Test-prep expert Meeraj V. Patel, founder of Intuitive Test Prep, outlined how recent exam redesigns are reshaping graduate admissions strategy. The GMAT Focus Edition, launched in late 2023 and now dominant, removes geometry and the essay while elevating Data Insights to equal weight with Quant and Verbal. Patel told reporters this shifts the skills signals graduate programs receive from applicants. Patel said many applicants now choose the GRE to avoid the GMAT’s harder quantitative material, while candidates emphasizing quantitative strength still prefer the GMAT. For admissions officers, the format changes mean score interpretation and comparability across cohorts require recalibration; programs should update admissions rubrics and communicate scoring expectations to applicants and recommenders. Test-prep services, career centers and international-student advisers will need to adjust guidance and preparatory offerings to reflect format shifts and to advise on program-specific test preferences.