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GRE For High Scorers, Part 7: GRE Argument Essays

STOP! The argument essay no longer exists on the new, short GRE. You don't need to worry about it. :)

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VIDEO: I brainstorm a sample Argument Essay prompt using the template in the below article.

A quick primer on writing great GRE argument essays

Before I get started, I can't stress strongly enough how important it is to read and think about what ETS tells us about the GRE Argument Essay Task. Please make sure you follow my essay advice: " Actions:  read Chapter 2 and all sample essays and commentary in The Official Guide , as well as those in the  Verbal Practice book. These are great models for your writing since you can see what the ETS graders reward. Pay very close attention to the grader commentary.

Read and brainstorm the  topics for the GRE Argument essay . Write essays untimed, then timed. Compare them to the sample essays in the ETS books. I highly recommend getting a good writer to look at your essays. They Say, I Say is the best book I know of to improve your writing, since it quickly allows you to incorporate academic writing structures into your own writing."

Ok - assuming you've gotten started on that, let's take a look at a sample argument prompt from ETS's website and analyze a GRE argument essay written in response to that prompt:

"In surveys Mason City residents rank water sports (swimming, boating and fishing) among their favorite recreational activities. The Mason River flowing through the city is rarely used for these pursuits, however, and the city park department devotes little of its budget to maintaining riverside recreational facilities. For years there have been complaints from residents about the quality of the river's water and the river's smell. In response, the state has recently announced plans to clean up Mason River. Use of the river for water sports is therefore sure to increase. The city government should for that reason devote more money in this year's budget to riverside recreational facilities. Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted."

Things Argument Essay Graders Like

In order to get a really high score, think about conveying the following to the essay graders:

• Understand the argument. This is usually first done in the introduction to your essay. Here's an example intro from the 6 response to the above prompt:

"While it may be true that the Mason City government ought to devote more money to riverside recreational facilities, this author's argument does not make a cogent case for increased resources based on river use. It is easy to understand why city residents would want a cleaner river, but this argument is rife with holes and assumptions, and thus, not strong enough to lead to increased funding." Notice that this introduction shows understanding of what the argument is arguing for: devoting more money to riverside facilities. It also touches on the part of the argument that pertains to the river clean up. It's not necessary to provide a comprehensive summary of the argument - just give enough context so that the reader senses you get its gist. 2. Analyze the argument. This is the main task your essay will accomplish. As ETS puts it, you will be "(discussing) the logical soundness of the author's case... by critically examining the line of reasoning". To me, this comprises two things: First, discussing evidence or scenarios that, if true, would weaken the argument. Again, here's an example from that 6 response: "Citing surveys of city residents, the author reports city resident's love of water sports. It is not clear, however, the scope and validity of that survey. For example, the survey could have asked residents if they prefer using the river for water sports or would like to see a hydroelectric dam built, which may have swayed residents toward river sports. The sample may not have been representative of city residents, asking only those residents who live upon the river. The survey may have been 10 pages long, with 2 questions dedicated to river sports. We just do not know. Unless the survey is fully representative, valid, and reliable, it can not be used to effectively back the author's argument." Notice that this writer talks about several potential scenarios that would weaken the argument if they were true. There is nice breadth here. I advise striking a balance in your essay between offering several scenarios and going more deeply into one. Secondly, discussing how a breakdown in the line of reasoning used by the author would affect the argument. Here's an example from that same essay: "Building upon the implication that residents do not use the river due to the quality of the river's water and the smell, the author suggests that a river clean up will result in increased river usage." Here, the writer has noticed that the author of the argument uses a conclusion about residents' use of the river to support cleaning up the river. In doing so, the writer conveys to the reader that he or she understands the argument's structure - how the author of the argument has constructed a line of reasoning to support the argument's conclusion. Try looking for places in an argument in which the author is making a conclusion based on a premise - these are sometimes indicated by transitions that indicate cause and effect (therefore, in response). Be sure to explain the implications of your analysis of the argument's reasoning to the efficacy of the argument. This can be done along the way, or you can save it for the conclusion. By doing this, you evaluate the argument - the final ability the graders are looking for. Just like the Issue essay, the more compelling and insightful your writing is, the better your grade will be. Again, think about a mixture of breadth and deeper elaboration. Also, hey - did you know we are available for essay grading / essay help? Just contact us if you'd like some personalized feedback. Keep in mind, we do charge for this.

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How to approach an Argument Essay in the GRE given with an example

In the previous article, we have written about Key points for the Analytical Writing Measure in the GRE . In this article, let’s focus on one of the major sub-topic of AWA, How to approach an Argument Essay in the GRE given with an example

In the AWA section of the GRE, one of the two essays is to analyze an argument. An argument essay is more equivalent to answering critical reasoning questions. A short paragraph is given by an author in which he introduces a topic and uses reasoning or factual evidence to back up his or her opinion about that topic. GRE arguments are intended to be weak and unconvincing. Your job is, thus, to draw out the deficiency of proof, and the imperfections in the proof and reasoning, while at the same time composing the essay according to the instructions. The systematic analysis leads to better organization of the essay. Henceforth, utilize the strategy for rehearsing with GRE arguments until it gets normal in your mind. In this article, let’s read about How to approach an Argument Essay in the GRE given with an example

What are the different elements of an argument?

An argument mainly contains three elements:

• Premise: It is evident in the form of numerical data, examples, or any kind of information that supports the conclusion.
• Assumptions: A statement that is implied in the evidence that is considered true by an author can be called an assumption.
• Conclusion: Conclusion in an argument in the GRE often appears as recommendations or predictions. The conclusion is the results of an action or can be said that the effects of a cause.

How to approach an argument?

Your task is to suggest ways in which the argument could be strengthened. Follow the steps given below:

• Read the argument and instructions carefully.
• Analyze the relationships (cause-effect, analogies, etc.) between various parts of the argument and find the flaws in reasoning (insufficient data, irrelevant information).
• Read the instructions again and organize your thoughts.
• Type your essay.
• Proofread your essay.

After finishing the essay, you must spend some time proofreading your essay. In this way, you can remove some minor errors. Below is the checklist given to keep in mind while proofreading your essay:

• Spelling mistakes
• Punctuation errors
• Errors in the use of tenses
• The tone of your essay
• Avoid very lengthy sentences
• Most of the sentences in the active voice

Which are the words we can use in the sentences?

List of transition words:

Finally, further, lastly, moreover, besides

2. To Prove

Evidently, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, because, since

3. Sequence

Afterward, simultaneously, next, and so forth, consequently, concurrently, next, still

4. Cause and effect

as a result, for this purpose, so, then, therefore, to this end

5. Exception

However, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, sometimes

6. Examples

For example, for instance, take the case of, to illustrate, to demonstrate, such as

7. Conclusion

To conclude, to recapitulate, to sum up, in conclusion, hence, therefore, consequently, thus, to put it in a nutshell, summing up, on the whole

Which are the common logical fallacies to look out for?

