An important feature of XAT exam pattern is essay writing in 20 minutes which most students find the biggest challenge in the exam. In this article, we will provide you important tips for essay writing in XAT and to help you write better content. In this article, we will discuss Important essay writing tips for XAT exam. The XAT essay is almost similar to the Written Ability Test (WAT) conducted by the IIMs and other B schools. The only difference is that WAT is conducted for candidates who have been shortlisted for the GD/ PI stage while the essay in XAT has to be written by every applicant in the paper stage itself. The marks allotted for the essay are not counted while calculating the overall percentile but is evaluated only if you get shortlisted for the GD/ PI round. The essay generally has 15-30% weightage in the calculation of the final merit list based on different B schools.

• Avoid Jargon:

  • Consider your audience and avoid using specialized terminology that may be unfamiliar to them.
  • Be mindful of the diverse backgrounds of your readers, who may not have the same corporate experience or familiarity with industry-specific jargon.

• Simplify Language:

  • Use clear and straightforward language to describe your experiences, skills, and achievements.
  • Opt for language that is accessible to all readers, regardless of their background or expertise.

• Consider the Reader:

  • Remember that the person assessing your writing may not be familiar with all the terminologies you use.
  • Describe various aspects of your life, such as leadership skills and career journey, in a language that is understandable to your reader.

• For Freshers:

  • If you're a fresher, use the common language you used in school rather than adopting professional jargon.
  • Avoid using jargon that you may have picked up while communicating with friends or in your surroundings.

Have an interesting content Person assessing your writing skills must be reading of hundreds of essays, and if he gets to read the same kind of content which everyone has already written, he will definitely lose interest.  Start off with something which creates interest in the reader’s mind. The moment he feels the writing is similar to all other applicant’s content, he will definitely stop reading it then and there. Write in such a manner that the reader remains engaged in the content.

Show rather than telling If you want to convey something about yourself like your strength or something related to the content that you have experienced in your life, don’t start merely just by telling. Try to show it by depicting the instances, so that reader can get involved in the content. By depicting the instances, an image that something has actually happened can be created which will keep the reader engaged in the content.

Be Concise Try to use short sentences to create more impact because they are to the point. Try to avoid unnecessary phrases just to lengthen the sentences and keep your content crisp and interesting.

Transitions and vary your sentence The best content contains a variety of sentence lengths mixed within any given paragraph. Don’t limit your sentence transition to words like nevertheless, furthermore or consequently rather it should come through a natural progression.

Focus Try to make a list of all those experiences and content about which you want to write and think through them and present in a structural and concise manner. And keep in mind that your entire content should support the central theme and should not deviate from the theme.

Revise The last step is to revise once whatever you have written. Have a thorough revision and check where the improvement is required and do the needful.