. In fact, the reasons offered function better as reasons for not relocating to Helios. Nor has the author provided compelling reasons for companies seeking new business opportunities to choose Helios.

Sample Essay 6

The following appeared in the health section of a magazine on trends and lifestyles.

“People who use the artificial sweetener aspartame are better off consuming sugar, since aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. For example, high levels of aspartame have been shown to trigger a craving for food bydepleting the brain of a chemical that registers satiety, or the sense of being full. Furthermore, studies suggest that sugars, if consumed after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, actually enhance the body’s ability to burn fat. Consequently, those who drink aspartame-sweetened juices after exercise will also lose this calorie-burning benefit. Thus it appears that people consuming aspartame rather than sugar are unlikely to achieve their dietary goals.”

In this argument the author concludes that people trying to lose weight are better off consuming sugar than the artificial sweetener aspartame. To support this conclusion the author argues that aspartame can cause weight gain by triggering food cravings, whereas sugar actually enhances the body’s ability to burn fat. Neither of these reasons provides sufficient support for the conclusion.

The first reason that aspartame encourages food cravings is supported by research findings that high levels of aspartame deplete the brain chemical responsible for registering a sense of being satedHidden text (sated, sating ), or full. But the author’s generalization based on this research is unreliable. The research was based on a sample in which large amounts of aspartame were administered; however, the author applies the research findings to a target population that includes all aspartame users, many of whom would probably not consume high levels of the artificial sweetener.

The second reason that sugar enhances the body’s ability to burn fat is based on the studies in which experimental groups, whose members consumed sugar after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, showed increased rates of fat burning. The author’s general claim, however, applies to all dieters who use sugar instead of aspartame, not just to those who use sugar after long periods of exercise. Once again, the author’s generalization is unreliable because it is based on a sample that clearly does not represent all dieters.

To conclude, each of the studies cited by the author bases its findings on evidence that does not represent dieters in general; for this reason, neither premise of this argument is a reliable generalization. Consequently, I am not convinced that dieters are better off consuming sugar instead of aspartame.

Sample Essay 7

The following appeared in the editorial section of a corporate newsletter.

“The common notion that workers are generally apathetic about management issues is false, or at least outdated: a recently published survey indicates that 79 percent of the nearly 1,200 workers who responded to survey questionnaires expressed a high level of interest in the topics of corporate restructuring and redesign of benefits programs.”

Based upon a survey among workers that indicates a high level of interest in the topics of corporate restructuring and redesign of benefits programs, the author concludes that workers are not apathetic about management issues. Specifically, it is argued that since 79 percent of the 1200 workers who responded to survey expressed interest in these topics, the notion that workers are apathetic about management issues is incorrect. The reasoning in this argument is problematic in several respects.

First, the statistics cited in the editorial may be misleading because the total number of workers employed by the corporation is not specified. For example, if the corporation employs 2000 workers, the fact that 79 percent of the nearly 1200 respondents showed interest in these topics provides strong support for the conclusion. On the other hand, if the corporation employs 200,000 workers, the conclusion is much weaker.

Another problem with the argument is that the respondents’ views are not necessarily representative of the views of the work force in general. For example, because the survey has to do with apathy, it makes sense that only less apathetic workers would respond to it, thereby distorting the overall picture of apathy among the work force. Without knowing how the survey was conducted, it is impossible to assess whether or not this is the case.

A third problem with the argument is that it makes a hasty generalization about the types of issues workers are interested in. It accords with common sense that workers would be interested in corporate restructuring and redesign of benefits programs, since these issues affect workers very directly. However, it is unfair to assume that workers would be similarly interested in other management issues—ones that do not affect them or affect them less directly.

In conclusion, this argument is not convincing as it stands. To strengthen it, the author would have to show that the respondents account for a significant and representative portion of all workers. Additionally, the author must provide evidence of workers’ interest other management topics—not just those that affect workers directly.

Sample Essay 8

The following appeared in the opinion column of a financial magazine.