• Hasty Generalization- An argument that is based on insufficient evidence contains this fallacy.
• Faulty Prediction- Whenever an argument tries to predict the future that is the opportunity to point out that the future could actually turn out some other way. Anyone who tries to predict the future is automatically introducing a level of uncertainty into his or her argument.
• Personal Attack- An attack that is made on a person’s character or circumstances rather than his or her argument. Look out for the extreme language.
• Cause-Effect Errors- If two things are happening at the same time doesn’t mean that one causes the order.
• Vague Terminology- As you look out for the language that is too extreme, you are also on the lookout for language that is too vague.
• Exaggerated Conclusion- Sometimes argument uses language so extreme that the premise can’t justify the conclusion.
• Statistical Fallacy- It uses small population surveys to reach conclusions about the population as a whole.
• Faulty Analogy- This fallacy makes an assumption that because two things are alike in one or more aspects, they are necessarily alike in some other aspects or in all aspects.
• Predicting based on Past- It is hard to judge the present, or predict future events without knowing information about the past. 

GRE arguments may possess flaws not listed above as there are infinite numbers of ways to contain fallacies. You should not memorize the above fallacies. Just look out these fallacies and deconstruct the argument.

Time Allocation Strategy:

• Analyze the argument and brainstorm the argument: 5 minutes
• Type your essay: 22 minutes
• Proofread your essay: 3 minutes

Sample Example:

Here is given an example for the reference. Topic is taken from the ETS argument essay pool . 

The following appeared in a letter to the school board in the town of Centerville.

“All students should be required to take the driver’s education course at Centerville High School. In the past two years, several accidents in and around Centerville have involved teenage drivers. Since a number of parents in Centerville have complained that they are too busy to teach their teenagers to drive, some other instruction is necessary to ensure that these teenagers are safe drivers. Although there are two driving schools in Centerville, parents on a tight budget cannot afford to pay for driving instruction. Therefore an effective and mandatory program sponsored by the high school is the only solution to this serious problem.”

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

The letter presented here endorses mandatory driving education courses at Centerville High School. The author argues makes three assertions: During the last two years several accidents in Centerville car accidents involved mainly teenage drivers; Parents are too busy to teach driving to their children; and the two private driving schools in Centerville are not affordable by the parents. Although the underlying issue certainly has merit because of faulty evidence, weak assumptions. Some of the flaws in the author’s argument are as follows.

To begin with, the argument didn’t mention what or who caused the car accidents to which the letter refers. If the students of Centerville High School are the reason for accidents then it will be avoided by giving them a driving education, then the argument would have merit. Moreover, it can be the possibility that teenage drivers mentioned in the letter are not local high school students or teenage drivers had in fact taken the high school’s driving course. The author must rule out all these possibilities in order to conclude confidently that a school-sponsored mandatory driving education course would have prevented these accidents. Additionally, it is entirely possible, for instance, that the rate of accidents involving teenagers has been steadily declining due to the availability of the two private driving courses. 

Moreover, it assumes that a mandatory school-sponsored course would be constructive, yet provides no evidence to support this assumption. Likewise, the argument fails to justify its assumption that a significant percentage of parents cannot afford private driving courses for their teenage children. Absent substantiating evidence for either of these necessary assumptions, I cannot be convinced that Centerville should establish the proposed driving course.

To put it in a nutshell, the author fails to adequately support the recommendation for a school-sponsored mandatory driving course. To strengthen the argument, the author could have presented clear evidence that Centerville High School students caused the accidents, and providing them the course would have prevented the accidents. To better evaluate this argument, I would need more information about the affordability of the two private driving courses and about the effectiveness of a mandatory school-sponsored course compared to that of the two private courses.

To sum up, you can improve your analytical writing skills by writing the essay, getting it evaluated, incorporating it with the feedback, and repeating the cycle.  

Hope it helps!! Happy Learning

Written by, Jaini Bhavsar (There’s always room for bliss.) 3 rd June 2020 Connect with me on LinkedIn

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How to Study for the Writing Section of the GRE

Writing sections of standardized tests are perhaps the most difficult to prepare for, only because you never know exactly what you are going to be asked. Granted, you don’t know specifically what math problems or English questions you’ll have to answer either, but at least you can study the basic concepts. When it comes to writing an essay, you can only prepare so much – but there are ways to prepare, and it all begins with getting an understanding of what type of writing test you are facing.

On the GRE, the writing section is formally referred to as the Analytical Writing section. As you could easily assume, this is because your writing tasks will be based solely on analysis . Exercise your mind to take on the reasoning behind issues, rather than simply describing or giving examples of them. You will not be writing any personal essays, making up any stories, or explaining historical events. This section is not about your knowledge of a subject; it’s about your ability to dissect a subject.

After you’ve digested those key points, the next step is to understand what form your prompts will take. Again, you will not know word for word what the prompts are, but here is what you will know: they will be arguments . You will face two prompts and have to write an essay for each one, but you will only see one at a time. Although they will both be arguments, you will be asked to do something slightly different with each one.

For one of the arguments, you will need to write an essay that demonstrates your stance on the issue. Don’t spend time worrying over which side you take in the argument, because that’s irrelevant. Your opinion cannot be graded as right or wrong – it’s the way you back up that opinion that determines your score. You must develop a well-organized essay that demonstrates your understanding of the points and factors of the argument that were given to you in a logical way. If you are referring to points that do no exist in the prompt, you will not do well on this essay. Similarly, if your reasoning simply does not make sense, you will lose points as well.

For the other argument, you will be asked to explain how well it is or is not supported. So, for this essay, you will not need to develop your own opinion on the argument. There will be one stance on the argument given and you will have to demonstrate what points in the statement do a good job supporting it, if any. Going along with that, you should also take this time to point out what reasoning was missing and how it could have helped the argument. Moreover, you can explain what questions are being left unanswered in this statement regarding the argument and why they need to be answered in order for the statement to be better supported.

Finally, you must be ready for the time limit. You will have only thirty minutes to complete each essay, so be prepared to begin writing within the first couple of minutes. You will not have sufficient time to create a detailed outline, so don’t waste time on it. Going through a few practice essays beforehand can be a good way to warm up your brain for this task – but make sure you are following the time limit, or else that preparation is pointless. If you overcome the pressures of the time constraint and master the recognition of reasoning behind issues, you will be armed and ready to tackle this section of the GRE.

