Study Abroad: ETS Announces Major Changes to GRE; Including Shorter Duration and Faster Score Reporting

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has revealed significant changes to the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test. These modifications aim to enhance the test-taking experience by reducing the test duration and expediting the score-reporting process.

The alterations will come into action from September onwards. Registration for the updated GRE General Test is now open for test dates beginning on September 22, 2023. The announcement has been well-received, particularly in India, the second-largest market for GRE test takers after the USA.

The test will take less than two hours to complete, approximately half the time of the current exam. Additionally, the new changes will expedite the score reporting process. Test takers will receive their official scores within 10 days, as opposed to the previous waiting period of 15 days. 

Changes Introduced in the GRE Exam

The most notable changes include the removal of the “analyse an argument” task in the Analytical Writing section. Also, there will be a reduced number of questions in both the quantitative and verbal reasoning sections. The ETS will also remove the “unscored” sections.

These modifications are designed to streamline the test while maintaining its rigour and validity. The ETS CEO, Amit Sevak, emphasized the organization’s commitment to customer satisfaction and the enhancement of the overall test-taker experience.

Kunal Dasgupta, Chairperson of Admissions and Financial Aid at IIM Bangalore praised ETS for adapting the test to current times. He highlighted the importance of the GRE in the admissions process and expressed excitement for the reduced test duration.

GRE General Test

The GRE General Test is widely recognized as a crucial assessment for admission into graduate and professional programs. It also includes programs in business and law. 

It evaluates essential skills such as verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing, which are imperative for success in higher-level academic pursuits.

To support test takers in preparing for the new format, ETS will provide official GRE test prep resources and practice tests specifically tailored to the streamlined test. While the shorter test will retain the same question types, individuals can still utilize the existing Official GRE Prep materials for their study needs.

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