The GMAT and GRE are similar exams. Both are fundamentally tests of critical thinking and logic that require a foundation of basic math and English skills. The LSAT is much different than either the GMAT or GRE, and its “logic games” section is often considered quite unique and challenging to many test takers. But that said, when it comes to common mistakes to avoid during standardized test prep, the same principles can apply to all three of these graduate school admissions exams.

In this article, we’ll review the four biggest mistakes that students make when studying for standardized tests.

Mistake #1 – Taking the Exam Too Late

Too many people “cram” for standardized tests without even realizing they are doing so. And, this is not so much about giving yourself 12 weeks instead of 4 weeks to prepare. Certainly, that’s a mistake. You should never cram by leaving yourself less than 12 weeks to prep, as well as another 6 weeks to prep again if you need to re-take the exam (see mistake #3). But this mistake about taking the exam too late goes beyond this point.

For some reason, applicants often say to themselves, “OK, I have decided to apply to business or graduate school in year XXXX, so now I shall start by taking the GMAT or GRE, followed quickly by writing essays, filling out the application, and finding people to write recommendations. But many people know far in advance that they are strongly considering graduate school. Why not take the GMAT or GRE while you are still in college, and the academic material is fresh? Results are good for five years. Or, why not take the exam in 2021, even though you are applying in 2023? By taking it far in advance like this, it’s easier to find time to study, and knowing that you have more than enough time to re-take it if necessary, you may feel less stress and anxiety, and thus score better. Then, once it’s time to complete your application, you’ll be able to invest your time and energy into that, knowing your test score is already established.

Mistake #2 – Jumping Into Exam Prep Without Assessing Your Options

When you finally decide to apply to graduate school, and thus realize you need to take the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT, the process can be a bit like buying a new car. Both decisions are big life decisions and can be a little overwhelming. If you walk into a car dealership without doing any research and explain what you are considering or looking for, a good salesperson may be able to get you hooked and walking out of the shop with a new car that very day. You’ll talk all about why you need a car and he’ll talk through various options, benefits, and costs, and it will seem like a good decision.

But think about it. You didn’t visit any other dealerships. You didn’t do any online research. You just walked in and were sold. Most people would probably agree, this is not the ideal way to buy a car. You may not be in the right car for you. Or maybe you are, but you paid 20% more than you needed to.

Studying for the GMAT, GRE, or LSAT, is similar. If you google “GMAT prep” you may find yourself quickly on Kaplan’s website. You’ll find a bunch of engaging information about the GMAT and that company’s approach, see that there are 5,000 practice questions, live classes with videos to watch, practice tests to take, the option to get a discount on tutoring, etc. Because of a desire to just get going with your prep vs. continue to research options for how to prep, you may feel a strong urge to choose wherever you happened to click on first. But there is a lot to consider:

• Your learning style – do you do well in a live class setting? Are you disciplined enough to self-study?
• Cost
• Amount of practice content
• 1-1, small group, full class?
• Style of the instructor
• Self-paced vs. live classes?
• Experience of the instructor
• Ability to ask questions offline
• …and much more

You may find that for $1,500, you can get the absolute premium version of a self-paced prep product, with unlimited practice, videos, perioric live classes to join, email support, etc. That may seem like an unbelievable deal. But what if you found great success in high school working with a private tutor. Maybe 20 hours of 1-1 private tutoring could be had for $1,500. If you learn best with a tutor, what do all of those bells and whistles matter if they don’t include access to customized 1-1 support from an expert to help you understand something?

It’s important to spend some time researching your prep options before choosing a particular prep method. Research at least three separate options before deciding what materials and how you are going to prep.

Mistake #3 – Not Re-Taking the Test. Or Re-Taking Test Too Many Times

Ok, so maybe it’s a little odd that mistake #3 involves both not re-taking the text and re-taking the test. But hear me out. The fact is, in the vast majority of situations, schools will accept your highest score without penalizing you at all for taking the exam multiple times. But that does not mean you should be taking the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT five times.

So here is a typical scenario in which you can make a mistake by not re-taking the test. You have a target score of 710 on the GMAT.  You took a prep class seriously, doing all the assigned homework, and got a 620. You are frustrated, but you are also busy at work and dreading studying again. You know the GMAT is one of many admissions factors, and you decide to just move on. That’s probably a bad decision. 

A 620 is far below 710 and puts you at a disadvantage when applying to schools with average GMAT scores near or above 700. We successfully help so many students via 1-1 private tutoring substantially boost their scores after having taken a prep class. A different, more customized instructional approach can lead to different results. You should re-take the exam.

But here is scenario in which you can make a mistake by re-taking the test. Imagine your target is 710, and you’ve already scored a 680, 700, and 710 after having taken the exam three times. The first time, you self-studied. Then, you took a class. Finally, you invested in private tutoring. You now have a 710 when your target was 700. Your score is now above the average for the schools to which you are applying. But you’ve also seen improvement each time you took the test. You are feeling confident that you might be able to get a 720, maybe even a 730, with more prep. But why try? You’ve already invested a lot of time. To really stand out, you’d probably need a 760 or 770, not a 720 or 730.  The additional upside benefit from obtaining a 720 or 730 instead of a 710 just doesn’t justify more time invested in GMAT prep. And, you could use that time to edit and revise your essays multiple times. They can be just as important in the graduate business school admissions process.

Mistake #4 – Not Following Test Prep Best Practices

We are sort of cheating with mistake #4. Instead of creating an extremely long list of “mistakes” people make, we are wrapping up a lot of mistakes into one mistake that we describe as not following test prep best practices. In a previous article, we discussed ten tips for success on the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT. This is essentially a list of test prep best practices. If you aren’t doing all of the following, you are making a test prep mistake:

1. Adopt the Right Mindset about the Exam
2. Adopt the Right Mindset about Your Abilities
3. Know What’s on the Test
4. Set a Target Score Goal Linked to Your Target Programs
5. Use Official Prep Materials
6. Take an upfront Practice Exam & Official Exams Over Time to Track Progress
7. Develop a Customized Study Plan
8. Build Test Specific Skills and Fully Embrace Key Test Taking Strategies
9. Follow Deliberate Practice Techniques
10. Get Help When You Need It

If you fully embrace the ten best practices above, you are well on your way to test prep success.

Conclusion

If you 1) take your graduate school admissions exam early, 2) research test prep options in advance before jumping in, 3) consider re-taking your test if it makes sense but avoid the temptation to do so if it does not, and 4) follow test prep best practices throughout your study process, you will be avoiding six all-too-common standardized test prep mistakes.

About the Author

Mark Skoskiewicz founded MyGuru way back in 2009 while he was getting his MBA from Northwestern University. MyGuru provides 1-1 GRE tutoring (and tutoring for all major standardized tests). To help him grow MyGuru and help his students, he also completed the Coursera course Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help you Master Tough Subjects.

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