Revamped GRE Exam: All You Need to Know | 2011 General GRE Updates

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the updates to the GRE exam set to take effect in August 2011, focusing on the changes in format, structure, and perceived difficulty. Participants share their experiences and opinions regarding the revisions, including the introduction of an essay section and the adaptive testing format.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Personal experiences

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express relief at the ability to skip back and forth between questions in the new format, contrasting it with the previous adaptive format that caused anxiety.
  • There is nostalgia for the old GRE format, with some participants reminiscing about the long testing days and the absence of certain question types, such as analogies.
  • Several participants share their experiences with the GRE, noting that the introduction of the essay section made the exam more challenging.
  • One participant mentions that their performance on the essays was better than expected, while their vocabulary scores were disappointing, highlighting the variability in test experiences.
  • Concerns are raised about the increasing difficulty of the GRE over time, with humorous suggestions about future components of the exam.
  • Some participants express frustration with the GRE as a requirement for graduate school applications, questioning its value and relevance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a mix of nostalgia and frustration regarding the changes to the GRE, with no clear consensus on whether the updates are beneficial or detrimental. Multiple competing views on the value of the GRE and its evolving format remain present.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference changes in the GRE structure over time, including the replacement of the logic section with a writing section, but details on the implications of these changes are not fully explored.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals preparing for the GRE, those interested in graduate school admissions processes, and educators discussing standardized testing may find this discussion relevant.

Math Is Hard
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Coming in August 2011, the revised GRE

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/faq/

The new format is supposed to be about 3 hours and 45 minutes long. Good heavens!

I do like the part about being able to skip back and forth between the quantitative questions, though. I think the adaptive format psyched a lot of people out.

Note: I'll probably never take this test. Just curious what others think about the overhaul of the exam.
 
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Back in the day, you took the General in the morning and the Subject in the afternoon. That was a long, long day!

No more analogies? No more "Dixie cup is to fuse box as communism is to ____"?
 
So glad I took this thing before they introduced an essay section. It was really easy, I guess too easy.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Back in the day, you took the General in the morning and the Subject in the afternoon. That was a long, long day!

I have the greatest admiration for anyone who could get through that. My brain would overheat.

No more analogies? No more "Dixie cup is to fuse box as communism is to ____"?
Trombone. :smile:

jbunniii said:
So glad I took this thing before they introduced an essay section. It was really easy, I guess too easy.

You lucked out. I expect the aim of ETS is just to make the GRE harder and harder, and 20 years from now there will be a gymnastics component. :smile:
 
I took the GRE the first offering after they switched to the adaptive with the essay. It was daunting. I did much better on the essays than I thought I would, but much worse on the vocabulary. Every time I got a vocab word correct, the next one was completely inane. And god forbid I guessed a second one correct... just horrible.

The inability to change answers and go back made me insane. I am glad they changed that.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Back in the day, you took the General in the morning and the Subject in the afternoon. That was a long, long day!
I did that twice, both at a time when there was a logic section. Since when was the logic section replaced with a writing section?

I also took multiple Praxis tests in a single day (it may have been the two Praxis II tests for math), but I don't remember that day being as long as it was taking 2 GRE's in a day.
 
eumyang said:
I did that twice, both at a time when there was a logic section. Since when was the logic section replaced with a writing section?


In 2002 I believe. I was banking on the logic section... oh was I surprised.
 
I am glad I don't have to take the GRE ever again ! :biggrin:

What a waste of time! and money!
 
Math Is Hard said:
...there will be a gymnastics component.
Followed by 5 rounds in the cage with George St. Pierre.

I am curious, does any sane person just plainly refuse to go along with this charade and apply to Grad School without it?
 
  • #10
Cyclovenom said:
I am glad I don't have to take the GRE ever again ! :biggrin:

What a waste of time! and money!

Yup, I wasted three months on the GREs,, time that could have been spent on studying more valuable things..
 
  • #11
Sankaku said:
Followed by 5 rounds in the cage with George St. Pierre.
:smile:

I am curious, does any sane person just plainly refuse to go along with this charade and apply to Grad School without it?

I think resistance would be futile. At least there are still some programs that don't require GRE for admission.
 

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