Asking "what is the hardest part of the GRE?" Most test-takers in 2025 agree: time management under adaptive pressure, followed closely by advanced Verbal vocabulary and Analytical Writing logic. The shorter GRE (1 hour 58 minutes) crams 54 questions + 2 essays into a sprint, with computer-adaptive sections that ramp difficulty instantly. ETS data shows only 25% finish Quant sections with spare time, while Verbal’s graduate-level words stump 70% of non-native speakers. Average scores hover at 150.3 Verbal and 153.4 Quant, but top programs like MIT or Stanford demand 160+—making every minute count. This guide ranks the toughest GRE elements, explains why they trip students, and delivers 2025 strategies to conquer them.
Time Pressure: The #1 Hardest Part of the GRE for Everyone
Each Quant section (21 questions, 35 minutes) allows ~1.7 minutes per problem; Verbal (27 questions, 41 minutes) ~1.5 minutes. The adaptive engine punishes slow starts—miss early easy questions, and you’re locked into a lower score band. Hardest GRE moments: multi-step data interpretation sets (4–5 linked questions) or dense 500-word Verbal passages. A 2024 ETS survey found 62% cite pacing as their biggest hurdle, worse than content.
Advanced Vocabulary in Verbal: The Hardest for Non-Native Speakers
GRE Verbal demands 1,500–2,000 graduate-level words, "ephemeral," "obdurate," "tendentious", far beyond TOEFL/IELTS. Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence require nuance (e.g., "The politician’s ___ remarks alienated voters" could need "incendiary" vs. "insipid"). Reading passages from The Economist or Nature pack 5–6 vocab traps each. Indian engineers often score 165+ Quant but 140–150 Verbal due to rote learning gaps.
Quantitative Traps & Word Problems: Hardest for Humanities Majors
Quant looks high-school level, but hardest GRE traps hide in wording: "If x is 20% greater than y, and y is 30% less than z…" or probability with restrictions. Data interpretation sets demand quick chart switches. Calculator banned in one section forces mental math—hardest for those rusty since SAT.
Analytical Writing: The Sneaky Hardest Part for Logic & Structure
Two 30-minute essays: Issue (build argument) and Argument (critique flaws). Hardest GRE challenge: outlining in 3 minutes, citing examples, and balancing 500+ words without grammar crutches. Scored 0–6, average 3.5—top schools want 4.5+. Non-native speakers struggle with concision.
How Hard Is the GRE Overall? 2025 Difficulty vs. SAT/GMAT
Harder than SAT (fixed difficulty, calculator-friendly) and GMAT (business focus). GRE’s breadth + adaptability = peak stress. A 700 SAT Math ≈ 158 GRE Quant; GRE adds speed.
Proven Strategies to Beat the Hardest Parts of the GRE
- Time: Practice 20-question sets in 30 minutes (GregMat timer). Skip and return.
- Vocab: Learn 50 words/day via Anki + Magoosh 1,000-word list. Read NYT daily.
- Quant: Master 100 ETS-style word problems. Memorize squares to 20, fraction conversions.
- Writing: Outline in 4 minutes—template: thesis, 2 examples, counterpoint.
- Mocks: 5+ ETS PowerPrep; review every error. Aim 7–10 point jumps. With 10–15 hours/week for 8–12 weeks, average students hit 310–320—enough for Purdue, NYU, or UC Berkeley.
In short, the hardest part of the GRE is time + vocab under adaptive fire, but structured prep turns it into your edge. Start today—your 165+ Quant and 160+ Verbal await.