“On average, middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products and services, while for younger consumers the average is only 25 percent. Since the number of middle-aged people will increase dramatically within the next decade, department stores can expect retail sales to increase significantly during that period. Furthermore, to take advantage of the trend, these stores should begin to replace some of those products intended to attract the younger consumer with products intended to attract the middle-aged consumer.”

Based on an expected increase in the number of middle-aged people during the next decade, the author predicts that retail sales at department stores will increase significantly over the next ten years. To bolster this prediction, the author cites statistics showing that middle-aged people devote a much higher percentage of their retail expenditure to department-store services and products than younger consumers do. Since the number of middle-aged consumers is on the rise and since they spend more than younger people on department-store goods and services, the author further recommends that department stores begin to adjust their inventories to capitalize on this trend. Specifically, it is recommended that department stores increase their inventory of products aimed at middle- aged consumers and decrease their inventory of products aimed at younger consumers. This argument is problematic for two reasons.

First, an increase in the number of middle-aged people does not necessarily portend an overall increase in department-store sales. It does so only on the assumption that other population groups will remain relatively constant. For example, if the expected increase in the number of middle-aged people is offset by an equally significant decrease in the number of younger people, there will be little or no net gain in sales.

Second, in recommending that department stores replace products intended to attract younger consumers with products more suitable to middle-aged consumers, the author assumes that the number of younger consumers will not also increase. Since a sizable increase in the population of younger consumers could conceivably offset the difference in the retail expenditure patterns of younger and middle- aged consumers, it would be unwise to make the recommended inventory adjustment lacking evidence to support this assumption.

This argument is unacceptable. To strengthen the argument the author would have to provide evidence that the population of younger consumers will remain relatively constant over the next decade.

We hope that our strategies help you conquer GMAT AWA with enough and more energy to spare for the sections that follow!

Now that you’ve figured out how to tackle the AWA section, do you want to put theory to practice and get your AWA essay graded?

Our experts here at CrackVerbal will evaluate and grade your AWA essay and give you specific, actionable feedback.

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Homepage > GMAT IR and AWA > GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment tips – How to score a perfect 6 on GMAT AWA

GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment tips – How to score a perfect 6 on GMAT AWA

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Aug 6, 2020 | GMAT Focus Edition , GMAT IR and AWA , GMAT Preparation

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section measures your ability to analyze an argument and communicate your thoughts or ideas. What you simply need to do is to critically analyze the reasoning given behind a given argument. To complete the AWA section of the GMAT you are allotted 30 minutes.

Here is the outline of the article:

How to create a well rounded Analytical Writing Assessment essay?

• How does ‘GMAT Write’ analyze your AWA essay?

GMAT AWA tips – GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Template

• Sample GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment essay

Let’s discuss now how you can score a perfect 6 on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section. Here are a few tips to prepare you for the GMAT AWA section.

Step 1 –  Understand the process of creating a well-rounded analysis of an argument. You can do that in two ways or rather with the help of two tools.

• AWA template by Chineseburned from gmatclub

Step 2 – Practice! Practice! Practice! the AWA questions. Here is a list of practice questions for you.

GMAT Write – An AWA practice tool by GMAC

GMAT Write is a writing tool provided by GMAC. It gives you access to 2 unique essay prompts and a chance to write 4 essays. The good thing about this tool is that it scores your essay based on the scoring algorithm used by the official GMAT exam. But, it costs $29.99 to subscribe to this tool.

Take a look at this article to know the importance of AWA and IR sections for business school admissions.

How does the ‘GMAT Write’ analyze your GMAT AWA essay?

Once you submit an essay, it scores you on 4 categories:

• Analysis of the issue
• Supports ideas
• Organizes coherent idea
• Language control

Based on these 4 categories it gives you an overall score for the essay.

Even if you don’t buy this tool, you still get to know what GMAT considers an ideal essay to be from it. An ideal essay should:

• Identify and analyze significant flaws in the argument
• Support the critique using relevant supporting reasons and/or examples
• Be a clearly organized and coherent response
• Demonstrate control of language, including diction, syntax, and conventions of standard written English

Source: https://www.mba.com/exam-prep/gmat-write

Once you know what factors make a perfect essay, the next thing you should do is creating a template. The most popular template for AWA is the one provided by ‘Chineseburned’ user on the gmatclub forum.

