Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid in GRE

Finding out that one of your mistakes was actually a silly mistake that you could have avoided in the first place is annoying, isn’t it? It is accurate to say that anyone can make a mistake. However, some errors can be prevented by being careful and mindful of them in the first place. One gains knowledge of the errors to avoid through this. There might occasionally be further measures to take to prevent experiencing what the latter did. This can be used for preparation and test day for standardized tests, especially the GRE. So, just to be sure that you don’t make the same preventable errors others have made while giving the GRE, here are some mistakes to be mindful of.

GRE Exam: Top 5 Avoidable Mistakes

While the GRE is an important exam that you might be taking seriously, it is human to make mistakes if you haven’t paid attention to a particular detail while preparing or giving the test. Here are 5 mistakes you can be mindful of while giving the GRE.

1. Not Booking The Exam Date Before Starting Preparations

The GRE can be taken at any time of the year and is both a blessing and a boon. You see, if you have the freedom to plan anything at any moment, you will continue to put things off until it is too late. There will then be just two weeks remaining, and you will be, put it mildly, unprepared. Before beginning your preparation, schedule the exam date. Ideally, it should be two to three months in the future. In this approach, you will also be motivated to begin your GRE preparation because you will have a deadline in mind.

2. Not Giving Mock Tests Or Analyzing Them

Before taking the actual GRE test, you should take at least five full-length mock tests. There is only a 10-minute break during the 3 hours and 45 minutes that make up the GRE exam. We are not used to spending that much time alone and undistracted while sitting at home. This will lead to a lack of focus, which will impair your performance. If you don’t evaluate your performance after giving mock tests, the practice is useless. It takes time to analyze the results and talk about potential improvements with your mentors. Be patient and develop this practice. Along with seeing a significant improvement in performance, you’ll discover new tricks that will help you navigate GRE easily.

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3. Worrying About the Previous Section’s Performance

You start over each time the computer requests you to move on to a different section. If you suddenly remember a vocabulary word that you had forgotten, there is no way to return to a previous section. A math question does not allow for a second round of calculations. As soon as you enter the next section, forget about the previous one. Many aspirants commit this GRE mistake and perform below par in the part where they should have excelled. You will benefit from the GRE mock tests in this situation.

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4. Leaving Answers Blank

In India, the majority of competitive exams like the CAT, XAT, AIEEE, etc. feature a penalty for giving a bad answer or a negative grade. This is where the GRE exam pattern differs. And for this reason, leaving unanswered questions on the GRE exam paper is a critical error. There will be challenging questions that you are unable to resolve. In those cases, concentrate on hazarding a guess and swiftly move on. Remember that it is better to have something as an answer which might be correct as opposed to nothing which will definitely be wrong. 

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5. Not Double-Checking Answers

Students frequently hurry through questions without checking their answers because of the GRE time restrictions. Try to double-check the results for the answers you are confident about. This will make you feel more relaxed and confident regarding your test and will also help ascertain where you might have gone wrong.

The GRE might seem daunting but if you practice with these pointers in mind, you are sure to go through it with minimal errors. So just practice with these mistakes in mind and you are sure to score well!