Write at least three practice essays.<\/h4><\/header>Practice makes perfect! You can study for the GRE online by looking up the AWA prompts and practicing writing several of them within the 30-minute guideline. The only way to get comfortable with the time constraints is to practice them, so set up test-like conditions and get to work. If you\u2019re a good writer, you might be tempted to take the GRE essay portion without practicing. That\u2019s not a great idea–the issue essay is a different kind of essay than you\u2019ve probably had to write in school, and you might miss the mark if you don\u2019t practice. On the issue essay you\u2019re not writing literary criticism or rhetorical analysis, but rather something more akin to a very direct, concise email to a very busy boss or professor. Get used to the idea that the issue essay isn\u2019t about how well you make things flow or how pretty it sounds; it\u2019s about how clearly you can get information across.<\/p>\n
Between full practice essays, students can build their planning skills with a five-minute brainstorming exercise. Choose an official GRE Issue prompt, read its specific instructions, and list reasons and examples for different positions. Then select a position and outline two or three supporting points.<\/p>\n
For each point, jot down an example and a brief explanation of how it supports the thesis. This exercise helps students recognize when an argument needs more support before they begin writing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>
Practice makes perfect! You can study for the GRE online by looking up the AWA prompts and practicing writing several of them within the 30-minute guideline. The only way to get comfortable with the time constraints is to practice them, so set up test-like conditions and get to work. If you\u2019re a good writer, you might be tempted to take the GRE essay portion without practicing. That\u2019s not a great idea–the issue essay is a different kind of essay than you\u2019ve probably had to write in school, and you might miss the mark if you don\u2019t practice. On the issue essay you\u2019re not writing literary criticism or rhetorical analysis, but rather something more akin to a very direct, concise email to a very busy boss or professor. Get used to the idea that the issue essay isn\u2019t about how well you make things flow or how pretty it sounds; it\u2019s about how clearly you can get information across.<\/p>\n
Between full practice essays, students can build their planning skills with a five-minute brainstorming exercise. Choose an official GRE Issue prompt, read its specific instructions, and list reasons and examples for different positions. Then select a position and outline two or three supporting points.<\/p>\n
For each point, jot down an example and a brief explanation of how it supports the thesis. This exercise helps students recognize when an argument needs more support before they begin writing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>