If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 1950 reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge for yourself?

Here are the details of his template:

Structure of the essay

• Introduction: Restate the argument and point out the flaws. Now, state your views which you’ll discuss in the next paragraphs.
• First paragraph: State your first critique of the argument and support your view with an example.
• Second paragraph: State your first critique of the argument and support your view with an example.
• Third paragraph: Pose a few questions for the argument. The absence of information in the argument to answer your questions weaken it further.
• Fourth argument: State information that you feel would have strengthened the argument but is absent. (This is an extra paragraph which is not in Chineseburned template)
• Conclusion: State that the argument is flawed because of the above reasons and which reasons could have strengthened the argument.

Learn how the IR section is scored.

Sample GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment AWA essay

Here is a sample AWA essay question for practice. We have also provided the answer to this question based on the template.

The following appeared in an Excelsior Company memorandum. “The Excelsior Company plans to introduce its own brand of coffee. Since coffee is an expensive food item, and since there are already many established brands of coffee, the best way to gain customers for the Excelsior brand is to do what Superior, the leading coffee company, did when it introduced the newest brand in its line of coffees: conduct a temporary sales promotion that offers free samples, price reductions, and discount coupons for the new brand.” Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion, be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

GMAT AWA essay

The Excelsior company wants to introduce its own brand of coffee since coffee is an expensive food item and might have good profit margins. However, as there are several established brands of coffee already, it needs to work out a way to gain a foothold in the market. For this purpose, the company plans to pursue the same marketing strategy that the leading coffee company Superior had used. However, I think there are several flaws in that line of reasoning. And hence this argument seems a little weak.

First, Superior is already an established brand and the market leader. No data is given as to how long back it entered the coffee market. Without this information, it is difficult to ascertain the utility of the marketing strategy for Excelsior. A brand might take decades to establish, and what worked a decade back, need not work today. For example, when Google was initially set up, it depended on word of mouth, rather than any communication media, for its marketing. As it was initially just an internal product for the University, this approach worked for them. However, it might not work for any company now. We see these days that most new web companies do advertise heavily when they initially launch a product for the masses.

Second, no information has been provided about the target market for the coffee or the pricing strategy. It might be that the coffee produced by Superior is one of the cheaper products in the market. And that they earn their profits from volume sales rather than having a niche market. Whereas, Excelsior might be aiming at the niche market of expensive and luxury coffee. If that were the case, then the same marketing strategies might not be relevant for Excelsior. Can Hyundai apply the same approach towards the market as does a luxury brand like Ferrari?

Without some of the relevant and contextual details, it is difficult to judge the efficacy of using the same marketing strategy that a competitor applied some unknown years back. If we were to get some more details in this regard, we could have judged the situation better.

Although all the factors being the same, it might not be a bad idea to follow the same approach as that of a leading brand in the market. Sometimes there is nothing wrong with sticking to the tried and the tested. In the absence of any other better idea, Excelsior might not have much to lose if it pursues the same methods as did Superior. It’s better to have some plan rather than no plan.

Conducting a temporary sales promotion that offers free samples, price reductions and discount coupons might not be such a bad idea. It could be a good ploy to get users to try out the product. And discounts and other monetary incentives are usually very effective in this regard. If the quality of the product is good enough and the pricing is appropriate, introducing enough customers to the product through such offers might give a significant push to consumer interest in the product. While customer satisfaction might leverage word of mouth marketing.

Therefore, depending on the context the approach might or might not be a beneficial one. This essay question has been taken from gmatclub and the answer has been judged as a perfect 6 by the GMAT Write tool. The answer was written by the user ‘rish2jain’ from gmatclub forum.

To score a perfect 6 on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section, it is important that you learn the AWA template and practice as much as you can. Just don’t overdo it. It is a good practice to devote 10% of your preparation time to GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section.

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GMAT AWA Topics – Sample Prompts

Before you start.

