GMAT Essays (AWA)

Some people long for the “good old days” when high school emphasized the “three r’s” of “reading, writing, arithmetic.” They maintain that school curriculums of today are watered down versions of sounder ones and therefore less effective. Other people defend the curriculum of today’s schools pointing out that students must be exposed to a greater variety of material and to material that is more complex.

Which position do you find more compelling? Explain your position using reasons and/or examples drawn from your personal experience, observations, or readings.


The fact that school curriculum has changed over time is clearly evident. However weather this change is more or less effective is a matter of debate. I would like to state my point of view that changes in the school curriculum have been for the better and have been effective. I believe that constant change or rather updating in the school curriculum is necessary to keep up with the changing times.

Firstly I would like to state that a greater variety of material, offered in the new curriculum, is critical for students to progress with time. Subjects, that we knew only very little about earlier, are now so important for example computer science. In the past twenty years the development of computers has revolutionized the world. Computer science was not a subject of high importance in the school curriculum twenty years ago, but it is now. Without such a change how would generations progress. How would we learn to employ new technology and improve the standard of living for overall mankind? I believe that without a variety of material one would never realize the scope of available opportunity and hence would never exploit it.

Secondly people have more subjects to study now than they had formally. I believe the greater the variety, the more the likelihood that a student would find the right subject, which he or she would pursue to study further. When a person does what he or she really likes then he can actually excel in that field. And when students are exposed to more complexity their comprehension helps then to gain more information and develop more interest in the subject. Hence making encouraging further research.

In conclusion I would like to emphasize that the new curriculum in schools been very effective. Without such changes, it would probably not be possible for mankind to adapt new technology so easily. Without increasing complexity research and development would not progress hence changes in school curriculum have been very effective.