GRE Analytical Writing case studies

GRE Analytical Writing · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The Analytical Writing measure is one of the three sections of the GRE General Test, which is used for admission to graduate, business, and law school. ETS describes the measure as assessing critical thinking and analytical writing skills - specifically your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, construct arguments, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. It does not assess specific content knowledge, so you are not expected to bring expertise in philosophy, policy, or science. The measure consists of a single 30-minute "Analyze an Issue" task. The GRE Analytical Writing case studies are 5 cases and about 4,180 words.

Take-Home Exams at Ridgeline University

Ridgeline University's faculty senate must vote on whether to replace timed, closed-book final exams with 72-hour take-home exams in all 1,400 undergraduate courses. A two-year pilot in 60 courses produced three findings.

832 words, about 4 min 2

Pedestrianizing Marlow's Downtown Core

Marlow's council is deciding whether to make permanent an 18-month pilot that closed a 1.2 km stretch of its downtown core to private cars. Foot traffic in the zone rose 11% and bus ridership on adjacent routes rose 15%.

837 words, about 4 min 3

Corvane Analytics and the Office Lease Decision

Corvane Analytics, a 600-person data firm, has been remote-first since 2020. Its lease on 40,000 sq ft expires in nine months, and renewing would cost 2.4M per year.

866 words, about 4 min 4

Publishing Surgeon Mortality at St. Alder

Alder Regional Hospital is considering publishing surgeon-level, risk-adjusted mortality rates for its five cardiac surgeons. One surgeon performs roughly three times as many high-complexity cases as colleagues and has a raw mortality rate of 4.1%, against a hospital average of 1.9%.

793 words, about 4 min 5

Budget Cuts in the Fairmont School District

Fairmont School District faces a 3.1M shortfall and must cut programs. Two proposals are on the table.

852 words, about 4 min