Remember that the AWA is testing your ability to effectively critique an argument being presented. There will be some common fallacies used in the prompts that you will need to address. Familiarize yourself with these flawed arguments so that you can quickly identify them as you write your essay:

Inappropriate Comparisons – comparing two things which are not necessarily similar, thus leading to a flawed conclusion. You will notice that in an inappropriate comparison, the argument will only note the similarities between two things with no explanation of why the differences do not change the outcome.

Example: "Dogs are highly motivated by food, which is a useful tool for training. Using this same method, you can help to encourage your children to repeat positive behaviors." This argument does not address early childhood development, nor does it address dog psychology – the person assumes that if a solution worked in one situation, it will work in the other.

Vague Language – using words such as "many", "few", "some", "more", or "less" without further qualification is often too vague to make a cogent point.

Example: "In Chicago, more people voted to add bike lanes than people did in Aurora, so it is clear that the citizens in Chicago are more pro-bike than the citizens in Aurora." This argument does not explain what 'more' means. Is it by percentage? Does it refer to raw number of votes, and if so, does it take into account the number of voters in Chicago vs. the number of voters in Aurora?

Correlation vs Causation – this common fallacy asserts that because something occurred, it must be a consequence of some specific variable observed before the result.

Example: "Students in Neighborhood A have higher test scores on average that students in Neighborhood B. Therefore, it is clear that the schools in Neighborhood A are better than the schools in Neighborhood B." This argument is flawed because it assumes the only meaningful variable in test scores was the school the children attend. This argument does not consider other various factors, such as poverty, school resources, home situations, and the parents' abilility to supplement educational opportunities, etc.

Sampling Issues – a case in which statistics are used inappropriately to compare unlike populations or to draw broad conclusions using a small sample.

Example: "56% of the reviews of Company A are negative, which shows that most customers are very unhappy with the service provided." The problem with this argument is that it does not address the percentage of overall customers who have written reviews. How do we know that this is representative of all customers vs. those who are upset about an issue and take the time to write a review?

Now that you have reviewed some common flawed arguments you may encounter, it is time to get started practicing!

Sample Prompt 1

The following appeared in the health section of a magazine on trends and lifestyles:

"People who use the artificial sweetener aspartame are better off consuming sugar, since aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. For example, high levels of aspartame have been shown to trigger a craving for food by depleting the brain of a chemical that registers satiety, or the sense of being full. Furthermore, studies suggest that sugars, if consumed after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, actually enhance the body’s ability to burn fat. Consequently, those who drink aspartame-sweetened juices after exercise will also lose this calorie-burning benefit. Thus, it appears that people consuming aspartame rather than sugar are unlikely to achieve their dietary goals."

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion, be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Sample Prompt 2

The following appeared in the opinion column of a financial magazine:

"On average, middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products and services, while for younger consumers the average is only 25 percent. Since the number of middle-aged people will increase dramatically within the next decade, department stores can expect retail sales to increase significantly during that period. Furthermore, to take advantage of the trend, these stores should begin to replace some of those products intended to attract the younger consumer with products intended to attract the middle-aged consumer."

Sample Prompt 3

The following appeared as part of an editorial in an industry newsletter:

"While trucking companies that deliver goods pay only a portion of highway maintenance costs and no property tax on the highways they use, railways spend billions per year maintaining and upgrading their facilities. The government should lower the railroad companies’ property taxes, since sending goods by rail is clearly a more appropriate mode of ground transportation than highway shipping. For one thing, trains consume only a third of the fuel a truck would use to carry the same load, making them a more cost-effective and environmentally sound mode of transport. Furthermore, since rail lines already exist, increases in rail traffic would not require building new lines at the expense of taxpaying citizens."

Sample Prompt 4

The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, Inc.:

"Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to organic fertilizers and pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming at this point. But studies of farmers who switched to organic farming last year indicate that their current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic farming equipment, a relatively minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop yields, cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially unwise, given that it was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns."

