Problem: Test day loomed too large in your mind.
Solution: Use techniques such as visualization and extreme focus to reduce stress and redirect nervous energy.

Think back to any important event you’ve had to prepare for in life: a recital, a speaking engagement, the big game, a midterm. I’m sure that you would agree that, in those moments, you performed at your best when the pressure didn’t get to you, when nerves and anxiety were (mostly) kept at bay. The same is true for the GRE. As well-prepared as you may be for your exam, if test day looms too large in your mind, the pressure could erode your confidence and, ultimately, your score.

One trick for managing your nerves in the weeks leading up to your GRE is to try some visualization techniques. Imagine stressful test-day scenarios such as having issues at the testing center, getting stuck on a question, feeling pressed for time, or overanalyzing how you’re underperforming. As your stress responses start to kick in, practice pulling yourself together and focusing on answering questions correctly. By practicing responding calmly to stress during your GRE prep, you’ll train yourself to cope with stressful situations on test day.

During the actual GRE, the best way to deal with stress is to get busy answering the question in front of you, focusing completely on working through that question and nothing else, so that you redirect all of your nervous energy and naturally calm yourself down. In other words, distract yourself with a goal. Tell yourself that the only thing that matters is getting the correct answer to the question in front of you. When you finish that question, take the exact same attitude toward the next one. Focus on winning each “mini-battle” and you won’t have time for anxiety. If you win enough of those battles, you can win the GRE war.

The fact is, no matter how well you approximate test-day conditions when you take practice GREs, a practice run is never going to feel exactly like the race. So, it’s imperative that you do what you can to alleviate the pressure you put on yourself, both as you prepare for the GRE and on the day of your exam.

Of course, no one can eliminate anxiety completely — after all, your GRE score is an important part of your grad school applications — but you certainly don’t want the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you can cultivate a “calm but ready” attitude, your focus and ability to perform will noticeably improve.

A little nervous energy can even be motivating! Remember, if you were able to work calmly and efficiently on your practice GREs, then you are capable of doing just that on your actual GRE.