The document provides tips for writing the essay portion of the XAT exam, which accounts for previous essay topics and allows 20 minutes to write a 1-page response. Key tips include having a clear perspective or opinion, balancing facts with examples and illustrations to be interesting, and drawing a basic outline or plan to stay focused and organized within the time limit. Previous essay topics centered around issues in business, society and the environment. While the essay may not heavily impact final scoring, it could be a differentiator for close scores or used in interviews.