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One of the Biggest Mistakes You Can Make on the GRE Essay

At one time, I was inclined to think that the biggest mistake students made on the GRE was failing to back up their responses with concrete examples. Mere hypothetical scenarios were the only ballast these weak Analyze an Argument essays had. So I advised students to think of concrete examples to help support their points.…

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How to write a perfect GRE Analyze an Argument Essay: Tips, Tricks, and Examples

ATTENTION: Starting in September 2023, the Analyze an Argument Essay will be removed from the GRE; there will only be the Analyze an Issue Essay .

What is the Argument Essay?

                               Steps to Write a Perfect Score Essay

Step 1: Read and Understand the Argument

The first step to writing a successful Argument Essay is to read the argument carefully and make sure you understand it. Try to identify the main point the author is making, and any supporting evidence or examples they use to make their case.

Example Prompt: In surveys, Mason City residents rank water sports (swimming, boating and fishing) among their favorite recreational activities. The Mason River flowing through the city is rarely used for these pursuits, however, and the city park department devotes little of its budget to maintaining riverside recreational facilities. For years there have been complaints from residents about the quality of the river’s water and the river’s smell. In response, the state has recently announced plans to clean up Mason River. The use of the river for water sports is therefore sure to increase. The city government should for that reason devote more money in this year’s budget to riverside recreational facilities.

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

Note: This prompt was taken directly from a previous GRE practice test via www.ets.org/gre.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas for the Essay

Once you’ve thoroughly understood the argument, it’s time to start planning your response. Start by brainstorming your ideas and organizing them into an outline. You are allowed to use scratch paper for the GRE, so feel free to write your ideas on paper; however, I recommend typing your ideas in the text box. This way it saves more time when converting the bullet points to paragraphs as a lot of your essay will already be written.

Within the example prompt it asks what the assumptions of the argument are. Therefore, you want to be a detective and dig deep into the argument. You want to ask yourself the question why is this argument flawed? or why should you not believe this argument? Sometimes it is hard to identify the flaws, but just read sentence by sentence and ask yourself what could be wrong with the statements. Let’s pick apart the argument that was given in the example prompt.

List of Assumptions

1. It is assumed that anyone who likes water sports participates in them. This may not be the case; meaning, someone who ranks water sports as their favorite recreation actively may only like to watch it and not actually participate in it. The claim that “water sports is therefore sure to increase” holds true based on this assumption.

2. Any time that there is a survey, you want to ask yourself how accurate is the survey? For example, if they went to the river and surveyed every person that had their bathing suit on, the results would clearly be skewed because those are people that are clearly engaging in some types of water activity. However, if they randomly went to houses in town and asked their feedback on the river, they may have different responses, which would be more accurate.

3. This argument is also assuming that the river quality and small is the only reason that people do not participate in water sports in that river. Maybe it is actually due to the roughness of the water or the lack of parking near the river. Maybe residents would still go to other rivers even if the Mason City River was cleaner due to other factors.

4. In the argument it states “For years there have been complaints from residents about the quality of the river’s water and the river’s smell”; however, it doesn’t indicate if 90% of the residents complain or only 1 person complains every year. This is a huge assumption that the author is making and skews the validity of the argument greatly.

5. Notice that the argument states “The city government should for that reason devote more money in this year’s budget”. It is important to note that the clean-up of the river will also happen this year.

There are so many more assumptions that this argument has; however, above are the most convincing points. Even though there are so many assumptions, you do not need to include them all in your essay, pick the top 3-5 arguments and include them within your essay.

Step 3: Create Paragraphs in Essay Form

Once you have drafted your outline, you will now start to compile your ideas into paragraphs. Your response should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Typically the GRE essay should be about 300-500 words, but don’t worry too much about quantity as they grade more on content and ideas. However, do keep in mind though, short essays tend to not have well developed ideas.

Structure of Essay:

Introduction:

• In the introduction, you should briefly summarize the argument and state your thesis.

Body Paragraphs:

• In the body paragraphs, you should evaluate the argument’s assumptions (in this example), using specific examples and evidence to support your points. This could include facts, statistics, or other relevant information that helps to strengthen your argument.
• When evaluating the argument, be sure to address any potential counterarguments. This shows the graders that you understand both sides of the issue and that you can think critically about the argument.
• Each assumption should be a separate body paragraph. Each bullet point that we created in the brainstorm section can be it’s own body paragraph. Hence, why I mentioned typing the outline as then it will be easy to create a body paragraph out of each bullet point.

Conclusion:

• Finally, end your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis. This will leave a lasting impression on the graders and reinforce the strength of your argument.

Step 4: Proofread

This is the last step that almost everyone skips; however, it is arguably one of the most important steps. One key concept on the GRE easy grading rubric is spelling, grammar, flow of sentences, and structure of overall essay. Therefore, all these points can be tweaked and fixed within the proofreading stage of writing your essay. I will remind you again: Don’t forget to proofread!

What does a perfect score essay look like?

Below is an essay that scored a 6, which is perfect! Do keep in mind this essay is copied directly how it was written, including any spelling or grammar errors. Prior to reading this essay, I suggest that you pause reading the rest of this blog post and write your own essay based on the given prompt above . This way you can compare your essay to the one below to gauge what score you would receive and what you can do to improve your own writing for test day.

Example Essay Response (Score 6)           While it may be true that the Mason City government ought to devote more money to riverside recreational facilities, this author’s argument does not make a cogent case for increased resources based on river use. It is easy to understand why city residents would want a cleaner river, but this argument is rife with holes and assumptions, and thus, not strong enough to lead to increased funding.           Citing surveys of city residents, the author reports city resident’s love of water sports. It is not clear, however, the scope and validity of that survey. For example, the survey could have asked residents if they prefer using the river for water sports or would like to see a hydroelectric dam built, which may have swayed residents toward river sports. The sample may not have been representative of city residents, asking only those residents who live upon the river. The survey may have been 10 pages long, with 2 questions dedicated to river sports. We just do not know. Unless the survey is fully representative, valid, and reliable, it can not be used to effectively back the author’s argument.           Additionally, the author implies that residents do not use the river for swimming, boating, and fishing, despite their professed interest, because the water is polluted and smelly. While a polluted, smelly river would likely cut down on river sports, a concrete connection between the resident’s lack of river use and the river’s current state is not effectively made. Though there have been complaints, we do not know if there have been numerous complaints from a wide range of people, or perhaps from one or two individuals who made numerous complaints. To strengthen his/her argument, the author would benefit from implementing a normed survey asking a wide range of residents why they do not currently use the river.           Building upon the implication that residents do not use the river due to the quality of the river’s water and the smell, the author suggests that a river clean up will result in increased river usage. If the river’s water quality and smell result from problems which can be cleaned, this may be true. For example, if the decreased water quality and aroma is caused by pollution by factories along the river, this conceivably could be remedied. But if the quality and aroma results from the natural mineral deposits in the water or surrounding rock, this may not be true. There are some bodies of water which emit a strong smell of sulphur due to the geography of the area. This is not something likely to be afffected by a clean-up. Consequently, a river clean up may have no impact upon river usage. Regardless of whether the river’s quality is able to be improved or not, the author does not effectively show a connection between water quality and river usage.           A clean, beautiful, safe river often adds to a city’s property values, leads to increased tourism and revenue from those who come to take advantage of the river, and a better overall quality of life for residents. For these reasons, city government may decide to invest in improving riverside recreational facilities. However, this author’s argument is not likely significantly persuade the city goverment to allocate increased funding.

