Shorter GRE vs. GMAT Focus Content Differences
Let's talk shorter GRE content. So again, first section is analytical writing. Like I mentioned, it used to be two questions, now it's one. The only essay remaining is the analyze an issue essay. The analyze an argument essay, gone. So again, like I mentioned, there is no essay on GMAT focus, or still, one essay on the shorter GRE.
Moving on to quant, because there is no data insights on shorter GRE, but that same content is kind of baked into the quant section. So there are a variety of question types and data insights for GMAT focus, and then there's just the one question type for quant. Quant on shorter GRE is a grab-bag of question types , right? We've got basically problem solving or multiple-choice pick one.
We also have multiple-choice select one or more. We have numeric entry where we can fill in a number. We have quantitative comparison, which is basically the little cousin of data sufficiency . It's very similar, but maybe a little bit simpler in nature. And then we have data interpretation sets, which is kind of like data insights, maybe with a little bit less of the verbal reasoning element, but it focuses on data analysis.
And again, it has all of those other question types, but baked into one data set. So there's a lot going on in quant in terms of question types. Similarly, there's a lot going on in terms of content types, right? So we have arithmetic and algebra, just like in quant. We have geometry, all right?
So geometry is dead for GMAT focus, but it is still on the shorter GRE. And then we have data analysis, which again, is in data insights for GMAT focus. It's here in quant or shorter GRE. So there's a lot going on in the quant section for shorter GRE. And then moving on to verbal, we have three question types, we have reading comprehension.
I'm gonna pause here, because reading comprehension on the shorter GRE includes what we would consider both reading comprehension and critical reasoning on the GMAT focus. So reading comprehension on the GRE has those longer passages with multiple questions, as well as shorter paragraph argument type questions with those argument type questions.
All right, now on top of that, we have text completion and sentence equivalence, which most people think of as the vocab question types. They're maybe a little bit more focused on sentence structure and sentence meaning, but they still do have that vocabulary. Again, a lot of information, let's distill what are the takeaways. So there is no new content on either test.
This is really important to note. And I think it says a lot about the point of this reformulation for each of these exams. This is not my first rodeo with tests changing. And usually when test change, there is more fundamental changes to the content, right?
And so there's a lot for students to learn. But that's not the case here. And that indicates that maybe there wasn't anything wrong with the existing exams. It's just that the fact that they're so long is unfriendly to students. So rather than adding a new content types that are meant to be better indicative of performance, we've just reduced content to get students to take it.
So same content, I had a question in the chat, is the difficulty level higher now? In terms of the content, no. The difficulty level should be the same. So if you are studying for either the current GRE or the shorter GRE, the content that you're studying that is retained across should be the same difficulty level.
Now, the structure itself might provide some changes in difficulty level, but again, we'll talk about that a little bit more as it comes. But in terms of the content, no, no change in difficulty. Now that said, right, so there's no new content, but there is less content. Now for both exams, they've eliminated content kind of across the board, right, leaned out.
But GMAT focus has gone ahead and fully cut a bunch of content types, which makes it easier to study cuz you don't have to study as many things. Whereas the shorter GRE hasn't cut as many individual content types, it just leaned down each one. So the shorter GRE, the only thing that they've cut is the analyze an argument essay, right?
And they still have another essay. Whereas GMAT focus has fully cut the writing component with AWA. They fully cut geometry, which is kind of a hard thing to study for because there's a lot of rules. And they fully cut sentence correction, which again, a lot of rules, a lot of gramma.
So again, they made it easier to study, and they've taken the test and really kind of focused on the questions that test critical thinking and eliminated the ones where there's a foundation of rules that you have to do the critical thinking on top of, right? So that's kind of an interesting thing. So maybe in terms of content, it's gonna be easier to study for the GMAT focus.
And I kinda get into this more with this bullet. So as a result of the shorter GRE eliminating fewer content types, the shorter GRE covers a broader range of content than the GMAT focus does. So the shorter GRE covers pretty much everything that's on the GMAT focus maybe in some slightly different formats, but pretty much everything that's on there. Plus essay writing, plus geometry, and plus vocabulary, sentence structure, that jazz, right?
All of the stuff on verbal is on the shorter GRE. All the stuff that's on quant is on the shorter GRE. And then data insights is mostly kind of funneled into that quant section. So shorter GRE means you have to study for more things, which is maybe kind of a knock on that exam versus the GMAT focus. Now both tests, again, have weird question types, you're going to have to do exam-specific study for both tests.
For the GMAT focus, it's gonna be for data insights. For the shorter GRE, it's gonna be for quant, as well as for verbal. That's just the way it is. They're just kind of in different sections. So there really isn't a simpler test in terms of question types. They're both pretty complicated .
But in terms of content, I would say for structure, maybe shorter GRE wins, I'd say for content, maybe GMAT focus wins. And again, this is just my take, you gotta give your own take. These are the takeaways from what we've learned so far.