Sample Prompt 5

The following is part of a business plan created by the management of the Megamart grocery store:

"Our total sales have increased this year by 20 percent since we added a pharmacy section to our grocery store. Clearly, the customer’s main concern is the convenience afforded by one-stop shopping. The surest way to increase our profits over the next couple of years, therefore, is to add a clothing department along with an automotive supplies and repair shop. We should also plan to continue adding new departments and services, such as a restaurant and a garden shop, in subsequent years. Being the only store in the area that offers such a range of services will give us a competitive advantage over other local stores."

Exams Know-how

How to Write AW...

How to Write AWA in GMAT: Best Tips for GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer-based test designed to gauge your analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English. The exam is taken by students interested in management courses.

The GRE essay section is also referred to as the AWA or the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment which experts believe is one of the most neglected sections of the GRE test. Most test-takers believe that they can master the section in a few days at the most. The AWA section of the GMAT is designed to gauge the student's command of the language and writing skills in English.

We have brought to you the best tips and tricks suggested by GMAT experts to write a great analytical writing assessment in GMAT, along with AWA GMAT essay samples!

What is the GMAT AWA Section?

The Analytical Writing Assessment Section of the GMAT exam requires that you analyse the reasoning behind a given argument and write a critique of that argument. Your ability to think critically and to communicate your ideas through an essay in English is measured.

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section consists of one 30-minute writing task—Analysis of an Argument. The arguments on the test include topics of general interest related to business, or a variety of other subjects. Specific knowledge of the essay topic is not necessary; only your capacity to write analytically is assessed.

What is the Difference between the GRE and GMAT Exam?

Sample AWA Essay Examples

Sample GMAT AWA essay topics will help you set benchmarks and improve your writing along the same lines. We strongly suggest that you read sample essays regularly during your preparation phase for the GMAT. You can read sample essays from the following resources:

• Sample Issue Essays from ETS
• Sample Argument Essays from ETS

The essays on the ETS website have been written by students.

You can use these essays as benchmarks to assess your own levels of writing.

Know Everything about the GMAT AWA Template!

Tips to Write AWA in GMAT

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) provides clear instructions on how to plan and write your essay. Students must learn these instructions long before Test Day and do not waste precious testing time reading them while the clock ticks.

Given below are the tips for writing a great GMAT AWA:

1.  Confine to Objectivity in Analytical Writing

The AWA instruction reads “In this section, you will be asked to write a critique of the argument presented. You are NOT being asked to present your own views on the subject.” A critique is an objective criticism of the argument in the prompt. Including your opinion would be providing a subjective analysis, which is not the point of analytical writing.

2.  Analyse the Argument's Assumptions and Supporting Evidence

Every GMAT AWA argument comprises a conclusion and pieces of evidence, just like GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) questions. For both AWA and CR, the gaps between those pieces of evidence and the conclusion must be bridged by an assumption. Your critique of the argument will discuss the flaws you identify in its reasoning. A common mistake is to equate assumptions with flaws. That consistent pattern provides you with your thesis statement; “The author’s argument is flawed because it is based on assumptions for which she does not provide sufficient supporting evidence.”

Suggestd: All about GMAT Reading Comprehension!

3.  Draw a Conclusion from your Thesis Statement

This thesis statement also serves as an appropriate conclusion. By definition, a thesis statement provides a summary of the main point of the essay. Remember that the conclusion of any passage, argument, claim, or essay can be found by asking, “What’s the point?” So once you’ve crafted that thesis statement, shuffle the language a bit and you have a conclusion.

4.  Avoid Hesitation in the AWA- It's About Confidence

Your AWA essay should have a formal, confident tone. You have dissected the argument and are now presenting your objective findings. Third-person pronouns (he, she, one) are appropriate in a GMAT essay. First- (I, we, us) and second-person (you) are inappropriate; in fact, unnecessary self-reference (I believe) is part of what makes the first example above less effective than the second.

The phrases “somewhat vague” and “rather wordy” have a softer impact than simply saying “vague” or “wordy.” Avoid these qualifiers in your GMAT essay:

• pretty (as in pretty much)
• might be (as opposed to is/are)
• may be (as opposed to is/are)

This is not an absolute list, and these words are not totally off-limits. But be sure to use purposeful words and avoid unnecessary qualification.

5.  Be Concise

Using active verbs and avoiding qualifiers automatically makes your writing concise. Say what you mean in as few words as possible. Remember that graders read hundreds and hundreds of essays, and they spend just a minute or so reading each one. You want the grader to see your points right away, so don’t crowd your essay with unnecessary descriptors.

6.  Try to be Polished, not Perfect

Graders can tell whether you had a plan before you started typing, so spend time planning before you write. If you break down the argument, decide on your points, and arrange your ideas into paragraphs when the clock starts, then you will have written a polished AWA essay before 30 minutes have elapsed. Remember that formal writing is much more structured than texts and speech.

All about GMAT Vocabulary

7.  Use Language you are Comfortable With

Now that I’ve given you a checklist of style tips to use on the Analytical Writing Assessment, the final point is that you must remember to be yourself. Use language you are comfortable with and trust your own voice. Do not try to write as if you were someone else.

How to Prepare for the GMAT AWA?

We hope you got a clear idea about how to proceed with preparing and writing the AWA in GMAT. Make sure to follow the guidelines highlighted in the blog above and prepare accordingly. You can further seek assistance through our free GMAT prep resources to ace your GMAT prep!

Frequently Asked Questions about AWA in GMAT

How many words should we write in GMAT AWA?

To hit around 500 words, you should have written about 30-35 sentences of 15-20 words each. With sufficient practice, your essays will reach the desired mark and you will not have to actually count the number of words on the day of your exam. At this point, resist the temptation to add any new points.

How do you start an AWA introduction?

Your introduction should not be long. Encyclopedic texts require long introductions; thirty-minute essays require a short introduction. An effective introduction need only be a few sentences.

What is the GMAT age limit?

GMAT doesn't have any strict age or academic qualification requirement to take the exam. The only GMAT exam eligibility that the candidates need to be concerned about is having an undergraduate degree.

What are the preparation strategies for the Reading Comprehension GMAT?

Your GMAT Verbal Ability score largely depends on Reading Comprehension. Here are some foolproof ways to structure and time your preparation for GMAT Reading Comprehension: 1) Skim the passage [1 minute] 2) Read the questions [1 minute] 3) Read the Passage in detail [2 minutes] 4) Answer questions [1 minute] 5) Identify the outliers [0.25 minutes]

How much does GMAT cost in India?

The GMAT computer based test costs about Rs 20,600.

Rohan Deshmukh

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GMAT Prep Online Guides and Tips

What’s a good gmat writing score does the essay matter.

How much does your GMAT writing score really matter? Business schools only release GMAT score data for their students’ Total scores, so it can be difficult to find information about what constitutes a “good” or “bad” GMAT writing score and how important your GMAT analytical writing score really is.

Luckily, we’ve done the research and figured out the answers for you. In this post, we’ll tell you what business schools have to say about the Analytical Writing Assessment, how they weigh it against other parts of your GMAT score and your overall application, and how your score stacks up against other test-taker worldwide. Finally, we’ll help you figure out what a good GMAT analytical writing score is for you .

How Is the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Scored?

The Analytical Writing section is graded on a scale of 0-6 in half-point increments . According to the GMAC AWA score guide, 6 is considered “outstanding,” 5 is “strong,” 4 is “adequate,” 3 is “limited,” 2 is “seriously flawed,” and a 1 is considered “fundamentally deficient.” Like the Integrated Reasoning score, the GMAT writing score does not factor into your Total GMAT score ,  which is why it’s generally considered to be less important.

Your AWA essay is graded once by a human and once by a sophisticated computer grading program called E-Rater . If the two scores are identical or differ by one point, they are averaged to obtain the final score for that essay. If the scores differ by more than one point, an expert human reader will step in and determine the final score.

Graders are trained to consider the following when assigning a score:

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• The overall quality of ideas about the issue and argument presented
• Your overall ability to organize, develop, and express those ideas
• The relevant supporting reasons and examples used
• Your ability to control the elements of standard written English (grammar and syntax), with a bit more leeway given to international ESL students

Along with your scaled score, you will also be given a percentile ranking , which corresponds to the percentage of test-takers whom you scored higher than. For example, if you scored in the 80th percentile on the AWA section, this means you did better on that section than 80% of people who took the exam. This percentile is based on the last three years of GMAT scores, so if you took the test in 2014, your 80th percentile score would encompass all GMAT-takers from 2012 through 2014.

