Writing the GRE Issue Essay / Step-by-step Guide

Organization of Issue Essay

Introduction

- Hook (generalization, anecdote, interesting fact, trend, quote, etc.)
Introduces the topic, (nothing more); don't write your thesis or supporting ideas!
- - Shift to prompt
  - Makes your essay more cohesive; an abrupt shift to your thesis is awkward
    - - Thesis (most important part of the essay, by far)
      - This part is the boss that controls everything
        
        - Outline (tell your reader how you are going to structure your essay)
        
        Does not have to be overly detailed

Body Paragraph

- Topic sentence that introduses supporting idea
- It is imperative that this introduces the overall idea of the paragraph and that it supports your thesis
  - - Example
    - You need a good example here, preferably from history, politics, economics, etc. If not possible, think of good hypothetical. Do not tell any stories about your Uncle Bob!
      - - Development / Explanation
        
        You need to develop this idea. You need to explain how your supporting idea connects to your thesis. You need to explain why this matters.

Conclusion

- Strong thesis. Introduce a counterpoint that someone from the other side might use to argue against your position
- Shut down that counterpoint and explain how it doesn't apply and doesn't hold water
- Rephraise thesis and wrap your masterpiece up!
- Moderate thesis. Explain how this issue is very complex and that there are no easy answers.
- Rephraise thesis and wrap your masterpiece up!

choosing a thesis

strongly disagree	mostly disagree	mostly agree	strongly agree
body paragraph 1 ( + )	body paragraph 1 ( - )	body paragraph 1 ( - )	body paragraph 1 ( + )
body paragraph 2 ( + )	body paragraph 2 ( + )	body paragraph 2 ( + )	body paragraph 2 ( + )
body paragraph 3 ( + )	body paragraph 3 ( + )	body paragraph 3 ( + )	body paragraph 3 ( + )

sample essay

College students should be encouraged to pursue subjects that interest them rather than the courses that seem most likely to lead to jobs.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

The choice of one's college major is not a trivial one. In fact, it is not uncommon for entering students to ruminate on this decision for months, perhaps years, and then, once a decision has been made, immediately begin to second guess it. The prompt recommends that students not belabor this point too long and simply choose a path that conforms most closely to their interests and skills. In my opinion, I strongly agree with this suggestion and argue that students look inward rather than outward when choosing college course for two reasons.

To begin, the job market is ever shifting, and one decade's "hot" job is another decade's dying one. Thus, to choose one's profession based solely on the availability of work is to take a short-term perspective, one that will likely backfire. For instance, in the 1950's through the 1980's, nuclear engineering was a rapidly growing field as many of the most powerful nations on Earth were not designing and manufacturing nuclear weapons, but hundreds of nuclear power plants as well. Consequently, nuclear engineering graduates were able to find high-paying work almost immediately upon graduation. However, because of issues related to NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) and recent nuclear accidents like the well-publicized Fukushima disaster, many countries are moving away from nuclear power in favor of other green technologies. Students who chose nuclear engineering in the 1970's because of the 'abundant' job prospects were certainly facing a different job market in the 1990's - and this market has only worsened through the 2000's. The above example illustrates that the job market is highly contingent upon unpredictable factors and that, if one assumes it is static, he or she is likely to get burned at some point in the future. It seems absurd to think of now during the current technological boom, but will the software engineering industry still possess dizzying job prospects in the future? History tells us that it might not.

Further, even if we assume that the job market is not dynamic—that it is as unchanging as gravity—one should still pursue his or her deepest interests because personal satisfaction plays a crucial role in determining how effectively we work. As Confucius famously observed, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Although somewhat idealized, this statement captures an important truth: individuals tend to excel when they are genuinely engaged in their work. Consider a hypothetical student who is passionate about horse training but pragmatically chooses computer programming because of the abundance of lucrative job opportunities. She runs the risk of finding herself trapped in a profession she abhors and derives little satisfaction from. Each day, she may sit at her desk staring at a computer screen adorned with a horse-themed wallpaper, wondering what might have been had she pursued her true interests. As a consequence, she may complete her tasks half-heartedly and produce substandard work. Research has consistently shown that job satisfaction is strongly correlated with productivity, creativity, and long-term career success. Workers who find meaning in their craft not only perform more efficiently but also produce higher-quality goods and services. Thus, encouraging individuals to pursue their passions ultimately benefits not only the individual but society as a whole.

Certainly, some argue that in our increasingly globalized economy competition for jobs has skyrocketed and thus it is imperative that we pursue practical paths. However, isn't that precisely why we should follow our interests? If we do so, we are likely to do the best job possible. We are likely to compete at the highest level. We are likely to carve out a niche for ourselves in this 'increasingly globalized world.'

To conclude, students should be encouraged to pursue fields that genuinely interest them rather than attempting to predict the ever-changing demands of the labor market. Careers rise and fall with technological, economic, and political shifts, but intellectual curiosity and personal passion remain enduring sources of motivation and excellence. While practical considerations should not be ignored entirely, they should serve as a compass rather than a cage. Ultimately, societies prosper not when individuals are pushed toward whatever occupations appear profitable at the moment, but when talented people are free to develop their abilities and devote themselves to work they find meaningful.