In many countries, a university degree is regarded as a golden ticket to a high-paying career, while at the same time, self-taught tech moguls and entrepreneurs continually prove that formal credentials are not the only path to success. Faced with soaring tuition costs and a rapidly shifting job market, should we reassess the core value of higher education—is it a hall for cultivating critical thinking and civic literacy, or merely a vocational training camp serving economic productivity? Please articulate your stance and support it with concrete examples from specific countries or fields.
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