The New Shorter GRE
Effective Friday September 22, the GRE is now a shorter, less painful, less forgiving test.
The new GRE fully removes one of the two essays, removes the experimental section entirely, and shortens the time and number of questions of each of the Quantitative and Verbal sections. This means the GRE has shifted from a 7-section 4-hour slog to a lean 5-section 2-hour experience.
The test is now a much less grueling experience for test takers. However, the decrease in overall number of scored questions (a 29% decrease from 80 questions to 57) will leave the test with a less forgiving score curve and likely increase score variability. As a result, test-takers may choose to retake the GRE more frequently than previously. Note that there are no changes to the substantive content tested. The GRE will continue to have the same types of questions and cover the same verbal and quantitative topics as it has for the previous several years.
See the following chart for a summary of the recent changes.
| Section | Old Format
|
New Format
|
| Analytical Writing
|
Two 30-minute essays | One 30-minute essay |
| Quantitative Reasoning
|
Two 35-minute 20-question sections (70 minutes, 40 questions total) plus possibly an experimental section | Two shorter sections (47 minutes, 27 questions total); no experimental section |
| Verbal Reasoning
|
Two 30-minute 20-question sections (60 minutes, 40 questions total) plus possibly an experimental section | Two shorter sections (41 minutes, 27 questions total); no experimental section |
The ETS has started releasing new shorter versions of the digital practice tests and more are on the way. A new version of the Official Guide to the GRE is expected to release later in 2023.
Students studying for the GRE do not need to adjust their studying very much to meet this format change. Be strategic about how you use the limited number of practice tests in the new format, but keep using all the same practice books and other materials you had been relying on previously. It’s the same test content, just a little bit less of it.
For assistance preparing for the GRE and getting a top score, contact Marks Education to set up a free consultation with an expert GRE tutor.