What must be included in a perfect score essay?

• clearly identifies aspects of the argument relevant to the assigned task and examines them insightfully
• develops ideas cogently, organizes them logically, and connects them with clear transitions
• provides compelling and thorough support for its main points
• conveys ideas fluently and precisely, using effective vocabulary and sentence variety
• demonstrates superior facility with the conventions of standard written English (i.e., grammar, usage and mechanics), but may have minor errors

List of Argument Topics

Each year, ETS (creator of the GRE) complies a list of possible arguments that can be used for the GRE Exam. However, what is so great about this, is they post them for the test takers! I have included the resource for the list of the GRE argument topics and I suggest that you read through them prior to test day. You can also use this pool of prompts for practice writing an essay. I have had serval of my students tell me that the exact essay that they used to practice was actually on their real GRE exam from using this list.

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• June 29, 2023
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Analyzing an Argument When Taking the GRE

• July 21, 2021
• Career Guidance , Essay Writing , Study Tips

Of the two GRE writing sections, the argument essay demands the most of test-takers by testing their abilities to analyze reason and logic. When gearing up for the GRE writing sections , future graduate students need to prepare for both the  Issue Task  and the Argument Task. As the essay writing service , KingEssays assumes that the latter, however, requires more preparation, because this section exists to test students’ abilities for deconstructing a fallacious argument. And if they’re not used to doing so, this can prove to be a harrowing task.

What is the GRE Argument Essay?

The GRE Argument Task is a writing section in which test-takers have presented a declaration of some kind, often in the form of office memos, press-release-type statements, and other statements that come to some conclusion too abruptly or with many logic flaws.

All prompts will ask test-takers whether or not they find the argument “well-reasoned” or not. While it seems this question allows some room for “yes, I find it well-reasoned,” there will usually be at least 3 or 4 major flaws in the logic within the statement presented.

After considering the prompt, test-takers must write out – in a sound and well-organized fashion – how the speaker of the statement has misled his or her audience. Because this requires a bit of pre-writing thinking, it’s important not to jump in writing before working out what to say.

How to Write the GRE Argument Essays?

First and foremost, the test-taker must carefully read the prompt that’s presented to him. Prompts will always be making claims that, on the surface, make a bit of sense. However, once the test-taker has read through it, he must identify the logic flaws (again, 3 or 4 of them).

This is where pre-writing comes in. Since there are only 30 minutes allotted to this task, this portion shouldn’t take up more than 3 minutes or so, so there’s enough time to construct the essay and proofread it at the end. The test-taker should jot down all the argument flaws, and try and keep the points and counter-points organized.

Here’s a sample prompt from the GRE Argument Task:

• “Our nation’s new college graduates will have better success obtaining jobs if they do not pursue advanced degrees after graduation. After all, more than 80 percent of State X’s undergraduate students are employed full-time within one year after they graduate, while less than half of State X’s graduate-level students find employment within one year after receiving their graduate degrees.”

Go through sentence by sentence, if that helps. In this argument, the speaker automatically assumes that State X is representative of the nation as a whole, which is a generalization that may jump to an irrational conclusion. Motivation from a state-to-state basis could be different, too, between graduates and undergraduates.

This argument is susceptible to unreliable statistic samples, which is a common logic problem in GRE argument essay prompts . The architects of the GRE are looking for students who can deconstruct an argument and find its flaws.

Other Types of Argument Flaws

There are many other kinds of argument flaws that students can run into in the GRE Argument Task section.

• Unreliable polling techniques
• Weak analogies
• Correlation vs. cause and effect (calling something a cause or an effect when there is an only correlation)
• Over-generalizing
• Drawing a too-broad conclusion
• Circular reasoning
• Reliance on vague or ill-defined terminology

These are only a few logic flaws test-takers may run across when taking the GRE. It’s important to practice finding flaws in arguments before going in to take the test because, without practice, this skill will not come easily. With a bit of GRE writing preparation, that high score of 6 should come a lot more easily.

The Issue Essay

Taking the GRE is stressful enough for most, simply with the thoughts of the “math” and verbal sections. However, with the bonus of two timed writing sections, it’s enough to stress out the most stoic of students. But really, it isn’t just the math and verbal sections students should prepare for, but also the writing sections.

GRE Writing Sections

Two separate sections are designed to test the taker’s writing ability, line of reasoning, and effective and practical use of logic. These sections are scored differently than the rest of the test, with a maximum score of 6. The two sections aren’t always presented in the same order, so prepare to be flexible.

One essay is the argument task. In this section, test-takers are presented with a single prompt. This prompt often takes the form of some sort of memo or news-type article, and the claims presented within are riddled with fallacies. The test-takers job is to pull apart the fallacious arguments and explain why they’re unreasonable. Only 30 minutes are allotted to this assignment.

The second section, the one that will be discussed in further detail, is the issue task essay. Here, test-takers are presented with two prompts to choose between, both making certain statements that are easily arguable (much like entry-level college writing exams). The student’s job is to choose one of the two prompts, pick a side to present, and write. This section takes up to 45 minutes.

GRE Writing: Issue Task Essay

The first item at hand when approaching the issue task section is to read – carefully – the prompts that are given. Remember, there will be two separate prompts for this section (versus the singular prompt in the argument task section), so read both of them over and commit to one as soon as possible.

A typical prompt might look like this:

• Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views: What most human beings want to attain is not knowledge, but certainty. Gaining real knowledge requires taking risks and keeping the mind open – but most people prefer to be reassured rather than to learn the complex and often unsettling truth about anything.

So, the first order of business is choosing aside. Is it easy or difficult to agree with the statement? Unlike the other GRE writing section, this essay is asking for opinion but doesn’t care what that opinion is, as long as it’s well structured and argued.

Outlining and quick prewriting can potentially make or break a GRE writing score. Once the test-taker chooses aside, it’s a good idea to write down all thoughts on the subject, and try to group them in some reasonable organizational form. The GRE reviewers aren’t too concerned with specific types of organization, just that the format used is logical.

