Recent GRE Changes
The GRE is regularly updated and revised by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the nonprofit organization that owns and administers the exam. Below we consider some of the most recent and important changes the GRE has undergone, as well as what these changes mean for test-takers.
GRE Changes in 2023
The GRE underwent a significant revision in 2023 in an effort to streamline the testing process while increasing the efficiency of the exam. The changes included shorter test length, new test structure, and faster delivery of test scores.
Prior to September 2023, the GRE was 3 hours and 45 minutes in length. Following the 2023 revision, the exam was shortened to 1 hour and 58 minutes in length, a significant difference of nearly two hours. The content of the exam was not changed, and the GRE still contained one Analytical Writing section, two Verbal Reasoning sections, and two Quantitative Reasoning sections. Rather than altering the exam’s content, the shorter testing time was achieved by making changes to the GRE’s structure.
In order to achieve a shorter testing time without altering test content, ETS made certain adjustments and consolidations to the structure of the GRE, which included:
- Elimination of the “Analyze an Argument” portion of the Analytical Writing section
- Removal of all experimental, research, and unscored sections
- Removal of the 10-minute break
- Reducing the overall number of Quantitative Reasoning questions from 40 to 27
- Reducing the overall number of Verbal Reasoning questions from 40 to 27
As a result of this shortened exam and with only one essay requiring grading, ETS also made it possible to provide a faster score turnaround time, delivering GRE scores in approximately 8 to 10 days. According to ETS, this change better allows test-takers to promptly submit applications to graduate, business, or law programs with tight deadlines.
GRE Changes in 2020
The GRE underwent an unplanned change in 2020 when the discovery of COVID-19 led to a global pandemic that effectively stopped in-person gatherings to comply with government-required social distancing. Since test centers were closed, there was no way for the GRE to be taken until ETS converted the computerized version of the exam into a test that could be taken remotely at home. The GRE could be taken on a personal desktop or laptop computer under the watchful eye of a proctor who monitored a test-taker’s performance through their computer’s webcam.
GRE Changes in 2011
The GRE underwent a significant revision in August 2011, with changes being made to the test’s scoring system, structure, and methodology.
With regards to the scoring system, the GRE was scored on a scale of 200-800 prior to 2011. After the 2011 revisions, the test was scored on a scale of 130-170 for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections. This meant the highest GRE total score that could be obtained now fell between 260-340.
With regards to the test’s structure, test-takers were free to skip between test questions. They could also go back and review questions before selecting a final answer. Quantitative Reasoning sections were changed to better emphasize data interpretation by asking test-takers to interpret information from real-life scenarios. An onscreen calculator was provided for the Quantitative Reasoning sections. In the Verbal Reasoning sections, antonyms and analogies were removed in order to focus on questions requiring text completion and sentence equivalence, permitting test-takers to respond by filling in the blank and reflecting a sentence’s meaning rather than demonstrating rote knowledge of grammar rules. The Analytical Writing section was revised so that test-takers would receive only one essay prompt per section, resulting in one “Analyze an Issue” task and one “Analyze an Argument” task.
Additionally, the GRE was revised from being computer adaptive at the level of the question to being adaptive at the level of the section. Instead of changing the difficulty of the exam after every single question, the GRE now adapted to the test-taker based on their performance across the first Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections. How a student perfomed on the first section determined the difficulty level of the second section. If a test-taker did well on the first Verbal Reasoning section, for example, the second Verbal Reasoning section would be more difficult; however, if a test-taker performed poorly on the first Verbal Reasoning section, the second Verbal Reasoning would offer easier, or less challenging, questions.
GRE Changes in the Early 2000s
In 2007, “fill in the blank” questions were introduced; up to then, the GRE had featured standard multiple-choice questions. In 2008, the format of the Reading Comprehension passages was revised in the Verbal Reasoning sections, removing line numbers and allowing test-takers to highlight lines in order to improve their concentration.
GRE Changes in 1999
The paper and pencil version of the GRE was discontinued in 1999, meaning the GRE could only be taken on a computer at an approved test center. This change was the result of the overwhelming popularity of the computerized version of the test, which allowed students to receive unofficial test scores immediately after completing the exam, giving students an idea of if they needed to take the test again or if they could begin preparing their applications to graduate programs.
GRE Changes in 1993
The first computer adaptive version of the GRE was introduced in 1993. This version was adaptive at the question level, meaning the difficulty of a given question was determined by how well a test-taker performed on the prior question. If a test-taker answered a question correctly, the following question would be more challenging; if a test-taker answered a question incorrectly, the following question would be easier to answer.
Computer adaptive testing was believed to provide a more accurate reflection of a test-taker’s true knowledge and abilities than standard paper and pencil tests. In addition to allowing graduate schools to better understand the skills of an applicant, computer adaptive testing was also seen as making it almost impossible to cheat on the GRE. With traditional paper and pencil tests, groups of students completed the same exam at the same time, making it possible to cheat by looking around and copying answers. A computer adaptive test, on the other hand, adapted to the particular person taking it. Thanks to the automated selection of questions from a large pool, each test-taker enjoyed an individualized testing experience that also made copying answers or other forms of cheating all but impossible.
Conclusion
It is important to stay up to date on changes to the GRE, as understanding the exam is key to preparing for it. The better you understand what you will be tested on and how you will be tested on it, the more you can tailor your preparation efforts to ensure you achieve your highest score.
The GRE is the most general of the graduate admissions tests, so the key to success is to leverage your years of studying, learn the “language of the test”, and stay focused and lucid on test day. Whereas other tests require you to memorize information and remember content, the GRE only expects you to be able to think clearly and efficiently for a long period of time. The content of the test is designed to challenge your thinking ability, not your knowledge. If you remember to consider each question and answer carefully, and you stay focused and work quickly on test day, then you will achieve a score that is certain to help you achieve your academic and career goals.
If, however, you obtain a score that is substantially below your target, or if you lack understanding of specific subject areas, then a test-preparation course or private tutoring may be options that can help you close the gap between your target score and your actual score.
You may also consider whether other admissions tests would be a better fit for your educational profile. While many graduate schools only accept the GRE, most business and law schools accept the GRE in addition to the GMAT or LSAT. If you plan on applying to business schools and majored in math during undergrad, the GMAT might be a better fit for you. If, on the other hand, you speak three languages fluently and have had a diverse intellectual background, the GRE may be a better way to showcase your unique talents to business programs.
A similar approach can be taken when applying to law programs: if you have a strong background in math or courses that prioritized logical reasoning, the LSAT may be the best option for demonstrating your specific skills. If, however, you were an English Literature or Psychology undergraduate major with a love of text and words, the GRE might better allow you to display these particular skills.
Admissions counselling may be useful to help you choose a graduate test that will showcase your ability, compensate for any weaknesses in your application, and allow you to make yourself as competitive as possible in your applications, regardless of where you apply.