A week before the exam

[Verpa21]

So its a week before the exam and of course I’m really nervous. My scores have actually lowered! So can anyone give some advice on what really helped to boost their scores a week before their exam.
Thank you!

[stellarinsanity]

Hi there Verpa21!

Don't let your practice test scores get to you. I know it's hard and of course you want to see improvements but sometimes, it is what it is. A practice test is just a practice test. Although it can help you a lot in terms of learning how to be able to solve problems, vocabs or speed reading (or whatever technique you have for RCs); in the end it's still just that.

Don't base everything on your practice test scores.

Just because you got a low practice test score doesn't mean that's what you'll get on the real gre. Although it also doesn't mean that you'll get a higher score.

Just know where your weak points are and work on them. You can just zoom in on those.

[qwarentine]

Hi Verpa,
Its natural. So chill

Identify those areas where you are loosing your score. After every exam devote atleast 1 hr to carefully analyse your mistakes(the focus from now one should be on quality not on quantity). Take every mistake and compare what were you thinking with what you were supposed to . This takes you to the root cause.

In my case root cause varied from being lazy to confused to lack of my knowledge for secondary meaning of words. Then sit and prioritise on what you want to work (choose that one weakness if fixed will make a mammoth change to your score). In my case again, it was to maintain focus. So i went on doing almost 5 tests every day just to discipline my mind and looks at options very closely.

Hope that helps.

[Verpa21]

Thank you all for your responses. I’m actually re-motivated now because I have an agenda on what I should be doing for the next 5 days before my examine.

[qwarentine]

all the best. Do share your exam experience I have mine in 2 weeks

[rockybalboa123]

you should share all youe expiences as that helps people to face there own exam.. so you must..

[Verpa21]

Ok, so I took the examine on monday and I decided to cancel my scores because I knew I was doing poorly. I will defianlty retake it in a month. But I will share my expereince anyway. The most important thing that can prepare you for this test is taking practice test. After taking the practice test go back and understand the problems you missed and prehaps retake that test again. I knew a lot of the words however I became confused on the application of them. For example i got the word Ignite as the first question. I know it means to light up something but i thought this was too easy so i though maybe it can also mean to excite. Well i was wrong. Also practice the math concepts like QC questions. many of these problems look easy but trick you up. A book i highly recommend is ETS 10th edition for it gives you great practice and helps you breeze through these problems on the test. These are some things that i have to do in order to prepare myself better. I would also suggest if you can remeber all the words in Barron. Only if your not good at doing process of elimenation. Good luck! oh also practice writing an essay a day. I started doing this and felt that i was comfortable enough with it so i decided not to do it the week before the test. Big mistake Defianlty writing an essay a day helps to gather your thoughts quicker on test day. hope this helps. What killed me was i was really stressed a week before the test and had it in my mind that i was going to retake it. So a week before its good to just keep taking test and work on concentration.

[grexam]

hi

even i have got a week for my exam....i feel hell...........am still left with many word lists in barrons......remembereing some n some not....my score ranging from 650 to 750 in Quants and not crossing 400 in verbal...........I am really feeling depressed.........and am yet to give a look at the writing section......what should I do?????

really tensed ..mind seems very much blocked.....

[Verpa21]

I felt the same way so I stopped practicing which was a bad idea. Just keep taking test and really hone the words and skills that you know. If you try to learn too much new information a week before the test you will stress yourself out. So just keep practicing test and reviewing them and you will be fine on test day.