Introduction
If you
are trying to boost your GRE essay score, you should know that this is easier
than it seems. Simply follow these proven strategies and your score will
automatically improve:
1. Write the essay in advance
The first
thing you should do is write the essay in advance. This will give you a chance
to think about the question, write a rough draft, change it if necessary, and
make sure that you understand what's expected of you. You don't want to spend
too much time on this part because it will be very difficult for them when they
read through thousands of essays and try to pick out those that are good
enough.
2. Keep it succinct
If you're
trying to impress the GRE evaluators, it's best not to use too many words. The
evaluators are looking for concise essays that get right to the point and avoid
unnecessary fluff. Keep your sentences short and simple; make sure that each
paragraph has a single idea or purpose; don't go off on tangents or spend time
explaining things that aren't relevant (or interesting). In other words: keep
it succinct!
3. Follow the suggested format
Prepare
to write your GRE essay by following the suggested format. You will be given a
prompt and asked to respond in a specific way, so you must be prepared with
ideas and an outline before you begin writing. If you don't follow this format,
your essay will not be graded correctly, and score 160+ on GER verbal
reasoning.
The best
way to prepare is by practicing with past prompts--the ETS publishes these on its
website. You can also find practice questions at Kaplan or other test prep
companies (and probably in some textbooks).
4. Proofread, proofread, and proofread again!
Proofreading
is the most important step in the essay writing process. When you're
proofreading your essay, it's important to take a break from it and come back
to it later. Reading out loud can help you catch mistakes that are easy to miss
when reading silently. You should also check for spelling mistakes and
grammatical errors, as well as logical flow and coherence (i.e., whether each
paragraph is related to its neighbor).
5. Avoid buzzwords and cliches
Avoid
buzzwords and cliche.
Your
essay should be a reflection of your own voice, not something that sounds like
it was written by a machine or a robot. That being said, there are certain
words and phrases that tend to sound generic no matter who's using them--and
they won't help you stand out among the thousands of other applicants vying for
admission into top graduate schools. These include words like
"unique," "innovative," "cutting edge," etc.,
which have been used so many times in college essays that they now seem trite
and overused (if not straight-up clichéd). Avoid these at all costs to score high on GRE easily!
6. Be confident but not arrogant
The key
to avoiding arrogance is to use language that acknowledges the possibility of
error. Phrases like "I believe," "I think," or even
"this is my opinion" will help you avoid sounding too cocky.
As far as
words go, it's better not to use terms like "definitely" or
"undoubtedly" because they imply absolute certainty; instead of
saying something like "this is definitely true," try something along
the lines of "it appears that..."
Finally--and
this may come as a surprise--you should also avoid using words like definitely/undoubtedly
in your essay!
[Read More: How to Create a GRE Study Plan
for 3 Months?]
GRE essays can be hard to write, but with these
tips, you'll have a much better experience!
- Read
the prompt carefully and thoroughly.
- Write
down keywords from the prompt as you read it, so you can use them in your
essay later on (this is also helpful if English isn't your first
language).
- Begin
writing an answer before thinking too much about what exactly it should
say; this will help prevent writer's block later on in the process when
all of your ideas seem bad and useless!
Conclusion
In the
end, it all comes down to practice. The more essays you write and perfect, the
more likely you are to get a high score on the GRE. So don't be afraid to take
several practice tests before taking the real thing! We can help you out with the
best GRE Coaching from experts.
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