Recommended Reading Material the AWA

[zainabkhabir58]

Hi,

Im wondering if there are any recommended books that past GMAT takers used to prep for the AWA. Im having trouble calling on examples that apply to the broad topics that are covered on the AWA section of the GMAT.

If there are any specific books, fiction or nonfiction, that helped you prepare for the AWA please let me know !!

[RonPurewal]

Hi,

Im wondering if there are any recommended books that past GMAT takers used to prep for the AWA. Im having trouble calling on examples that apply to the broad topics that are covered on the AWA section of the GMAT.

If there are any specific books, fiction or nonfiction, that helped you prepare for the AWA please let me know !!

do understand that it is perfectly acceptable for you to write about your own personal experiences; you don't have to write about historically weighty, "scholarly", or "literary" topics.
for instance, if the essay topic is about abuses of power, it's just as acceptable to write about the power-tripping manager who unfairly kicked people out of his restaurant last thursday as to write about abuses of power by governments.

you're being graded on the quality of your writing, and on its relevance to the question that is asked; you are not being graded on the scholarly importance of your material.
it is *much* better to discuss a slightly more frivolous topic with which you are intimately familiar, and *much* worse to discuss a topic you don't know as well just because you think it's more school-y.

for more on the AWA, watch the DECEMBER 2 video at this site:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/thursdays-with-ron.cfm

[zainabkhabir58]

OK, thanks thats a really good recommendation, I'll tyr and check out your forum sometime. Thanks again !!!

[jnelson0612]

Thanks Ron!