After taking a minute or two outlining his initial thoughts in response to the prompt he chooses, the test-taker should then begin to write, spending the majority of his time on the body itself, not so much the introduction and conclusion. These two paragraphs are important, but if time is running out, it’s better to have a fully developed body with a sub-par intro and conclusion than a great intro and conclusion and messy body.

Finally, don’t neglect to proofread. The people who will be reviewing the essays won’t be too concerned with typos and typing-too-quickly mistakes; they will be concerned if the misuse of grammar deeply affects the readability of the essay.

Buy a Good GRE Help Book/Program

Even the strongest writers would be wise to prepare for the writing portion of the GRE. There is too much to outline in a single article, so a good investment for any GRE-takers is a preparation book or computer program. Some are better than others, but the most important thing to look for is that it works for the test-taker. So try a few out, pick one, and get studying.

The writing sections of the GRE can be extremely stressful, especially if the test-taker plans to apply to a school that weighs the writing score heavily. Remaining calm is key when tackling these sections, so be sure to study beforehand, gain some pre-test confidence, and then dominating the essays will be like second nature.

We hope you found this article insightful.

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LPT: Taking the GRE and worried that the essay topics will leave you completely blindsided? The company that made the GRE has the entire pool of essay prompts listed on their website.

From their website :

To help you prepare for the Analytical Writing measure, the GRE Program has published the entire pool of tasks from which your test tasks will be selected. You might find it helpful to review the Issue and Argument pools:

Issue Topic Pool

The GRE ® General Test

One test for graduate, business and law school

Select a step to learn more about your GRE ® General Test journey.

Analyze an Issue Task

The "Analyze an Issue" task assesses your ability to think critically about a topic of general interest and to clearly express your thoughts about it in writing. Each Issue topic makes a claim that can be discussed from various perspectives and applied to many different situations or conditions. Your task is to present a compelling case for your own position on the issue.

• Before beginning your written response, read the issue and the instructions that follow the Issue statement.
• Think about the issue from several points of view, considering the complexity of ideas associated with those views.
• Make notes about the position you want to develop and list the main reasons and examples you could use to support that position.

Task instruction sets

It’s important that you address the central issue according to the specific instructions. Each task is accompanied by one of the following sets of instructions:

• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.
• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.
• Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.
• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
• Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.

The GRE raters scoring your response are not looking for a "right" answer — in fact, as far as they are concerned, there is no correct position to take. Instead, the raters are evaluating the skill with which you address the specific instructions and articulate and develop an argument to support your evaluation of the issue.

Understanding the context for writing: Purpose and audience of the Issue task

The Issue task is an exercise in critical thinking and persuasive writing. The purpose of this task is to determine how well you can develop a compelling argument supporting your own evaluation of an issue and effectively communicate that argument in writing to an academic audience. Your audience consists of GRE raters who are carefully trained to apply the scoring criteria identified in the  scoring guide for the "Analyze an Issue" task .

Raters apply the Issue scoring criteria to actual responses, so you should review scored sample Issue essay responses and rater commentary. The sample responses, particularly those at the 5 and 6 score levels, will show you a variety of successful strategies for organizing, developing and communicating a persuasive argument. The rater commentary discusses specific aspects of evaluation and writing, such as the use of examples, development and support, organization, language fluency and word choice. For each response, the commentary points out aspects that are particularly persuasive as well as any that detract from the overall effectiveness of the essay.

Preparing for the Issue task

Since the Issue task is meant to assess the persuasive writing skills you’ve developed throughout your education, it has been designed neither to require any particular course of study nor to advantage students with a particular type of training.

Many college textbooks on composition offer advice on persuasive writing and argumentation that you might find useful, but even this advice might be more technical and specialized than you need for the Issue task. You will not be expected to know specific critical thinking or writing terms or strategies; instead, you should be able to respond to the specific instructions and use reasons, evidence and examples to support your position on an issue.

Published topic pool

An excellent way to prepare for the Issue task is to practice writing on some of the  published topics (PDF) . Even if you don't write a full response, it’s helpful to practice with a few of the Issue topics and sketch out your possible responses. Some people prefer to start practicing without regard to the 30-minute time limit. Others prefer to take a "timed test" first and practice within the time limit.

Plan your response

Regardless of which approach you take, review the task directions and then follow these steps:

• Carefully read the claim and the specific instructions and make sure you understand them. If they seem unclear, discuss them with a friend or teacher.
• Think about the claim and instructions in relation to your own ideas and experiences, to events you have read about or observed and to people you have known. This is the knowledge base from which you will develop compelling reasons and examples in your argument that reinforce, negate or qualify the claim in some way.
• Decide what position you want to take and defend.
• Decide what compelling evidence (reasons and examples) you can use to support your position.

Remember that this is a task in critical thinking and persuasive writing. The most successful responses explore the complexity of the claim and follow the specific task instructions. As you prepare, ask yourself the following questions:

• What, precisely, is the central issue?
• What precisely are the instructions asking me to do?
• Do I agree with all or any part of the claim? Why or why not?
• Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so, are they reasonable?
• Is the claim valid only under certain conditions? If so, what are they?
• Do I need to explain how I interpret certain terms or concepts used in the claim?
• If I take a certain position on the issue, what reasons support my position?
• What examples — either real or hypothetical — could I use to illustrate those reasons and advance my point of view? Which examples are most compelling?

Once you’ve decided on a position to defend, consider the perspectives of others who might not agree with your position. Ask yourself:

• What reasons might someone use to refute or undermine my position?
• How should I acknowledge or defend against those views in my essay?

As you plan your response, you may find it helpful to:

• summarize your position and make notes about how you’ll support it
• look over your notes and decide how you’ll organize your response

After you’ve practiced with some of the topics, try writing responses to some of them within the 30-minute time limit so that you have a good idea of how to use your time in the actual test.

Evaluate your response

When you’re finished writing your practice response, it would be helpful to get some feedback on your response.

• You might want to get feedback on your response from an instructor who teaches critical thinking or writing
• You could trade essays on the same topic with other students and discuss one another's responses in relation to the scoring guide.

Look at the  scoring guide for the Issue topic  and try to determine how your essay meets or misses the criteria for each score point in the guide. Comparing your own response to the scoring guide will help you see how and where to improve.

Tips for the Issue task

Keep the following tips in mind:

• You’re free to organize and develop your response in any way that will enable you to effectively communicate your position.
• You can incorporate writing strategies you learned in English composition or writing-intensive college courses.
• GRE raters will not be looking for a particular developmental strategy or mode of writing. In fact, when GRE raters are trained, they review hundreds of Issue responses that, although highly diverse in content and form, display similar levels of critical thinking and persuasive writing.
• Raters will see some Issue responses at the 6 score level that begin by briefly summarizing the writer's position on the issue and then explicitly announcing the main points to be argued. They’ll see others that lead into the writer's position by making a prediction, asking a series of questions, describing a scenario or defining critical terms in the quotation. Raters know that a writer can earn a high score by giving multiple examples or by presenting a single, extended example.
• Use as many or as few paragraphs as needed to support your argument. You’ll probably need to create a new paragraph whenever you shift to a new cluster of ideas.
• The clarity of your ideas and the skill with which you convey them are more important than the number of examples and paragraphs or the form of your argument.

Sample Issue task with strategies, responses and rater commentary

For more information, review a sample Issue task, including strategies for the topic and essay responses with rater commentary at each score level.

The sample responses, particularly those at the 5 and 6 score levels, will show you a variety of successful strategies for organizing, developing and communicating a persuasive argument. The rater commentary discusses:

• specific aspects of evaluation and writing, such as the use of examples, development and support, organization, language fluency and word choice
• aspects that are particularly persuasive
• aspects that detract from the overall effectiveness of the essay

Pool of Issue topics

When you take the GRE General Test, you’ll be presented with one Issue topic from the pool. To help you prepare, we’ve published the entire pool of tasks from which your Issue topic will be selected.

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I Thought the Trump Conviction Would Never Hold Up. But a Huge Problem Just Got Fixed.

“If you come at the king, you best not miss,” Omar Little said in  The Wire , paraphrasing Emerson. I have been a vocal critic of the Manhattan district attorney’s office’s decision to bring its criminal case against Donald Trump, but now the time has come for me to give the prosecutors credit where it is due: They did not miss. In addition to winning the first conviction of a former U.S. president, they addressed some of the most puzzling legal problems that had hung over the trial, which could make that conviction less vulnerable on appeal.

For months I have been worried about the New York criminal case against Donald Trump for falsifying business documents in order to cover up a scheme to unlawfully influence the 2016 election via a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The legal theory was, to me, dubious. Of particular concern was what other critics later dubbed the case’s “time warp” problem: that the prosecution was relying on a set of 34 purely internal documents—Michael Cohen’s pay stubs, invoices, and Trump’s personal ledger entries—as a basis for an “intent to defraud” the “voters” in the 2016 election. As I wrote last year in the New York Times : “If a business record is internal, it is not obvious how a false filing could play a role in defrauding if other entities likely would not rely upon it and be deceived by it. Even if one can argue that the statute should apply to internal records, this is not the ideal time to test a seemingly novel (or even a very rare) application.”

This problem became, in my view, even more significant as the prosecution and the judge emphasized, in the months before trial and through the opening statements, that the case was about defrauding the “voters.” All 34 of these documents were made in 2017. How could voters in 2016 be “defrauded” by documents that did not then even exist?

In a  series of posts  in March and in my  New York Times follow-up essay  in April, I shared a suggestion from a friend, Boston College law professor and former prosecutor Jeffrey Cohen: The prosecution should emphasize that the target of the fraud was the government, to conceal violations of federal election laws. “In short: It’s not the crime; it’s the cover-up.”

However, in the early stages of the trial, the judge and prosecution had framed the case as Trump defrauding the “voters,” a politically compelling story but so broad as to be confusing, both legally and factually. This is where things get complicated.

In order to upgrade the misdemeanor false filings to a felony, the prosecution had to prove Trump intended to conceal another crime (thus, three layers—underlying crime, intent to conceal that underlying crime, false document filings). In the initial argument of the case, as described in the indictment and follow-up motions, the prosecution pointed to four possibilities for what this underlying crime was: a Federal Election Campaign Act crime, tax fraud, other false documents under  the New York false business documents statute  (such as the document Cohen filed to set up his shell company to pay off Daniels), or maybe a vague New York state statute against conspiracies to “promote” a candidate by “unlawful means.” Lawfare’s Quinta Jurecic, an indispensable explainer of the case over the past year,  asked  at the time about the “tangled” legal theory behind the case, “Clear as mud?” (To see just how complex this legal rationale was, check out my effort to diagram it .)

But in a surprise move at the end of the trial, the prosecutors restructured the case. The jury  instructions made the New York state election law the  only  underlying concealed crime . The statute in question, New York Election Law 17-152, states: “Any two or more persons who conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means and which conspiracy is acted upon by one or more of the parties thereto, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.” The other crimes that had previously been possible underlying crimes for the falsifying documents charges—the alleged Federal Election Campaign Act violations, secondary false document filings, and tax crimes—were now the possible “unlawful means” of “promoting a candidate.” The previous approach had three steps. The end of the trial focused on a fourth step, proving “unlawful means.”

This strategy worked with the jury, but it also exacerbated the timing problem I brought up back in April. In the first approach, the prosecution could treat all of the 2017 falsified documents as part of a “cover-up,” which seemed to fit common sense. But the final restructuring meant that they were treating some obscure 2017 documents as a “means” of winning an election, seemingly after the fact.

The new question was even more puzzling: How could tax and business documents that were not created until 2017 be “means” of “promoting” a candidate in a 2016 election? If this was an “election interference” case, how could 2017 documents “influence” voters in 2016? In closing,  the defense raised the time-warp problem . “The charges relate to documents in 2017,” Todd Blanche told jurors. “And the government wants you to believe that President Trump did these things with his records to conceal efforts to promote his successful candidacy in 2016, the year before.” Some have argued that there is no time warp if the conspiracy that began in 2016 included even then a plan to eventually cover up the unlawful means, so the 2017 cover-up was part of the same “means.” The problem is that the word “means” implies a cause/effect relationship (think of “means/ends” relationships that come up all the time in law). Something cannot be a “means” to an “ends” if the ends already happened a year ago.

More plausibly, others have argued that it is not  a time-warp problem  if the cover-up helped Trump run for reelection in 2020. To be clear, I think reasonable people can disagree about whether such an argument is factually persuasive as to intent. However, the question on appeal is not whether appellate courts agree with such a factual inference, but whether after viewing the evidence in a  light most favorable to the prosecution ,  could  a rational juror have found this element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt?

In other words, it does not matter whether I am persuaded that the 2017 documents were an unlawful means of running for reelection. The question is: Did the prosecutors offer a sufficient factual basis for a reasonable person to come to that conclusion?

After reviewing the trial transcript and briefings, I think the answer is yes: The prosecutors addressed the time-warp problem with Michael Cohen’s testimony and a closing argument that was much more effective than their opening argument. Cohen testified not only about the 2016 election conspiracy, but also the timing in 2017 of Trump’s early announcement that he was running for reelection in 2020. Cohen testified that his title at that time was “personal attorney to the president.” This timing overlapped with the creation of the false tax records and other documents in 2017.

