AWA Score in the optional essay?

[airickuh]

Hi, thanks for help on the following issue:

Background: I'm applying to top 10 schools, round 1. GMAT score was 720-44V, 44Q, 4.5 AWA.

Situation: I am finished with my essays and had a friend (who has a Master's in English) review them. She said the essays were very well-written and persuasive, so overall I'm quite satisfied as I prepare to submit. But now I'm wondering that the admin committee will wonder if I wrote my essays since my AWA score was so low.

Do I need to address my low AWA score, or should I stop worrying since my verbal score was 97th percentile? I have no good reason for the low score- I studied briefly and most sources said it's best to use a lot of "transition" words, and that the test doesn't reward creative or clever writing, so the AWA essays were not written in my natural style.

Any advice? Am I just getting paranoid at the last minute or is there a real issue that I need to face in the optional essay?

Thanks for any insight.

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear airickuh,

I do not think you need to address your AWA on the optional essay. It is possible the school will read your GMAT essay and compare it to your application essays, but they will expect your application essays to be better as you had more time to write them.

Good luck,
Lisa

[airickuh]

Lisa, thanks for responding!

[shruti.bittu]

Hi,

I gave the GMAT a few days back and scored 720 (VA - 36, QA - 51)
and AWA 4.

As you can see, my AWA score is pretty dismal. Now I am in a dilemma whether to retake the GMAT to improve my essay score (and probably VA also).

I've decent workex, acads and extra curr and I am planning to apply to a range of B Schools (some in the top 10 as well as the middle ranked ones in the US and quite a few in Asia Pacific).

Is my overall score less for that, considering my choice of colleges ? (I am mainly concerned about the AWA)

Also is it possible to get the AWA essays regraded or shall I retake the GMAT ?

I am in a big dilemma right now, will be really thankful if you could clear these doubts.

Thanks,
Regards,
Shruti