GMAT Essay Topics- A Comprehensive Guide

The GMAT Essay does not influence the total GMAT score or the scores in the other sections. However, that does not mean that you can neglect this section altogether. Many B-Schools look for in candidates the ability to express and demonstrate sound critical thinking abilities. The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section is an opportunity for you to express yourself and display critical thinking skills. You may also have to provide your Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) scores while applying to study at universities worldwide. 

But what is the GMAT Essay all about? For starters, you can expect to find several GMAT essay topics which revolve around almost anything and everything under the sun. The topics cover diverse aspects, right from economics and politics to social issues, marketing, leadership, education, environment, and more. For practice purposes, you can find several GMAT essay examples online. Before that, learn more about the examination below. 

Brief about GMAT Essay Scoring Pattern and Other AWA Aspects

The AWA section will give you a single writing task of 30 minutes. It is scored between 0-6 in half-point intervals. The final score depends on the average of two independent scores, i.e., one from an electronic scoring engine and one from an evaluator. 

Here is a closer look at how the AWA is scored: 

Going through GMAT essay samples will give you an idea of the basic structure of the essay. You have to critique and analyze a flawed argument in the essay. Some of the fallacies in the given prompt include the following: 

• Unsuitable comparisons (if two non-similar things are compared, the conclusion may be erroneous)
• Vagueness of language (Using terms like some, few, many, etc. without any justification will always be flawed)
• Causation vs. Correlation (a common fallacy, it seems to assume that something has taken place due to consequences of particular variables prior to the result). You will find this in several GMAT essay examples while studying. 
• Issues with Sampling (Erroneous usage of statistics to draw conclusions or insufficient data used for making conclusions)

Here are a few templates that you can consider while writing different parts of your essay: 

1.  Introduction:

•  (The source) argues that (mention the argument).
•  As it stands at present, the argument relies on assumptions without any clear evidence, while failing to address crucial points that undermine the conclusion as a whole.
•   As a result, the argument contains numerous flaws, which make it implausible.
•  Until the (first flaw), (second flaw) and (third flaw) are tackled, the argument cannot be perceived as viable. 

2.  Body Paragraph 1

• (Firstly) the argument states…
• The claims of the author seem unlikely since/because…
• The argument could be strengthened, had the author provided evidence that (analysis or statement)..
• This possibility proves the vulnerability of the conclusion.

 3.  Body Paragraph 2

• (Secondly) the argument states/claims that (mention the fallacy or logical assumption that is erroneous).
• This is again a weak statement/claim without any substantive evidence/support of any correlation between (item 1) and (item 2).
• However, if evidence that (analysis or statement) had been provided by the author, then the argument would have been strengthened.

 4.  Body Paragraph 3

• Finally, the argument concludes that (state the final reasoning or conclusion of the argument)..
• Yet, it still remains unclear (statement of the questions that are not answered till now or the analysis that should be tackled).
• To strengthen the argument, evidence to support (analysis or information) should be furnished by the author.

 5.  Conclusion

• (To sum up/in conclusion/in summary), the argument is flawed/unconvincing/improbable/invalid due to the above-mentioned flawed reasoning.
• If the author had clearly stated (mention the missing information that is relevant or any other specific aspects mentioned in the earlier paragraphs), the argument would have been strengthened or regarded as valid.
• In the present state, the argument of the author that (state the argument again) is unsound and weak/invalid. 

You will find many other GMAT essay examples to help you practice better for the section. 

Tips for a High-Scoring Performance

Here are some tips to perform well in this section: 

• Identify and study fallacies- Every argument in the prompt will come with inherent flaws in the basic premise or underlying logic. You should practice identifying logical fallacies swiftly, taking care to apply your knowledge of the commonest kinds of fallacies that are usually observed. Insufficient sample, straw man, non sequitur, ad hominem, and circular reasoning are a few types of these fallacies that you should do your homework on. 
• Practice under simulated testing conditions- Practice writing timed essays using the official GMAT preparation tools. You should not exceed 30 minutes or draw from external sources. Use a basic text editor and explore GMATWrite, which is the official writing tool of the GMAC for having expert readers score your practice essays. You will come across numerous GMAT essay samples for home practice. 
• Learn how to break down your core arguments- You should learn how to break down arguments into multiple parts. First, work out the basic/foundational logic/reasoning and then the conclusion and supporting points. You can practice it with any argument given in articles, newspapers, and other persuasive writing samples. 
• Get a good essay proofreader- If you are a non-native speaker, get someone experienced and competent to proofread your practice essays. This will help you understand and correct technical errors. 
• Always ask few intrinsic questions while organizing your response- Whenever you plan your response to the argument, you should always ask yourself about the assumptions that are questionable, the counterexamples that you can raise for the argument, any additional evidence that may help refute/boost the argument, and whether the response will be like a discussion with the suitable organization of ideas and full sentences. 
• Achieve a discussion-like response- Your final response should not seem like a general outline. It should be more of a discussion with full sentences, proper idea organization, and logical and accurate transitions between your points, and suitable examples. 
• Always use examples- Examples and illustrations are the lifeblood of the AWA section. You should always provide explanations/examples/counterexamples while starting points. Make sure that you develop the examples, without merely listing them. 

These are some tips that will help you score better in the GMAT AWA section. Go through as many sample GMAT essay topics as you can and remember to focus on organizing your ideas in a logical manner.