Score improvement depends on your starting point and effort level, but most students see meaningful gains with focused practice. Many students improve by 1-2 points on the 0-6 scale through targeted instruction on essay structure, argument analysis, and time management. The key is understanding exactly what graders are looking for and practicing with real GRE prompts under timed conditions.

The two most common struggles are time management (fitting a coherent essay into 30 minutes) and understanding the specific demands of each essay type. Many students also struggle to identify logical fallacies in Argument essays or develop nuanced positions in Issue essays. A tutor can help you build a reliable essay template, practice recognizing weak reasoning patterns, and develop strategies to write confidently under pressure.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who will assess your current writing level, identify specific weaknesses (like organization, evidence use, or argument analysis), and create a personalized study plan. Your tutor will walk you through essay strategies, provide feedback on practice essays, and help you refine your approach until you're writing strong essays consistently within the time limit.

Most students benefit from writing 15-20 full timed essays across both essay types before test day. This gives you enough repetition to internalize your essay structure and build confidence, while still leaving time for feedback and revision. Your tutor can guide you through a practice schedule that balances quantity with quality—it's better to write fewer essays with detailed feedback than many essays without review.

The Issue essay asks you to develop your own position on a debatable topic, while the Argument essay asks you to critique someone else's reasoning. Neither is inherently harder—they require different skills. Issue essays demand strong opinion development and examples, while Argument essays require you to spot logical gaps and weaknesses. A tutor can help you master both formats and determine which one typically gives you more trouble.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in GRE Analytical Writing and understand what graduate programs expect. You can get matched with a tutor who fits your schedule and learning style, and you'll work together with personalized 1-on-1 instruction tailored to your specific writing challenges and goals.

A solid approach is to spend 2-3 minutes planning (outlining your main points), 20-22 minutes writing your essay, and 5 minutes reviewing for clarity and errors. The planning phase is crucial—a clear outline prevents rambling and helps you stay focused under pressure. Your tutor can help you practice this rhythm until it becomes automatic, so you're not wasting time deciding what to write during the exam.