Heard GRE has new rules now, something about shorter tests or sections changed? Does this affect admissions or like how universities abroad see our scores?
1 Like
Yes, the GRE was shortened in 2023. The test now takes about 2 hours (instead of nearly 4), with fewer questions and no essay (Analytical Writing is now just one “Issue” task).
This change does not negatively affect admissions. Universities still accept and evaluate the new shorter GRE scores the same way as before.
1 Like
Yeah @beep_bopp the GRE changed recently and the new format is actually a lot shorter—now it’s just under 2 hours instead of 4 They removed one of the writing tasks and cut down on questions in both verbal and quant sections. It’s honestly a bit less stressful now. The scoring system hasn’t changed though, and unis are fully aware of the new pattern so it won’t affect how they view your scores. You’ll even get your results faster now! If you’re preparing, make sure to focus on understanding concepts over memorization especially for verbal and quant.
1 Like
Hi @beep_bopp, Yep, you heard right! The GRE has been updated recently; it’s now a shorter version of the old test. The total test time is around 1 hour 58 minutes (compared to nearly 4 hours before). They’ve reduced the number of questions and removed one of the essays in the Analytical Writing section (now it’s just 1 instead of 2).
As for how this affects admissions not much changes. Universities abroad have already adapted, and the score scale is still the same, so a good score is still a good score. The shorter format just makes the test less exhausting, but the difficulty level and what the score means stay consistent.
So no worries just focus on getting a strong score. The format change doesn’t hurt your chances at all!
GRE got shorter, i think its about 2 hrs now. Fewer questions, mainly in Quant and Verbal. Honestly, it’s good for us cuz u can stay focused better but the difficulty level is pretty much the same. Universities are still accepting GRE scores as usual, so ur chances abroad aren’t really changing cuz of this. Just prep normally and chill a bit more now 
@beep_bopp The GRE was shortened in September 2023 and now takes about 2 hours instead of nearly 4, with fewer questions, only one essay (Analyze an Issue), and no unscored experimental section. Scores are reported faster, and ETS confirmed they remain fully comparable with older GRE scores, so universities abroad treat them the same in admissions. The main impact is on your prep. Since each question carries more weight and timing is tighter, you should practice specifically with the new format to adjust your pacing.
Yeah, the GRE did go through a bit of a revamp recently — mostly to make it shorter and less tiring. The new version (launched in late 2023) takes just under 2 hours instead of nearly 4, which is a huge relief tbh. They also removed the “Analyze an Argument” essay, so now there’s just one writing task (“Analyze an Issue”). Plus, no more unscored experimental section and fewer questions overall in both Verbal and Quant.
That said, it doesn’t really change how universities look at your score. Schools are aware of the update, and ETS (the test maker) made sure the scoring scale stays consistent a 160 now means the same as a 160 before. The only real difference is that you’ll have to be a bit more precise since each question counts for more.
Admissions committees won’t care whether you took the old or new version they’ll evaluate you based on your percentile and the rest of your profile. So, no stress there.
TL;DR shorter test, same score value. You can just focus on prep without worrying about any disadvantage.