👋 Hello, my friends at GRE Prep Club!

A psychology-related reason for careless errors on the GRE is fear of failure. When a person is terrified of disappointment, many of the choices that person makes can be influenced by that fear.

For instance, some test-takers become so afraid of falling short of their goals that they unintentionally hold themselves back. One way this self-sabotage can appear is through careless errors in problem-solving or reading comprehension. When fear takes over, focus suffers. The mind looks for a way out, and sometimes that means rushing through a question or avoiding the mental effort needed to verify an answer.

In some cases, fear of not hitting a target score can even create a strange kind of comfort in making careless errors. As long as those errors exist, they can serve as a ready-made excuse for not reaching the goal. On a deeper level, this habit can protect a person’s self-image from the pain of trying one’s best and still falling short.

One of the main causes of this fear is linking self-worth to GRE performance. When someone believes that a GRE score defines intelligence or potential, the stakes begin to feel impossibly high. It becomes harder to stay calm, to think clearly, and to approach each question with care.

It helps to remember that a GRE score is simply a reflection of skill at a single point in time. Skills can be developed. What matters is continuing to strengthen the habits that lead to better results. One of the most valuable habits you can build is a mindset of care rather than carelessness. Whether you are tackling a tough Quant problem or analyzing a dense Verbal passage, slow down enough to give each question the attention it deserves. Over time, consistency and calm focus will help you reach your goal far more reliably than anxiety ever could.

Feel free to reach out with any questions about your GRE prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep