The GMAT issue essay tests a candidate’s ability to make a feast of an issue and convince the reader as much as possible. In the GMAT issue essay, the candidate has to choose a topic and then with the help of evidence and examples, prove why he or she has taken a particular stand.

Take a stance

The first step would be to choose between two statements or topics and then take your stance. The topic might be controversial and the candidates are expected to state what their stance or opinion is. This requires the candidate to have a clear view about the issue, and enough examples to illustrate or justify your stance.

Brainstorming for ideas

Writing a lot without clearly thinking about what you want to write about would get you nowhere. When it comes to writing the issue essay, you will have to brainstorm for ideas to decide what thoughts you have, the reasons and persuasive examples that you might come up with in order to provide the best answer or opinion that you can five. This is where you need to think about the reasons and the line of thinking that you can justify strongly and that which you cannot substantiate well. Read more…

The GMAT argument essay is primarily used to test the student’s analytical thinking when it comes to statement and the argument. The purpose of the argument essay is for the candidate to point out if there are any potential problems with the statement that has been presented. For this the candidate has to use all the evidence that is present and use a particular line of reasoning to get to a conclusion as to whether the statement is correct or wrong. So, for someone with strong reasoning, he or she should be able to use reasoning to explain readers their point of view making the argument strong.

Look for the conclusion

For a change you might as well have to start with the conclusion of the argument and pay careful attention to it. The proposal is intentionally flawed which means you will have to take some time upfront and think about what conclusion you are headed to. That will help you figure out flaws in the connection between what the author has concluded and the facts that have been presented.

Structure and integrity of the essay

A good essay will always have a good introduction and a strong build up. Clarity in the essay is very important and the candidate has to develop the essay in a proper way. 2 to 3 well developed body paragraphs are required to bring out the argument in a clear and crisp way to convince the reader of your argument. If your logic is not proper, you might end up confusing the readers without the right development of the subject. Read more…

It appears that not only is your GMAT score critical in the admissions process to the business school or your choice, but is also used for job recruiting following your graduation. The economic recession has, unfortunately, led to an over-abundance of job-seekers with fewer jobs to seek, therefore recruiters use GMAT scores as a method to further weed out applicants. In some cases your GMAT scores may even be the deciding factor as to whether or not you get an interview. Because of the importance of your GMAT scores, you need to make sure your score is truly stellar; if you are nervous about the essay portion consider the following tips.

Issue or Argument

Generally the essay portion of the GMAT will give you a choice between two topic statements—they are usually fairly short and either make a sweeping generalization or take a particular stance on an issue. Your goal is to choose one of the statements and explain whether you disagree or agree and why. Because of the relative broadness of the topics, you will probably not need much specialized knowledge to write on them successfully, so you can start by jotting down your position as well as the points you want to make—a rough outline of sorts. Remember that the position you take doesn’t have any influence on your score, so even if you don’t personally agree with a position but it lends itself to a fuller essay, then that is the right choice.

The Specifics

As a general rule,

• Essays should have four or five paragraphs total.
• A good essay will make use of a short introduction that states the position you are taking,
• Then two or three paragraphs in the body which will more fully explain your position—with supporting examples
• Last but not least, a conclusion.

The examples can be real-life, hypothetical, or totally made up just as long as you make them both relevant and believable. In short, the first paragraph should summarize your idea, state a thesis, acknowledge that the other side does indeed have some merit, and introduce your examples. Good transitions from paragraph to paragraph will help your score, so ensure each paragraph is well-developed and leads naturally into the next. On the issue essay you won’t be able to write your thesis statement ahead of time, but you will have to establish one clear position for yourself as well as acknowledge the other side. Read more…