Acing the New GRE: What Indian students should expect from the shorter format

Key changes in the GRE Format

The GRE has undergone a significant transformation with a new shortened format, streamlining the testing process while retaining its core structure and scoring system.

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) now includes just one task, “Analyze an Issue, which is to be completed in 30 minutes, as the “Analyze an Argument” section has been removed.

“Both the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections have been reduced to 27 questions each, to be completed in 41 minutes and 47 minutes, respectively. Importantly, the unscored experimental section and the 10-minute scheduled break have been removed. This means students will now undergo a continuous test-taking experience, making it essential to build stamina for sitting through the entire exam without breaks.”

That was all for the changes. Despite these structural changes, the scoring remains unchanged, with Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores scaled from 130 to 170, and Analytical Writing Assessment better known as AWA is still graded on a scale of 0 to 6.

The GRE still remains a section-level adaptive test, meaning that a student’s performance on the first section of Verbal or Quant determines the difficulty level of the second section. Students still have the ability to review, skip, return to questions, and use the “mark for review” feature within a section.

Advantages for Indian students

The revised GRE offers several key benefits for Indian test-takers. The shortened two-hour duration reduces test fatigue, especially for students juggling academic and work commitments. It is also beneficial for them as indian students mostly have the habit of taking 2-hour-long tests.

Faster score reporting, now within 8–10 calendar days, allows for quicker application processing and decision-making.

Indian students, who often excel in mathematics, will be able to leverage their quantitative strengths, especially since core concepts remain the same, but since the questions are reduced, students should strive for more accuracy.

The removal of the unscored section and mandatory break also leads to a smoother, test experience, helping students maintain focus without unnecessary interruptions.

New challenges to consider

However, the new format introduces certain challenges that Indian students must prepare for. Since the questions are reduced and the scoring remains the same, each questions now carries more weightage, hence accuracy is the name of the game now.

As the scheduled break has been removed, students will be required to maintain uninterrupted focus for nearly two hours, demanding greater mental and physical stamina.

While only one essay is required in the AWA section, the “Analyze an Issue” task will be designed to challenge intellectually; therefore, it will require strong argumentation and writing skills. Indian students who previously relied on templated essay formats will need to invest time in building their analytical writing abilities.

Preparation tips and strategies

To adapt successfully to the shorter GRE, Indian students should prioritise a focused and efficient preparation strategy. It is advisable to begin preparation 4–6 months in advance to get familiar with the new structure.

For Quant, mastering fundamentals in algebra, arithmetic, geometry, and data interpretation is essential. For Verbal, emphasis should be placed on improving reading comprehension, sentence equivalence, and text completion skills.

Using official ETS material, ensures familiarity with the actual exam structure. Regular essay writing practice using ETS prompts and reviewing model essays will enhance AWA performance.

Students should practice with full-length mock tests simulating the new 1 hour 58 minute format to build stamina and perfect time management. And remember, since every question carries more weight, students should aim for accuracy over speed, avoiding careless mistakes. However, since there is no negative marking students should answer all the questions.

(The author is the co-founder of Rostrum Education)

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