As opposed to the GMAT’s Integrated Reasoning and Quantitative sections, AWA does not contribute directly to your overall score; rather, it is scored separately using half-point increments from 0-6. A trained human reader and computer program separately score your essay; their average is considered your AWA score.
Business schools that require high levels of communication skills in their admissions process value the AWA score highly, so it would be prudent to research each target school and its minimum AWA requirement before making your decision.
In order to achieve an excellent AWA score, it is vital that you practice writing analytical essays prior to test day. Familiarize yourself with the writing prompts and instructions for this section as well as any factors which might impede or influence it, such as grammar, punctuation or spelling errors.