To pursue higher education abroad in business or law programs, you must take the GRE General Test. It is the world’s most widely used admissions test that individuals take to enter graduate school or other advanced programs, like law or business school. The Graduate Record Examinations, or GRE General Test, measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills essential for academic success. The GRE is the most valid and reliable assessment of graduate readiness globally, taken by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Now, the ETS has taken the initiative to make changes in the official GRE to make it more efficient for the applicants. These changes are made to value the candidates’ time, minimize test anxiety, and improve the test-taking experience. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has launched a shorter GRE. Starting September 22, 2023, the GRE General Test will be shortened from under 4 hours to under 2 hours, making it the shortest and most time-efficient graduate school admissions test available. In addition, the test will report scores faster, helping you submit your applications sooner. You can take the GRE General Test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days).
In this blog post, we will explain the main changes in the revised GRE, how they will impact your preparation and performance, and what you need to know before registering for the test.
Major Changes in the Revised GRE
The new GRE is not an entirely new test but rather an evolution of the current GRE that was introduced in 2011. The significant changes to the GRE test back then included incorporating a section-adaptive model, a new scoring system, excluding certain question types, an onscreen calculator, and a new testing system that allowed test takers to skip and review questions within a section.
If you plan to take the test, you must know the details to prepare accordingly. The revised GRE will retain most of the features of the official GRE test but will make some important modifications to enhance the test-taking experience and reduce test anxiety. Here are the major changes that are introduced in the new, shorter GRE:
Reduced testing time
The overall duration of the test is reduced by half, shortened from approximately 4 hours to just under 2 hours to complete the test. It is a significant change aimed at reducing test fatigue and improving focus for applicants.
The current test’s time will be reduced by reducing the number of questions in each section, removing one of the analytical writing tasks, removing the unscored section, and eliminating scheduled breaks.
Removal of one essay task
The analytical writing section previously included two essay tasks:
- Analyze an issue
- Analyze an argument
However, now it will only include the “Analyze an Issue” task. The “Analyze an Argument” task is removed. It means the analytical writing section will only require you to write one essay instead of two, saving you time and energy.
The format and scoring of the “Analyze an Issue” task will remain unchanged. You will be given a statement on a topic of general interest and asked to evaluate its validity and implications. You will have 30 minutes to write your response, which will be scored on a scale of 0 to 6.
Reduced number of questions
Each test section has reduced The number of questions to accommodate the shorter testing time. The sections in the GRE exam are
- The verbal reasoning section
- Quantitative reasoning section
- Unscored research section
The verbal reasoning and quantitative sections will each have 27 questions instead of 40. Fewer questions do not mean that the difficulty level or content of the test will change. Instead, it means that each question will weigh more on your score, so you must be more careful and accurate in answering them. The types of questions in each section will also remain unchanged.
The verbal reasoning section will still include
- Text completion
- Sentence equivalence
- Reading comprehension questions.
The quantitative reasoning section will still include
- Quantitative comparison
- Problem-solving
- Data interpretation questions.
The unscored research section will still include experimental questions that are not counted towards your GRE score but are used for research purposes by ETS.
Removal of the unscored section
The unscored section in the current GRE is removed from the new version of the GRE. Now, you will not have to answer an extra section of either verbal or quantitative questions that are not counted towards your score but are used for research purposes by ETS. Removing the unscored section will also make the test more transparent and predictable for test-takers, as you will not have to wonder which section is unscored and how it affects your score.
No scheduled breaks
The shorter GRE test will not have any scheduled breaks between sections, unlike the current GRE, which has a 10-minute break after the third section and a 1-minute break between other sections. In the new GRE, you must complete the test in one sitting without interruption or rest.
The elimination of scheduled breaks does not mean that you cannot take breaks during the test as long as you stay within the total testing time of 2 hours. You can pause the test at any point and resume it when you are ready, but the clock will keep running.
Eliminating scheduled breaks gives you more flexibility and control over your test-taking pace and strategy, as you can adjust your breaks according to your needs and preferences.
Faster score reporting
The shorter GRE score scales will be similar to the standard GRE, but you can get your scores earlier. You can view your unofficial scores for verbal and quantitative reasoning at the end of the test and your official scores for all sections within 8–10 days after the test date. It will help you submit your applications sooner. The faster score reporting will also give you more time and flexibility to plan your applications and retakes.
Changes to the GRE Subject Tests
As announced by ETS, The GRE Subject Tests will include Physics, Mathematics, and Psychology in a computer-delivered format from September 2023 onwards. The chemistry test was discontinued after the April 2023 administration. However, the scores will remain valid from the test date for the next five years.
Additionally, physics and psychology tests will be shortened to two hours. Also, the number of test centers will increase worldwide, and the tests will be offered more frequently in most countries.
How do you prepare for the GRE’s new format in 2024?
The sections and types of questions in the new GRE format 2023 are the same as those in the standard version. So, the preparation for the latest GRE will be similar. You can save time preparing for the essay task by omitting the ‘Analyze an argument’ task. You can also take practice tests for your GRE prep.
Comparison between current GRE and revised GRE
Here is a summary table that compares the main features of the current GRE and the revised GRE:
| Feature | Revised GRE | Current GRE |
| Testing time | 1 hour 58 minutes | Approximately 4 hours |
| Analytical writing tasks | One task: Analyze an issue |
|
| Verbal Reasoning (Two sections) | 27 questions (41 minutes) | 40 questions (60 minutes) |
| Quantitative Reasoning (Two sections) | 27 questions (47 minutes) | 40 questions (70 minutes) |
| Unscored section | Not Included | One section of either verbal or quantitative questions |
| Scheduled breaks | none |
|
| Scores delivery time | 8-10 days | 10-15 days |
| Score scale | 130-170 | 130-170 |
| Registration fee | $221 | $205 |
What will remain unchanged in the transition from the current GRE to the revised GRE?
While there are many changes in the revised GRE, many aspects will remain unchanged. Here are some of the things that will stay the same in the revised GRE:
- The content and skills tested by the GRE General Test will not change. The test will still measure your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills relevant to graduate school success.
- The format and scoring of each section of the test will not change. The test will still be computer-delivered and adaptive by section, meaning that the difficulty level of each section will depend on your performance in the previous section.
- The scoring scale for each section will still range from 130 to 170 in one-point increments, except for analytical writing, which will range from 0 to 6 in half-point increments.
- The registration process and fees for the test will not change. You can still register for the test online, by phone, or by mail up to two days before your preferred test date. The test fee will still be $160 in most locations, with some exceptions depending on your country or region.
- The policies and procedures for taking the test will remain the same. You will still need to bring a valid ID and follow the rules and regulations set by ETS and your test center.
- You can still cancel or reschedule your test up to four days before your test date, with a fee of $50.
- The options and services for sending your scores will not change. You can still send up to four free score reports to institutions of your choice on or before your test day.
- You can still use the Score Select option to choose which scores to send from all your tests taken in the last five years. You can still order additional score reports or request a score review for a fee.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the revised GRE offers a more streamlined and less time-consuming approach to graduate school entrance exams. Its emphasis on real-world scenarios and critical thinking skills ensures that students are assessed on practical knowledge rather than rote learning. The changes are introduced in the GRE test to make it more practical and accessible so that it remains the preferred choice for both students and institutions. The shorter structure also reduces test fatigue, improving the overall testing experience. Therefore, it is essential for prospective graduate students to familiarize themselves with this new format and do test preparation accordingly. By doing so, they will undoubtedly increase their chances of success on this pivotal academic hurdle.