In preparing for a test as important as the GRE, it’s only natural to compare yourself to your peers. However, as Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” More to the point, comparison also has the potential to distract you from your GRE goals. Maybe your friend studied for just one month and earned a top score. Maybe your colleague earned a 335. Who cares! These people are not you. You can’t control anyone’s outcome but your own, so don’t waste your limited time and energy comparing yourself to anyone except the best version of yourself.

Feel free to ignore rumors of people who scored 330+ after one week of studying. First, you have no way of knowing whether these accounts are true. Second, even if the stories are true, those people are exceedingly rare. Would you compare yourself to Tiger Woods while playing golf? Doing so would make you feel inadequate no matter how good a golfer you became.

Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for GRE anxiety and a distraction. Focus on your personal goals.

🫵 You can do this!

Warmest regards,
Scott