Thus, while scaled scores are static, percentiles can (and do) change over time. Percentiles help contextualize your scores by comparing them with those of other applicants, and they are assessed by business schools along with the scaled score to see how you measure up.

GMAT Writing Score Averages and Percentiles

Most test-takers score highly on the Analytical Writing Assessment: almost half of all test takers score a 5 or higher.  The average GMAT Analytical Writing score is a 4.37.

Below are the current percentile rankings for GMAT Analytical Writing scores.

What’s a Good GMAT Writing Score Overall?

Remember, there’s no score on any section of the GMAT—even an 800 Total score—that is guaranteed to get you into your top choice business school. Plus, your AWA score is certainly the least influential score one way or the other. Business schools definitely care far more about your Total score, and it’s likely that they care more about your IR score as well. While no part of the GMAT should be neglected , the AWA is the bottom of the GMAT totem pole in terms of your MBA application.

The ultimate takeaway is that a good GMAT writing score is is the one that doesn’t hinder your acceptance into the MBA program of your choice . We say “doesn’t hinder” rather than “gets you into” because the majority of test-takers do very well on the AWA, which makes it hard to get a score that truly stands out. Even if you score a perfect 6, that’s unlikely to be impressive enough to boost an otherwise so-so Total score , or a poor GPA , etc. In fact, the difference between a 5 and a 6 isn’t going to affect your application much, if at all.

Statements from the GMAC itself confirm this: they explicitly advise business schools to “not make distinctions among applicants on the basis of a small scoring distinction—one point or less apart.”

So while it’s hard to stand out, on the other hand, the fact that almost half of test-takers score a 5 or above is an encouraging sign: with just a little bit of prep , you can easily achieve a GMAT analytical writing score of 5 or higher.

One thing to note is that even though the AWA isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things, scoring below a 4 could raise a red flag . Business schools say very little about how they weigh the AWA, but a low score like a 3.5 might signal to them that your writing skills aren’t developed enough to handle the rigorous coursework of an MBA program. More importantly, a huge gap between the writing level reflected in your AWA and the writing level reflected in your application essay is disconcerting in that it calls into question your authorship of the latter.

The GMAC itself advises business schools to “consider that the scores are based on 30-minute, first-draft writing samples” and cautions that these essays “are not comparable to prepared essays that may be submitted with a school application.” The GMAC rather recommends that business schools use the AWA as a “diagnostic tool in recommending or requiring additional instruction in writing,” though it’s unclear how much universities actually carry this out.

In Summary: What’s a Good GMAT Writing Score for Me?

As a baseline, a 5 is considered a strong GMAT essay score. At a 5 or above, you’ll essentially be fine in that your GMAT essay score won’t hinder your application. For the vast majority of schools, a 5 is a good score.

However, if you’re applying to some top 10 business schools , you might want to push yourself further. To be safe, you should aim to score a perfect 6, or at least a 5.5. A 5.5 or above puts you in the top 20%, which is a safe area to be in for the AWA for an elite MBA program.

A 4.5 is generally an “okay” score. A 4 or below puts you under the average, which could hurt you if you’re an international applicant or if your application essay is far better. If you’re scoring 4.5s or below on practice tests, this signals that you could use a little extra AWA prep before taking the GMAT for keeps.

What’s Next?

Looking to raise your GMAT essay score? Creating an AWA template is an excellent method.

Also, be sure to read through  our essential AWA tips  and guide to approaching every kind of GMAT essay prompt .

Happy studying!

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Author: Jess Hendel

Jess Hendel is a Brooklyn-based academic advisor, test prep tutor, and content writer for PrepScholar. A graduate of Amherst College, she has several years of experience writing content and designing curricula for the top e-learning organizations. She is passionate about leveraging new media and technology to help students around the world achieve their potential. View all posts by Jess Hendel

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