The New Pattern of the GMAT Focus Edition

Anand G Shankar | Content Lead

The current GMAT test is changing for many reasons : globally, shorter tests are found to make a good choice for the takers. Also, a wave of reformation in standardized tests in recent times accounts for trimming their length, complexity and duration. The GMAT announced the changes in test in April that the proposed GMAT Focus Edition pattern is replacing the current format from October 2023. The test duration is reduced to 2.15 hrs from 3.07 hrs. Although, the question types remain the same, certain portions are being dropped: the entire Sentence Correction in Verbal and the entire portion of Geometry will not be part of the test. The entire Analytical Writing section, aka Argument Writing Task is eliminated, but the duration of Integrated reasoning has been increased, with a rechristened name as "Data Insights". Also, Data Sufficiency questions are moved to Data Insights. Such questions will adopt more of logical reasoning attributes rather than entirely using quantitative principles. Moreover, the test assimilates certain traits from its arch-rival GRE like editing the answers via bookmarking; thus, review and edit option could be helpful for students selecting rash and compulsive responses.