Amid the rising costs of higher education, an increasing number of people have begun to question the value of a traditional university degree, arguing that online skill certifications and hands-on work experience are the true keys to career success. Yet others maintain that the critical thinking and systematic knowledge cultivated by a university education cannot be replicated by any short-term training. Should the core purpose of a university education be to directly serve the job market, or to shape independent thinkers with deep intellectual grounding? Please elaborate on your viewpoint and support your stance with concrete examples.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Descriptors
Task Response: Address all parts of the task, present a clear position, support ideas with evidence
Coherence and Cohesion: Logical paragraphing, clear progression, appropriate linking devices
Lexical Resource: Wide range of vocabulary, accurate and natural collocations
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Variety of sentence structures, error-free grammar
Overall band score is 0-9, each criterion weighted equally.
Answering Tips
Spend 5 minutes planning your position and main arguments
Use the structure: Introduction - Body 1 - Body 2 - Concession - Conclusion
Develop each body paragraph with: topic sentence + explanation + example + summary
Use a variety of linking words, avoid repetition
Reserve 5 minutes at the end to check grammar and spelling