Are you planning to take the GRE exam for your graduate or professional program admissions? If so, there’s some exciting news for you. Beginning September 22, 2023, the Educational Testing Services (ETS) is introducing a new, shorter format for the GRE exam. This change is set to make the test-taking experience more efficient and convenient for aspiring students.
Key Changes:
1. Duration Reduction: The most significant change is the reduction in the test duration. The earlier GRE test, which took three hours and forty-five minutes, will now be shortened to just one hour and 58 minutes. This reduction means less time spent in the exam hall and less fatigue for test-takers.
2. Faster Score Delivery: ETS aims to streamline the score delivery process. Instead of waiting 10-15 days for your scores, you can now expect to receive them within eight to ten days. This faster score delivery will enable you to submit your applications more promptly and increase your chances of securing admission.
3. Content Unchanged: While the duration of the GRE is being reduced, the content tested remains the same. The GRE will continue to evaluate analytical writing skills, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. This means that the skills required for higher education will still be assessed thoroughly.
Structural Changes:
Some structural changes have been made to reduce the duration of the exam:
– One argument essay has been eliminated.
– The unscored (experimental) section is no longer included.
– The 10-minute break between sections has been removed.
– The number of questions in both the Quant and Verbal sections has been reduced from 40 to 27.
Impact on Test-Takers:
It’s important to note that these changes affect test-takers planning to take the GRE from September 22, 2023, onwards. Those who took the GRE before this date completed the longer format. The shorter GRE will not lead to higher scores; it primarily makes the test-taking experience physically and mentally less demanding.
So, for those aspiring to graduate or professional programs, the GRE just got more efficient. The content remains unchanged, but the duration has been significantly reduced, and score delivery is faster, making your journey towards higher education smoother and more streamlined.