During lengthy closing arguments , prosecutors similarly took this head-on. Addressing the original time-warp problem first, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass focused on how the 2017 documents defrauded regulators:

Whether you’re a private enterprise or a public enterprise, you have an obligation to keep proper books and business records. This isn’t an obligation to your owners or investors or shareholders. It’s an obligation to the State of New York. Among other reasons, the information contained in these false records are reviewed … your business’ books are also important for Government Regulators and Election Regulators, and they’re important for other companies or vendors with whom you do business.

Then Steinglass returned to the second timing solution, the means of running for reelection: “The Defendant used his own business records as the vehicle to disguise the reimbursement because he didn’t want anyone finding out about the conspiracy to corrupt the election.” He continued:

[The Defendant] had every reason to continue to conceal his election fraud. … Cohen told you … as of 2017… the Defendant had already announced an intention to run for President again. 

Did Trump intend for these 2017 documents to be a “means” to win in the 2020 election? The question is whether reasonable people could have come to that conclusion. The prosecutors did their job: They persuaded the entire jury; they successfully focused the jury and the public on this case as an unlawful election conspiracy; and they established a factual basis for an appellate court to find sufficient to reach this conclusion, as attenuated as it may seem to some skeptics.

I still have concerns about other legal questions on appeal. However, on the most glaring problems that seemed to defy common sense and the time-space continuum, I don’t think they missed.

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Environmental groups are making a new economic argument against coal, the heaviest polluting fossil fuel. Some regulators are listening.

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For decades, environmentalists fought power plants that burn coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, by highlighting their pollution: soot, mercury and the carbon dioxide that is dangerously heating the planet.

But increasingly, opponents have been making an economic argument, telling regulators that electricity produced by coal is more expensive for consumers than power generated by solar, wind and other renewable sources.

And that’s been a winning strategy recently in two states where regulators forbade utilities from recouping their losses from coal-fired plants by passing those costs to ratepayers. The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, two leading environmental groups, are hoping that if utilities are forced to absorb all the costs of burning coal, it could speed the closures of uneconomical plants.

The groups are focused on utilities that generate electricity from coal and also distribute it. Those utilities have historically been allowed to pass their operating losses to customers, leaving them with costly electric bills while the plants emitted carbon dioxide that could have been avoided with a different fuel source, according to the environmental groups.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, what gre scores do you need for usc gre requirements.

If you’re applying to USC, it’s important to learn everything there is to know about USC GRE scores. What’s a good GRE score for USC? Is there a certain GRE score you should be aiming for?

In this article, we’ll discuss what USC is known for, explain how competitive it is for graduate students, and go over the USC GRE requirements for major programs. We’ll then conclude with a few tips on how to calculate your chances of admission to USC so that you can put forward your best application possible.

Feature image: John Beagle /Flickr

What Kind of School Is USC?

Established in 1880 in the heart of Los Angeles, the University of Southern California (USC) is a private research university that’s currently home to more than 40,000 students—25,000 of whom are graduate students.

Famous for its Trojan football team and School of Cinematic Arts, USC comprises more than a dozen schools spanning a variety of fields, from dance and music to business, law, and medicine. Several of its professional schools, including the Rossier School of Education and Viterbi School of Engineering, are currently ranked in the top 20 by US News.

USC GRE Scores: How Competitive Is USC?

USC is a fairly competitive school for graduate applicants.

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On average, the GRE scores of admitted applicants range from about 151 to 162 for Verbal and 155 to 167 for Quant, with many programs wanting scores in the mid 150s to 160s, or the top 10-40 percent. (Typically, Quant expectations are higher for math- and science-oriented programs, while Verbal expectations are higher for reading- and writing-oriented programs.)

As for Analytical Writing (AW)—generally considered the least important of the three GRE sections — most admitted applicants score in the range of 4.0-5.0.

Expectations for USC GRE scores can vary widely by program. For example, you’d likely need a higher Quant score for a business analytics program than you would for a music program.

Now that we’ve looked at the GRE score needed for USC in general, let’s go over how you can figure out the USC GRE requirements for your program in particular.

What’s a Good GRE Score for USC?

In this section, we give you an overview of the average and minimum USC GRE scores for some of the university’s biggest programs. In addition, we tell you what each program’s US News ranking is, whether the program requires GRE scores, and what the minimum GPA requirements are.

Before we look at the chart, let’s go over how USC GRE requirements will be laid out. GRE scores are usually presented in one of three ways:

• Required scores: These are the minimum GRE scores you need to qualify for admission. Score lower than these thresholds and your application will most likely be rejected. (However, in some cases, these minimums are merely suggested, not required.)
• Recommended scores: These are the ideal GRE scores you should aim for in order to be a competitive applicant. While you don’t absolutely need to get these scores to be admitted, reaching (or exceeding) them will give you a much better chance of admission.
• Average scores: These are the average GRE scores of previously admitted applicants. You’ll want to aim for at least these scores (ideally, a few points higher) if your goal is to be a competitive applicant.

All USC programs below are arranged in alphabetical order by field and pertain to both master’s and doctoral degrees (unless otherwise stated).

Most USC GRE scores are minimums or averages, though some programs reported recommended or median (i.e., the 50th percentile, which is similar to the average) scores instead. Likewise, most GPAs are minimums, though you will also see average, median, and recommended GPAs.

Note that many of the minimum GRE scores below are suggested—not required—for admission. If you’re not sure whether your GRE scores are high enough, contact your program directly.

Sources: USC.edu and US News

What Are Your Chances of Admission to USC?

Your chances of admission to a USC grad program depend on several factors. Before we discuss those, though, let’s go over some estimates.

For most USC programs, the following GRE scores and GPA should give you an excellent shot at getting accepted:

• If Verbal is your most important section, around 163 on Verbal, 158 on Quant, and 4.5 or higher on AW. Reading-heavy programs at USC want to see good Verbal scores but don’t necessarily expect high Quant scores, so it’s a good idea to aim for around the upper 150s on Quant.
• If Quant is your most important section, around 165 on Quant, 158 on Verbal, and 4.5 on AW. With math-heavy programs at USC, it’s important to get a super high Quant score. Though you usually don’t have to worry about your Verbal or AW scores as much, try to get in the high 150s for Verbal and at least a 4.5 on AW.
• 3.6 (out of 4.0) GPA or higher. Essentially, between an A- and B+ average is best. You’ll have an even better shot at standing out if you have a 4.0 (or higher, if your undergrad college calculated GPA on a weighted scale ). Remember that the rigor and relevance of your coursework are important as well, so even if your GPA isn’t as high as these, the difficulty of your undergrad courses could work in your favor!

Getting these GRE scores and GPA should make you a very competitive applicant for USC. However, there are a couple of caveats.

For one, GRE and GPA expectations vary significantly among USC grad programs, so you won’t always need to match the exact scores and GPA we’ve given you above in order to get accepted.

