Educator Frequently Asked Questions About the Cancellation of the Revised GRE® General Test

Why is ETS® canceling the revised GRE® General Test?

ETS® is canceling the revised GRE General Test because, on balance, officials believe the potential risk to testing access outweighed the benefits of immediately moving to the new format. After a thorough review, it was determined that full access to the test for all students could not be confidently assured. The decision was made in consultation with the Executive Committee of the GRE Board. After careful review, we believe the current GRE General Test remains the best means of achieving those goals. The decision to cancel the launch was made with the best interests of test takers and score users in mind.

Is this another delay of the introduction of the revised GRE General Test?

This is not another delay. ETS is canceling the revised GRE General Test, which was planned as a completely new format of the test to be delivered through a new, worldwide network of Internet-based testing centers. It was essentially a GRE overhaul.

ETS has determined that, on balance, the risk to test access outweighed the benefits of moving to the new test format.

ETS will work with the GRE Board to implement many of the planned improvements in test content to the test in the future. These planned improvements will be without the access issues associated with changing to an entirely new test delivered over a brand new testing network.

What was the major risk to testing access?

The primary reason for canceling the launch of the revised GRE General Test was access for test takers. Plans called for the revised test to be delivered over the new worldwide network of 3,200 Internet-based testing centers, which ETS is currently using to deliver the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL®) test.

Despite rapid growth in that network, during the past three months it became clear that we could not accommodate fall 2007 GRE test takers. To meet the need for seats, we would have had to create multiple contingency plans, each of which carried potential risks. After much debate and evaluation, ETS determined that we could not assure full, simultaneous access to the revised test for all students worldwide. The new format would have limited the convenience and flexibility that students enjoy now with the current test.

Why did it take ETS so long to announce that it's canceling the revised GRE General Test?

ETS has been continually observing the growth of the network of Internet-based testing centers, weighing the progress and risks, and developing contingency plans to respond to various issues. In the past three months, we have evaluated the risks and benefits of the new test format. In a recent analysis, it was clear that, despite the aggressive development of our Internet-based testing network, we would not be able to guarantee complete access to all students needing to take the test.

Test security was a major reason for revising the GRE General Test. Isn't test security still an issue?

Some years ago, security was a concern in certain parts of the world and we addressed it at that time. Delivering the revised GRE General Test in a linear format would have addressed some of the potential issues that exist with continuous testing. Security is always a concern with all the tests we create, and ETS researchers and security specialists are working on improvements to the current system that will now address those concerns.

Will you reopen registration in China, India, and Japan?

Yes. Registration for the General Test is being reopened in India, China and Japan. Test takers in those countries should contact the appropriate Regional Registration Center (RRC) to schedule an appointment to test.

Will there be any revisions to the General Test in the 2007-08 testing year?

The General Test will continue to consist of Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing sections. It is important to note that the scores scales for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning measures will continue to be 200 to 800, in 10-point increments. Analytical Writing scores will continue to be reported on a 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.

Will the GRE General Test in China (including Hong Kong), Korea, and Taiwan still be offered as a Split-Test Administration?

Yes. The GRE General Test will continue to be offered as a Split-Test Administration in these countries.