Occupancy Rates for Campus Housing AWA GMAT Sample

byRituparna Nath Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams

Occupancy Rates for Campus Housing AWA GMAT Sample is an argumentative essay topic. GMAT analytical writing assessment examines the writing skills of a candidate through an essay. In this GMAT AWA essay, the candidate needs to write points that bring out the flaws and weak assumptions in the given argument. The best way to prepare for GMAT AWA is to practice from GMAT AWA practice papers. It is important for challenging and task-oriented candidates to present their answers in a well-organized and planned manner. The GMAT AWA essay needs to ensure that candidates can present their ideas efficiently.
In the GMAT AWA essay, if the author is telling the truth, it will be stronger. Without that, the argument has no effective tentacles and shreds of evidence. Candidates must provide evidence and discuss their thoughts on the topic. They must use persuasive evidence against the topic. In addition, candidates should try to convince the readers by describing the different figures and facts of the scenario. Candidates, however, need to understand that writing the essay for GMAT AWA Essay requires them to follow a definite structure that would enable organized writing. The following structure for the GMAT AWA Essay including five important paragraphs can be considered appropriate.

Introduction: Candidates need to first explain the topic of the essay given, and clearly state how well this is reasoned. The overview of the passage needs to be discussed in the introduction by the candidates.
Paragraph 1: In this paragraph, candidates must put forward the facts stated in the passage. They can also question the validity of the passage and explain them with reasons. This paragraph should include all the key points that can be discussed in the coming paragraphs.
Paragraph 2: This paragraph needs to include the second reason for the stated opinion of the candidate. Candidates can mention how the occupancy rates for campus housing have fallen, and their plans to recover from the same. Candidates can also include examples. With the help of the example and argument, it is shown that the point of view is wrong and inconsistent.
Final paragraph: This paragraph should highlight the passage. Candidates can mention the flaws provided by the author and evidence to prove that. They can also mention what would have been different and create a discussion.
Conclusion: The conclusion reminds the reader and students of the title of the article and includes arguments and counter-arguments with examples to support and disprove the candidates' views. Here is a summary of the whole article. The word ‘finally’ emphasizes on conclusion. It is briefed with an increase in abilities like communication skills and linguistic talents.

Based on the structure and content of the GMAT release document, the best way is taken to explain the topic by considering the following response strategies, appreciating positive actions, and ignoring negative ones as much as possible:

Instead of analyzing and exploring an argument that criticizes the writer's statement, a characteristic feature is chosen that is maintained throughout the length of the article.
The entire article gives relevance and uniqueness to the readers by providing reasons and illustrations.
Strong declarative or assertive statements are created with active language and statements of cause, reasons, and effect.
The supporting statements are formatted and described well, briefed with two or three sentences, and concluded the article with a strong point.

Topic: The following appeared in the editorial section of a campus newspaper:

“Because occupancy rates for campus housing fell during the last academic year, so did housing revenues. To solve the problem, campus housing officials should reduce the number of available housing units, thereby increasing the occupancy rates. Also, to keep students from choosing to live off-campus, housing officials should lower the rents, thereby increasing demand.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Sample Essay:

The author has mentioned the fact that it is because occupancy rates fell during the last academic year, that there has also been a simultaneous fall in the housing revenues. This whole argument is unsubstantiated. The decision they reached is, that the campus officials are going to lower the number of available housing units, which will eventually lead to a rise in occupancy rates. The other decision that they reached is, that the students will be kept away from living off-campus, and to ensure that the housing officials will lower the rents as well. This whole process will eventually lead to an increase in demand.

Firstly, the author has stated that it is due to the fall in occupancy rates that housing revenues also witnessed a dip. This is a very vague and unsupported claim since the author has not provided any factual details to support the claim. This could have been a reason for a very common instance, the students could have complained about the dilapidated condition of the housing facilities. This led to the development of the campus to improve the housing facilities. It may have happened that during the time of renovation, the maintenance cost was at its peak and this whole thing led to the loss of revenues. Therefore, the author should have considered all the legit factors and should have provided details about the correlation between housing revenues and occupancy rates.

Secondly, the argument has proposed certain factors as recovery methods but it has again missed out on many important ones that could have been incorporated. There are certain factors that the author could have incorporated to make the statement stronger. The first thing to be considered is, that the officials have decided to cut down on the number of housing units the next academic year as it will eventually give a rise in occupancy rates. Now, what if in the next year there is an extraordinary increase in the percentage of enrollments? That time, there will be no need to reduce the number of housing units and no issue with the occupancy rates.

Additionally, the occupancy rates will notice a rise even without the reduction of housing units. The other proposal presented by the officials is, that they would cut down the rents of the housing units so that it becomes easier for the students to live. This way the students don’t have to go off-campus for their stay. This is again a feeble statement as the lowering of the rents will immediately affect the housing, maintenance, security, and flooding facilities. Therefore, instead of the process helping to increase the on-campus housing, the students will eventually turn to off-campus housing for their stay. Therefore, it will anyway hit the revenue and cause its reduction.

In conclusion, it can be stated that the argument could have been strengthened if the author would not have missed out on the mentioned factors. If the methods to increase the occupancy rate, a backup plan in case there is a rise in enrollment in the upcoming year, and proper rent calculation has been provided, then the argument would have been quite successful. The author has failed to incorporate the same in the statement, making it very vague and unsubstantiated.

Suggested GMAT AWA Essays

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER

Occupancy Rates for Campus Housing AWA GMAT Sample

Fees Structure

Comments

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWS LETTER