This fall, the Graduate Record Examinations General Test will undergo the most sweeping changes of its 60-year history – among them increased exam length, fewer test administrations and a less individualized format – leaving some to question the possible effects the alterations may have on aspiring graduate students.
The length of the revised GRE, which will be implemented Sept. 10, will increase from two and a half hours to over four.
All three sections of the exam – analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning – will be composed of new types of questions and presented in a different format, according to Mari Pearlman, senior vice president of Educational Testing Service’s Higher Education Division.
“”The changes reflect four years of research and redesign using the best methods of measuring skills related to successful graduate study,”” Pearlman stated in a press release.
The content of the reformatted exam will emphasize higher reasoning and cognitive skills, rather than simple memorization techniques, Kaplan Test Prep Admissions Director of Graduate Programs Susan Kaplan said. Sections of the exam focusing on analogies and antonyms have been eliminated, and the test will instead include more critical reading passages.
“”[ETS] wants the exam to be a more accurate predictor of success in graduate school,”” she said.
According to Kaplan, the length and the revised format of the test may be more difficult for students.
“”People are going to need to build up the stamina for the computerized exam,”” she said.
The final administration of the current GRE will take place on July 31, and the revised version will not be proctored until September, causing potential issues for students who intended to take the test in August.
“”We are recommending that if people are prepared, they take the exam before it changes,”” Kaplan said. “”A lot of people do plan to take the exam in August, and they need to expedite their plans.””
Similarly, the current test is administered most weekdays and weekends year-round, but the new exam will be offered approximately 35 times per year on fixed dates.
ETS spokesman Tom Ewing said he did not believe the fixed dates would pose a significant problem for students attempting to register for the test.
“”When you look at it, it will be offered three to four times a month, which I think should be sufficient,”” he said.
Ewing said that while the frequency of the exam proctoring will be reduced, there are now more testing centers around the country – approximately 3,000 – allowing for easier accessibility.
The modified tests will be linear, with all test-takers receiving the same questions in the same order. Presently, the test is computer-adaptive, where the difficulty level of questions adjusts based on the examinee’s performance.
The computer-adaptive tests are being discontinued because some students – primarily in Asia – had begun memorizing exam questions and sharing them with others, Ewing said.
“”We were encountering security issues with the computer-adaptive exam,”” he said. “”With this [new] method, once a test has been administered, it will be retired.””
Students may begin registering for the new GRE on July 1.
