Absolutely agree especially with how it has nothing to do with art and design. Personally, I think the weight/percentage in terms of the relevance of the GRE is something that's already being carried by (1) the GPA and (2) Curriculum Vitae/Resume---simply the fact that an applicant has already finished a degree and has had work experience prior to graduate school. GRE is also an unnecessary expense. 

The MSAAD's of Columbia and Cornell don't require I just checked. Hopefully Harvard makes this permanent and other schools will follow suit (especially for M.Arch II's/MAUD's/MSAAD's/MSAUD's/MDesS's/MDE's/etc. and other post-professional degrees). 

I think Columbia used to be one of the only schools that had a hard baseline minimum score to apply back when I was looking ... and it was actually asking for you to do pretty well.

While the GRE has little to do with design, these graduate schools are still part of their respective Universities and have to ensure that their students meet the minimal academic standards expected of graduate students there. Now if these were independent design schools - then the GRE would perhaps be pointless. But until design schools come up with their versions of the GMAT / LSAT / MCAT, the GRE will have to stand in as a proxy of general academic aptitude.

Only schools who build their reputation with statistics cared about GRE with any degree beyond people not having bombed it. Similarly, GPA is mostly just a hurdle to get over. 

The real maker/breaker is the portfolio. 

Agree with natematt re: portfolio.

I think not having the GRE retains the hierarchy and weight of the other requirements? If ever, it's percentage in criteria will most probably be added to portfolio and personal statement (and probably recommendations).

I've seen successful applicant's posts here getting admitted into their dream schools/top choice schools even with below to average GRE scores and GPA. 

Not sure if this is a good thing though.

Definitely more applications this year for sure---but we don't know. Unless people are actually getting updates or checking the school's websites themselves, this GRE waive has been pretty low-key. (Not anymore thanks to this post though and I think someone else posted about this too)

Also, there's the uncertainty of this pandemic's longevity. We don't know for how long before everything is properly back to normal---especially the travel part. It plays such a huge factor for schools to resume classes in campus (both for domestic and international students). 

GRE was a pain to get done and means very little I expect.

Also a very expensive unnecessary expense. Some POS in this forum said "it's easy and it's only $200." I hope he/she has never had to slave away for that amount. 

I read from another thread that GRE and GPA are the basis for awarding scholarships/funding, but again it's in this same forum that I've read/seen people get really good funding even with below to average scores. I think the respective departments/schools (within the universities) are just complying because their main administration is telling them to.

Columbia, Cornell, MIT, Penn and Rice (all M.Arch) as well. Thinking this round might be a dry run for a lot of these schools considering removing the requirement permanently.

Same sentiments. I wonder though if the number of applications this year is expected to be higher because of this requirement waive or lower (because of the pandemic and its effects on the economy, etc.)

I think it depends on the school and its application portal. There's no option for Harvard and Princeton to upload GRE scores, while at Yale, there is. In fact, for Yale, in the last section of the application (Review part), it notifies you what else is lacking in your application, and it highlights the GRE/Scores section if you didn't put or upload any. I take it that by having the option to upload or send them your GRE scores, they will include reviewing your application.

There's no option for Harvard and Princeton to upload GRE scores

By this, I meant they've disabled this part since the requirement is waived.