GRE Prep Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 12 Sep 2018
Status:Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Posts: 2195
Given Kudos: 5
The Importance of Easy and Medium Questions in Quant Prep
[#permalink]
15 Jan 2026, 07:22
15 Jan 2026, 07:22
Expert Reply
Many GRE students pour most of their study time into the toughest Quant topics such as probability, combinatorics, or advanced number properties. While these concepts do appear on the exam, structuring your entire prep around them while neglecting the basics is a mistake.
Effective GRE Quant prep begins with strong fundamentals. You need real confidence in core skills such as fractions, decimals, exponents, ratios, and introductory algebra. These are not limited to straightforward questions and often form the backbone of harder problems. When foundational skills are not solid, even advanced questions can feel overwhelming and time-consuming.
It is also crucial to recognize what actually drives a high Quant score. Success does not come from cracking only the most difficult questions. It comes from reliably answering easy and medium questions correctly. This is especially important in the first Quant section, which determines the difficulty of the section that follows. Performing well early can unlock a tougher second section and create an opportunity to push your score higher.
Missing easier or mid-level questions early can hurt you twice. Your score drops immediately, and the next section is likely to be easier, limiting how high your final score can go. At that stage, knowing advanced techniques will not matter much because you may never encounter those harder problems.
Another common trap is confusing familiarity with mastery. Just because a topic seems simple does not mean you can execute it quickly and accurately under exam conditions. Many students lose points on basic questions due to careless mistakes or slow execution, often because they underestimated the need to practice those skills thoroughly.
If improving your GRE Quant score is the goal, do not rush past the basics. Lock in the fundamentals first, then build toward more advanced material. This step-by-step approach boosts accuracy, builds confidence, and puts you in a far better position to earn the score you are capable of.
If you have questions about your GRE prep, feel free to reach out. Happy studying.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
Many GRE students pour most of their study time into the toughest Quant topics such as probability, combinatorics, or advanced number properties. While these concepts do appear on the exam, structuring your entire prep around them while neglecting the basics is a mistake.
Effective GRE Quant prep begins with strong fundamentals. You need real confidence in core skills such as fractions, decimals, exponents, ratios, and introductory algebra. These are not limited to straightforward questions and often form the backbone of harder problems. When foundational skills are not solid, even advanced questions can feel overwhelming and time-consuming.
It is also crucial to recognize what actually drives a high Quant score. Success does not come from cracking only the most difficult questions. It comes from reliably answering easy and medium questions correctly. This is especially important in the first Quant section, which determines the difficulty of the section that follows. Performing well early can unlock a tougher second section and create an opportunity to push your score higher.
Missing easier or mid-level questions early can hurt you twice. Your score drops immediately, and the next section is likely to be easier, limiting how high your final score can go. At that stage, knowing advanced techniques will not matter much because you may never encounter those harder problems.
Another common trap is confusing familiarity with mastery. Just because a topic seems simple does not mean you can execute it quickly and accurately under exam conditions. Many students lose points on basic questions due to careless mistakes or slow execution, often because they underestimated the need to practice those skills thoroughly.
If improving your GRE Quant score is the goal, do not rush past the basics. Lock in the fundamentals first, then build toward more advanced material. This step-by-step approach boosts accuracy, builds confidence, and puts you in a far better position to earn the score you are capable of.
If you have questions about your GRE prep, feel free to reach out. Happy studying.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
gmatclubot
The Importance of Easy and Medium Questions in Quant Prep [#permalink]
15 Jan 2026, 07:22
Moderators:
|
|
||
