The GMAT AWA syllabus helps business schools to examine your vocabulary and writing competencies. You will be given an argument, which you are required to analyse the reasoning behind. This section assesses your ability to think critically and also convey your thoughts through an essay in the English language.
You are given a half-hour to finish this section. The topics of the argument you are given are either business-related or may encompass a number of different subjects, like current affairs, social science, etc. Rather than your level of knowledge on the topic; your capacity to reason and write critically is what will be assessed. Even though the AWA score does not have an effect on your overall GMAT score and is included in a separate section on your report card, B-schools nonetheless assess the skills examined with respect to the AWA, like logical flow, clarity of thought process, sentence construction, and reasoning on the premise of your AWA score.
Syllabus
The AWA syllabus of the GMAT examination evaluates your ability to think and convey your point proficiently in English. This section has one question – Analysis of an Argument. You are given an argument, and must analyse it closely. Following this, you need to estimate the reasons behind it and explain your thoughts in writing. You must include a critical evaluation of the argument you were given. Make sure your arguments and perspectives are supported with appropriate examples, reasons, and data. Also, you want to be cautious about your grammar and vocabulary whilst writing the answer. You will have a half-hour to put this essay in writing.
Your AWA article must deal with the following important questions:
What are the viable suppositions behind the argument?
What are the information and examples that will assist you to shape an in-depth argument?
Scoring, Evaluation, and Percentile:
Your AWA rating is evaluated on a scale of zero to six with the aid of a human rater and a computer algorithm designed to analyse such essays. Your final score will be an average of both those scores. However, if there’s a distinction of more than 1 point among your computer and human rating, then the rating is reviewed and altered as necessary by a second human rater. First, the computer algorithm, which is called an E-Rater, evaluates your writing based on syntax and analytical aspects, followed by a trained human rater. They will score your essay based on the development of your thoughts and written expression.
This section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6, in 0.5-point increments. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the official body that conducts the GMAT examination, achieving an AWA score of 6 is ‘outstanding’, 5 is ‘strong’, 4 is ‘adequate’, 3 is ‘limited’, and anything less than 3 is seriously and fundamentally deficient.
The average GMAT writing score is 4.37 out of 6. The minimum accepted score for the AWA section in most universities is 4. Your GMAT AWA score additionally shows a percentile ranking. This number indicates the proportion of examinees who you performed better than. For example, in case your score is 5.5 points, your percentile is 79, this means that 21% of all applicants performed better or the same as you, and 79% did not.
The factors that decide your AWA score are:
- Application of the right grammar concepts and vocabulary.
- Your ability to establish, structure, and present facts.
- The explanations and examples you offer
This section reveals a number of abilities, in addition to your presentation of the argument. But what to do if you aren’t satisfied with your AWA score?
GMAT Official AWA Practice can increase your confidence in your writing ability. It includes 2 practice essay attempts. It permits you to discover and examine flaws in your arguments. The right study material and some thorough practice will help you score greater than 5 points. All the best!