Read full transcriptMoving on to quant, because there is no data insights on shorter GRE, but that same content is kind of baked into the quant section. So there are a variety of question types and data insights for GMAT focus, and then there's just the one question type for quant. Quant on shorter GRE is a grab-bag of question types , right? We've got basically problem solving or multiple-choice pick one.
We also have multiple-choice select one or more. We have numeric entry where we can fill in a number. We have quantitative comparison, which is basically the little cousin of data sufficiency . It's very similar, but maybe a little bit simpler in nature. And then we have data interpretation sets, which is kind of like data insights, maybe with a little bit less of the verbal reasoning element, but it focuses on data analysis.
And again, it has all of those other question types, but baked into one data set. So there's a lot going on in quant in terms of question types. Similarly, there's a lot going on in terms of content types, right? So we have arithmetic and algebra, just like in quant. We have geometry, all right?
So geometry is dead for GMAT focus, but it is still on the shorter GRE. And then we have data analysis, which again, is in data insights for GMAT focus. It's here in quant or shorter GRE. So there's a lot going on in the quant section for shorter GRE. And then moving on to verbal, we have three question types, we have reading comprehension.
I'm gonna pause here, because reading comprehension on the shorter GRE includes what we would consider both reading comprehension and critical reasoning on the GMAT focus. So reading comprehension on the GRE has those longer passages with multiple questions, as well as shorter paragraph argument type questions with those argument type questions.
All right, now on top of that, we have text completion and sentence equivalence, which most people think of as the vocab question types. They're maybe a little bit more focused on sentence structure and sentence meaning, but they still do have that vocabulary. Again, a lot of information, let's distill what are the takeaways. So there is no new content on either test.
This is really important to note. And I think it says a lot about the point of this reformulation for each of these exams. This is not my first rodeo with tests changing. And usually when test change, there is more fundamental changes to the content, right?
And so there's a lot for students to learn. But that's not the case here. And that indicates that maybe there wasn't anything wrong with the existing exams. It's just that the fact that they're so long is unfriendly to students. So rather than adding a new content types that are meant to be better indicative of performance, we've just reduced content to get students to take it.
So same content, I had a question in the chat, is the difficulty level higher now? In terms of the content, no. The difficulty level should be the same. So if you are studying for either the current GRE or the shorter GRE, the content that you're studying that is retained across should be the same difficulty level.
Now, the structure itself might provide some changes in difficulty level, but again, we'll talk about that a little bit more as it comes. But in terms of the content, no, no change in difficulty. Now that said, right, so there's no new content, but there is less content. Now for both exams, they've eliminated content kind of across the board, right, leaned out.
But GMAT focus has gone ahead and fully cut a bunch of content types, which makes it easier to study cuz you don't have to study as many things. Whereas the shorter GRE hasn't cut as many individual content types, it just leaned down each one. So the shorter GRE, the only thing that they've cut is the analyze an argument essay, right?
And they still have another essay. Whereas GMAT focus has fully cut the writing component with AWA. They fully cut geometry, which is kind of a hard thing to study for because there's a lot of rules. And they fully cut sentence correction, which again, a lot of rules, a lot of gramma.
So again, they made it easier to study, and they've taken the test and really kind of focused on the questions that test critical thinking and eliminated the ones where there's a foundation of rules that you have to do the critical thinking on top of, right? So that's kind of an interesting thing. So maybe in terms of content, it's gonna be easier to study for the GMAT focus.
And I kinda get into this more with this bullet. So as a result of the shorter GRE eliminating fewer content types, the shorter GRE covers a broader range of content than the GMAT focus does. So the shorter GRE covers pretty much everything that's on the GMAT focus maybe in some slightly different formats, but pretty much everything that's on there. Plus essay writing, plus geometry, and plus vocabulary, sentence structure, that jazz, right?
All of the stuff on verbal is on the shorter GRE. All the stuff that's on quant is on the shorter GRE. And then data insights is mostly kind of funneled into that quant section. So shorter GRE means you have to study for more things, which is maybe kind of a knock on that exam versus the GMAT focus. Now both tests, again, have weird question types, you're going to have to do exam-specific study for both tests.
For the GMAT focus, it's gonna be for data insights. For the shorter GRE, it's gonna be for quant, as well as for verbal. That's just the way it is. They're just kind of in different sections. So there really isn't a simpler test in terms of question types. They're both pretty complicated .
But in terms of content, I would say for structure, maybe shorter GRE wins, I'd say for content, maybe GMAT focus wins. And again, this is just my take, you gotta give your own take. These are the takeaways from what we've learned so far.
The GRE became shorter on September 22, 2023, and the new GMAT Focus edition will become available to take starting on November 7, 2023. This lesson looks at the difference in content topics between these new exams.
For more details about both new exams and which might be the best one for you to take, you can check out the full recording of this live stream on YouTube.
Also, for more information about the structural changes to both exams (ex: the new number of questions per section), please refer to these two lessons:
- The New, Shorter GRE on Sept 22, 2023
- Current GMAT (through Jan. 31, 2024) vs. GMAT Focus (starts Nov. 7, 2023)
This is the last lesson of the section
