Worried about AWA

[J.Makarov]

I know everyone at this forum downplays the importance of AWA score for the application, but I just can't help it.

 

I did not bad on the rest of GRE - V 164 (93th) and Q 164 (88th), but the writing score of 3.5 (38th) is a real pain in the ass. The reason it bothers me is that my whole work experience is in media, and so I am afraid that adcomms would naturally expect me to be a great writer. But the thing is that I am an international student and obviously my writing in English is not perfect. How do you think they will look at my situation?

 

Of course, the verbal score somehow offsets the weak AWA. I will also make sure to write a great SOP. Besides, I still have to take TOEFL and I could pay special attention to the writing section there. Will this be enough to cure this weakness?

 

On a sidenote, my reach schools are WWS and Yale Jackson. I suppose, however, that my best shot would be IR/PS, given my experience in Asia (almost five years as a foreign correspondent in Japan).

[dudeinspace]

I know you've already heard this before but you shouldn't worry too much about the AWA in my humble opinion. Its a part of the GRE and it is important but your Verbal and Quantitative are far more important and much much better (you are above the 80th percentile in both). 

 

I wouldn't take the GRE again.. I would focus on my essays instead to strenghten my application; these essays are not only the key to transmit your story and your goals but a way in which you can show every Admissions Committee that you are more than capable of writing in English. Some people, including myself, just can't write 500 words in 30 minutes on a random topic; it doesn't mean that you are not able to express yourself in another language.

[WhatAmIDoingNow]

My AWA was a 4 and no one I spoke to cared about the AWA.  Your Verbal and Quant are great, don't sweat it. Just make sure your writing sample and SOP are solid. 

 

No one would accept something that you wrote in less than 10 minutes, no citations, and didn't edit anyways ;-)

Edited February 18, 2015 by WhatAmIDoingNow