GMAT Focus Edition vs the old GMAT: what really changed
The GMAT Focus Edition is not a facelift of the old exam: structure, duration, section weights and the score scale all changed. Studying with old-format material and strategy means training for an exam that no longer exists.
Structure: three sections, no essay
- Quantitative Reasoning: reasoning-focused, no Geometry and no Data Sufficiency (which moved to Data Insights).
- Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning; Sentence Correction is gone.
- Data Insights: the new section, with Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation and Two-Part Analysis.
- The Analytical Writing Assessment is no longer part of the exam.
Duration and pace
The exam is shorter — about 2h15 in total, 45 minutes per section. Fewer questions mean each mistake weighs more and pacing control becomes an even bigger edge. Practical targets are 2m08 in Quant, 1m57 in Verbal and 2m15 in Data Insights.
Review and answer editing
The Focus Edition lets you bookmark questions and edit up to three answers per section within the available time. That changes strategy: bookmarking and moving on beats getting stuck. Training the decision to bail early buys time to revisit what you could actually get right.
Score scale
Total scores now run from 205 to 805, always ending in 5, and the three sections carry equal weight. Comparing a Focus score with an old-format score requires the official concordance table — percentile is the reliable reference, not the absolute number.
Because Data Insights weighs the same as Quant and Verbal, skipping the new section is expensive. It is often where the most points per study hour are available, precisely because most candidates treat it as secondary.
What changes in your prep
- Stop prioritizing Sentence Correction and Geometry.
- Dedicate a third of your plan to Data Insights, with specific MSR and table practice.
- Train pacing with checkpoints and the bookmark/review mechanic.
- Use only official Focus-format mocks to measure progress.
The Focus Edition rewards fast decisions and Data Insights mastery. Adapting the plan to the new format usually pays more than adding study hours.
Want the full method and the app?
The GMAT Descomplicado eBook (27 chapters, updated for the Focus Edition) comes with app access: error log, spaced-repetition flashcards and a pacing tracker.