Secondly, because USC is a moderately selective school, in the end even high GRE scores or a great GPA can’t guarantee you’ll be admitted.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the most important factors that can affect your chances of admission to USC.

#1: Is There a Minimum Required GRE Score or GPA?

One major factor to consider is whether your grad program requires all applicants to meet a particular GPA or GRE score minimum when applying.

According to the chart, many USC programs maintain minimum GRE score cutoffs. Most of these are suggested minimums, but if your program has a strict cutoff, you must get at least this score to qualify for admission. Not reaching this threshold will (most likely) immediately disqualify your application.

If your program recommends a certain GRE score (but doesn’t require it), you should still aim for at least this score. A lower score doesn’t necessarily mean your application will be disqualified, but it will give you a worse chance of getting accepted since it won’t be as high as the program wants.

As for GPA, most USC programs have a minimum 3.0 GPA cutoff (though many prefer 3.5 or higher). If your GPA is below 3.0, you will most likely be unable to apply to that particular program. If your GPA is higher than 3.0 but less than our recommended GPA (3.6), you can still apply but need to find ways to make up for your lower GPA in your application .

#2: How Does Your GRE Score Compare to the Average?

What’s the GRE score required for admission to your USC grad program? The easiest way to figure this out is to find the average GRE scores of previously admitted applicants.

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Typically, you’ll want to aim as high as, or even slightly higher than, your program’s average GRE scores. Doing this will make you equally good as other applicants and give you a solid shot at admission.

For example, if I were applying to USC’s business analytics program, my goal scores should be at least 154 on Verbal and 166 on Quant. Getting these scores ensures I’ll be as competitive as other applicants to my program. But if I score higher—say, 157 on Verbal and 168 on Quant—I’ll have an even better chance of admission!

Luckily, many USC programs offer GRE averages. That said, if your program doesn’t offer GRE averages, follow the tips in our guide to a good GRE score to estimate what scores you’ll need for a great chance of getting accepted.

#3: How Strong Is the Rest of Your Application?

In addition to GRE scores and GPA, other application factors can influence USC’s decision to either admit or reject you to a grad program.

Some of the most important admission factors include the following:

• How well written and compelling your statement of purpose is
• How cogent and complimentary your letters of recommendation are
• How much research or extracurricular experience you have in your field
• Whether your particular research interests match the faculty’s areas of expertise

Essentially, you’ll want to make sure that each part of your application is as strong as it can be. Don’t rely solely on great GRE scores and a high GPA to get you admitted to USC; work diligently to put together an all-around impressive application.

Ultimately, even just one problem with your application, such as a clichéd statement of purpose or sloppy CV, can make USC decide to reject you. So spend time making each element of your application shine!

What’s Next?

How can you find  average GRE scores by school ? By major ?  Our guides help you figure out what GRE score you’ll need to be on par with other applicants.

Applying to other selective grad schools?  Then check out our GRE score guides for UCLA (coming soon), UC Berkeley (coming soon), and NYU (coming soon)!

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

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Studying for the GRE can be a bit complicated, but we’ll help you achieve your unique goals—whether you’re pursuing a psychology Ph.D. or a literature M.A. Attend class. Learn game-changing strategies. Be held accountable in a traditional learning environment. You’ll know exactly what you need to focus on, and an expert teacher will guide you every step of the way.

Tailored to You

No two GRE students are alike. That’s why we give you resources you can customize. Build on your classroom instruction with the GRE Channel, where you can watch 40+ hours of lessons streamed live and on demand. Pinpoint your studying by topic with 2,500+ realistic questions in our Qbank. Then—as a Kaplan exclusive—get a test run of test day by sitting for an exam at an actual testing center, under the same conditions as the real thing.

You Get All of This...

• 21 hours of core classroom instruction 
• 40+ hours of exclusive live and on demand lessons on the GRE ® Channel for a customizable curriculum
• Official Test Day Experience that simulates a realistic test day scenario 
• 7 full-length, computer-based practice exams
• Customizable Qbank with over 2,500+ questions
• The most up-to-date GRE prep books
• Personalized homework assignments based on your strengths and weaknesses

Say Hi to Our Experts

Not only are they seasoned GRE teachers—they’ve also scored above the 90th percentile.

Dennis Yim has been teaching the GRE for 15 years and currently serves as our Director of Academics. He’s helped over 10,000 students achieve their best score on the GRE. Dennis holds a BA in Physics from Boston University.

Craig Harman

Craig Harman has been teaching the GRE and refining our curriculum for 12 years. His favorite teaching tool is using analogies to break down the most complex questions on the GRE. Craig holds a BA from Denison University.

Ged Helm is a veteran Kaplan teacher known for his energetic and strategic teaching style. He keeps his classes motivated by singing test prep parody songs. He holds a BA in Social Science, Social Psychology, and Political Theory.

Here's What We'll Cover

Quantitative Methods and Strategies

After this session you will be able to:

• Recognize the format and structure and apply the Kaplan Methods to Problem Solving, Quantitative Comparison, and Data Interpretation questions
• Identify opportunities to exploit Kaplan strategies such as Picking Numbers and Backsolving

Arithmetic, Number Properties, and Algebra

• Manipulate expressions that contain fractions, exponents, and radicals
• Apply the fundamental rules of arithmetic and number properties
• Isolate a variable
• Solve a system of equations in two variables
• Solve a quadratic equation by factoring

Functions, Ratios, Statistics, Probability, and Counting Methods

After this session, you will be able to:

• Solve problems featuring function notation or symbolic expressions
• Apply the common multiplier principle to ratios and proportions
• Find the mean, median, mode, and range of a list of values
• Calculate the probability of single and multiple events
• Calculate permutations and combinations

Math Formulas and Geometry

• Apply math formulas commonly tested on the GRE
• Apply the fundamental rules of plane geometry
• Calculate the volume and surface area of uniform solids
• Apply the point slope form to straight line equations

Short Verbal Methods and Strategies; Structural Reading

• Recognize the format and structure of and apply the Kaplan Methods to Text Completion (TC) and Sentence Equivalence (SE) questions
• Identify clues in TC and SE questions to aid in making strong predictions
• Identify and utilize vocabulary resources
• Identify the structure of GRE Reading Comprehension passages

Reading Comprehension and the Argument Essay

• Recognize different types of Reading Comprehension and Reasoning questions
• Perform the steps of the Kaplan Method for Reading Comprehension
• Outline a strong response to the GRE Argument Essay

Advanced Short Verbal, Advanced Short Reading Comprehension, and Issue Essay

• Identify subtle structural clues in Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions
• Identify the structure of technical or abstract reading passages
• Outline a strong response to the GRE Issue Essay

The best guarantee is one you won’t need. But you get it anyway.

Score higher with Kaplan, or get your money back. †