What is the new shorter GRE format?

Since September 2023, the GRE General Test is about 1 hour 58 minutes. It has 27 Verbal questions across 2 sections (41 min), 27 Quant questions across 2 sections (47 min), and one AWA essay (30 min). The unscored experimental section is gone.

What GRE score is good for US graduate school?

For top US Master's and PhD programs, a competitive score is generally 325+. STEM PhDs often expect Quant 165–170. Top public-policy and humanities programs care more about Verbal 160+.

Can you help with funded PhD applications?

Yes. Umer specifically supports applicants targeting funded PhD programs in Computer Science, Engineering, Economics, and Public Policy worldwide.

GRE General Test tutoring

Online GRE tutoring for the shorter post-2023 format, with tutors who've scored 99th percentile verbal.

Take a free GRE diagnostic in the current shorter format. You'll get a 340-scale score estimate and a section-by-section breakdown of what's holding your score back. Umer handles Quant and analytical strategy; Toby covers Verbal. Both have scored in the 99th percentile on the exams they teach.

Take the Free GRE Diagnostic Request 1-Hour Free Trial

340GRE score scale
325+Target for top US grad
99+ %Toby's verbal percentile
1h 58mNew shorter GRE length

Exam format

The shorter GRE General Test in 60 seconds.

ETS shortened the GRE in September 2023. The exam is now about 1 hour 58 minutes — less than half the length of the old version. The unscored experimental section is gone, and the Analyze an Argument writing task is no longer required. Our diagnostics use this current format.

Verbal Reasoning — 41 minutes

2 sections · 27 questions total
Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, Reading Comprehension
Section-level adaptive: section 2 difficulty depends on section 1

Quantitative Reasoning — 47 minutes

2 sections · 27 questions total
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Data Interpretation, Quantitative Comparison
On-screen calculator available throughout

Analytical Writing — 30 minutes

1 task: Analyze an Issue
Argue-Analyze task removed in the new format
0–6 score in 0.5-point increments

Target programs

Where Boost Academy GRE students apply.

STEM PhD & MS (fully funded)

MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, CMU, Georgia Tech, UIUC, ETH Zurich, EPFL, NUS, NTU, Imperial.

Typical successful profile: Quant 167–170, Verbal 160+, strong research statement.

Public policy, economics, finance

Harvard Kennedy, Princeton SPIA, LSE, Sciences Po PSIA, UChicago Harris, NUS LKY, Columbia SIPA, HEC MiM/MFE.

Typical: Verbal 160+, Quant 162+, plus a TOEFL/IELTS depending on program.

Humanities, design, social sciences

Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Columbia, KCL, Edinburgh, U of Toronto, RCA, Parsons.

Often optional, but a strong score (Verbal 165+, AWA 5+) materially helps shortlisting and funding.

Pricing

Pay per session or in a 10, 20, or 40-hour package. We accept EUR, GBP, USD, AED, SAR, and SGD. Diagnostic review is included free with all packages.

Diagnostic Review

€55 / hr

≈ AED 220 · SAR 225 · SGD 80 · USD 60

For applicants starting out

1-hour 1-on-1 results walkthrough
Section-targeted 4–8 week plan
Target-program reality check
Free 1-hour trial credit toward a package

Why this price: a single GRE tutoring hour at most online competitors (Magoosh Premium, Manhattan Prep) is $60–180. We're at the low end of that range — designed to start the relationship with a credible plan.

Intensive 1-on-1

€95 / hr

≈ AED 380 · SAR 388 · SGD 140 · USD 105

Recommended for most applicants

Dedicated lead tutor for both Verbal and Quant
Vocabulary system + error log
WhatsApp / email support between sessions
Weekly written progress note
AWA essay review included in the package

Why this price: private 1-on-1 GRE tutoring at Manhattan Prep / Princeton Review runs $150–250/hr. Our Intensive is roughly 30–50% cheaper with a dedicated 99+ percentile verbal tutor (Toby) and analytical Quant lead (Umer).

Premium Mentor Track

€135 / hr

≈ AED 540 · SAR 550 · SGD 200 · USD 150

For funded PhD & top-program applicants

Everything in Intensive
24-hour response from your lead tutor
2 SOP / personal-statement reviews per package
Program-shortlist conversation included
Score guarantee: miss the agreed target, extra hours are free

Why this price: for applicants targeting MIT, Stanford, CMU, ETH, EPFL, LSE, NUS — where the GRE score is one variable in a much bigger application package. The mentor track folds in SOP feedback at the same rate top admissions consultants would charge separately.

Multi-hour packages

10 hours5% off the per-hour rate
20 hours · most popular10% off the per-hour rate
40 hours15% off — best per-hour rate

Examples: 20 hours of Intensive = €1,710 (~AED 6,840). 30 hours of Premium Mentor = €3,442 (~AED 13,770). All packages include the Diagnostic Review session free.

Frequent questions

GRE questions applicants ask first.

Where can I take the GRE?

ETS offers the GRE at home and at test centres in nearly every major city worldwide. At-home testing requires a quiet room and a reliable webcam.

How is the shorter GRE different from the old one?

The new GRE is about half the length: 1h 58m instead of 3h 45m. The Argument-essay task is gone, sections are shorter, and there is no unscored experimental section. The scoring scale (130–170 per section, 260–340 total) is unchanged.

How much score lift is realistic in 6–8 weeks?

For a baseline of 305–315, a focused 6–8 week plan typically yields 10–15 points (often more on Quant). For higher baselines, gains compress to 5–10 points. The diagnostic produces a realistic per-week trajectory.

Do you cover Quant beyond high-school math?

The GRE Quant uses standardised secondary-school mathematics — no calculus or linear algebra. The challenge is interpretation, pacing, and quantitative comparison strategy. Boost Academy tutoring focuses precisely there.