Experimental Questions on New GRE

[aymarta]

As a test taker, how do you know if the section is an experimental section given that this can be at any point in the test? Are there are any characteristics we need to look for? Please advice.

(From my understanding, the experimental section comes after the essays and before the research section)

Thank you.

[tommywallach]

Hey Aymarta,

There's no way to know which section is experimental, so you just have to take everything equally seriously. Back in the day, before the Revised GRE went live, they warned you about the experimental section, because it had crazy new question types on it. But that won't be happening now. So just take the whole test equally seriously. (It's always possible that you'll get a research section, which will be marked and super weird and you'll know that it's not going to count--but that's unlikely).

-t

[kelandlixishower]

Hi there,

I was sure it would be very hard to tell which section was experimental, but I'm almost sure I identified mine.

I was given three math sections and am certain the second one was experimental. Because I had been scoring high on math practice tests, I was expecting my second math section to adapt to be hard. That did not happen, and my second math section was easier than any of the practice sections I had ever completed. I finished with tons of time to spare and freaked out that I had somehow messed up the first section and was given the easier second section. My third math section was quite challenging, so I'm pretty sure section number two was for research. No way to tell for sure, but that's what I think!

Cheers,
Anna

[tommywallach]

Hey Anna,

That's really good to know! I still think people should assume they won't be able to tell, but it's absolutely true that if you get your experimental section as your SECOND section for quant or verbal, you might be able to use the difficulty of it to make a guess. (But still try your hardest on every section. It's just safer!)

-t