Sometimes it starts subtly. Maybe nerves kick in. Maybe your pacing feels slightly off. Maybe the opening questions are tougher than expected and the clock suddenly feels louder. Whatever the trigger, during the actual GRE you may find yourself leaning more than usual on in-test tools, opening the calculator repeatedly, marking question after question for review, and jumping back and forth through the section in an attempt to regain control.

While this can feel reassuring in the moment, overusing these tools often creates new problems instead of solving the original ones.

Take the mark-for-review feature. Used sparingly, it’s helpful. Used constantly, it becomes a distraction. Repeatedly checking the status screen, revisiting half-finished questions, and trying to reconstruct your original thinking wastes valuable time and mental energy. The GRE rewards steady, forward momentum. If a question truly requires a second look, mark it quickly and move on. Aim to answer most questions in one pass without relying on review as a safety net.

The calculator presents a similar issue. Yes, it’s available on Quant, and yes, it can be useful. But it’s also slow. Turning to the calculator for calculations that could be handled with estimation, mental math, or a known rule often disrupts your flow. By the time you’ve entered the numbers, you may have lost sight of what the question is actually testing. During preparation, you should be developing judgment about when the calculator is genuinely necessary and when it’s not, especially because that judgment matters even more under pressure.

By test day, serious practice with official GRE material should have given you a clear sense of how and when to use these tools. If you notice that you relied on them far more than you did in practice, that’s a signal worth examining. Were there content gaps? Did early rushing throw off your pacing? Did the pressure of the real exam change your behavior?

Identifying the cause is the first step toward fixing it. The goal is not to avoid the tools entirely, but to keep them from becoming a crutch. They should support a sound test-taking strategy, not compensate for the absence of one.

As you continue practicing, or if you are preparing for a retake, pay attention to these habits. Make intentional choices. Use the tools wisely, but stay in control of your approach.

If you have questions about your GRE prep or want help refining your strategy, feel free to reach out. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep