GRE Issue essay is a test used to analyse the critical thinking and the openness to new ideas of a candidate. This task in GRE AWA requires the candidates to represent the essay in an appropriate structure and manner, expressing clear views and arguments. Some people believe that it is helpful to view a challenging situation as an opportunity for personal growth. Others believe that reimagining challenging situations this way occupies too much of the focus one needs to face challenges effectively is the GRE Issue Essay topic.

Given below is the structure of the GRE Issue task divided into five paragraphs. Based on this structure candidates would be able to excel in their GRE AWA Section.

Introduction: Candidates need to mention the issue or topic first and mention the position of the issue assigned to them. Candidates can also use reasons and examples the GRE AWA essay would focus on to enhance the emphasis of the issue.
Body Paragraph 1: The strongest point should be put first in the essay. Supporting examples and logical analysis can give a better impression of the essay. The paragraph with the reasons should be supporting the issue.
Body Paragraph 2: The reason supporting the issue should be supported with more examples and logical analysis. This paragraph should include a valid reason that stands in support of the chosen opinion of the candidate. The presence of examples based on real-life situations would validate the GRE Analyse an Issue Essay.
Final Paragraph: This paragraph should bring up the duality of the topic of the GRE Analyse an Issue essay. With the help of a different perspective, candidates can make the readers feel the importance of their assigned Issue.
Conclusion: The conclusion should be more of a summary of the whole essay and it should emphasise more the reasons, examples, and the importance of the issue to the candidate.

However, in order to ace in writing the GRE issue essay, candidates need to follow the strategies given below that could be helpful for their practice.

• Unlike on the GRE, you must choose a side and stick to it throughout the essay. Candidates need to analyse a statement and give their opinion unlike GRE Analyse an Argument in which the author's claim must be questioned.
• Giving relevant, real life experience is very important. No assumption can be used here as examples. Candidates should provide their examples which are based on real-life examples that would help in validating the reasons.
• It is critical to make strong declarative statements that include active language and cause-and-effect statements. It will be a clear understanding of the example which would help in validating the opinion of the candidate better.
• Contrasting with the topic and proving that topic wrong is a good step to conclude the essay. Candidates should ensure that in their concluding paragraph, they restate the topic of the essay and the opinion of the candidates. This should be followed by briefly stating the reasons and concluding that the given statement is wrong.

Read More GRE Issue Samples

Topic: Some people believe that it is helpful to view a challenging situation as an opportunity for personal growth. Others believe that reimagining challenging situations this way occupies too much of the focus one needs to face challenges effectively.

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.

Model Answer

People have different ways of reacting to different situations. When challenges approach in one’s life, the response of a person varies with the level of emotions and situations that they face. To some, challenges are great ways to experience something different that motivates them or makes them wake up every morning. On the other hand, to some, challenges are like a field with seeds of turmoil sown deep into their lives. Challenges can be a benefactor in a person’s life if they have the right perspective and actions to deal with them. They are the perfect diversions to our over-thinking minds. We all need something to learn knowingly or unknowingly every day. If we don’t learn something, our mind starts thinking of the negative aspects of our lives and starts focusing on that. It is very important to learn from things or challenges.

For example, a person is into athletics and no matter how hard he tries, he fails and gets a lot of criticism for his failure. But he sees it as a challenge that can improve his skills. So, every time that he fails, he learns the moves of his opponent and he learns from his failure. He keeps growing because he has accepted that losing is a part of life but so is self-growth. Another example of this can be reflected by real-life people. There have been people who have stories saying that they lifted something double their weights because they were close to death. That is an astonishing example of how we get to understand our potential. There is so much that they still can explore or will explore because that is what challenges do to us.

On the other hand, a student who is constantly facing low grades in his high school gets demotivated and considers his temporary failure as his destiny. He blames his fate and stops working on his failure. This does not mean that this person has no capacity but it does mean that this person has no interest in exploring his inner potential. In both cases, they failed some sort of challenge but one overcame it and the other could not. The situations in both the cases were very different but so were the people and the way that they feel their emotions. Everyone who works hard and positively can achieve whatever they want to in their lives. Challenges are great ways for a person to enhance their skills. Challenges can change a person in good ways as mentioned.

Although in many cases, this can do quite the opposite. Some people believe that reimagining the challenges can take up a lot of focus and time from a person’s life. That time could have been used to face the challenge more effectively. If the example of the above-mentioned athlete is repeated then it can be observed that it must have consumed a huge amount of time. The criticism he must have received could be reduced and we all need positive words or affirmations from people other than us to feel some improvement. Reflecting on past mistakes, learning from them, accepting them, and never repeating them again are the few steps toward self-growth. As long as there is self-growth, there is a good chance that the person is already successful in his life without even realising it.

To conclude, I believe that challenges are the best to help in the success of a person or inner success also called self-growth. And no matter how much time it takes, reflection and improvement are the two constants in a person’s life that can help them grow. It stays away from any sadness that the mind can feel.