If you expect to get an accurate picture of your GRE skills when you take a practice test, the conditions under which you take that test need to mimic actual GRE test conditions as closely as possible.

If you skip the Analytical Writing section, peek at your notes during Quant, take a 15-minute break instead of a 10-minute one, or do anything else that you could not do on test day, you may not get an accurate practice test score. Without accurate practice test scores, you may not realize that your GRE score is not improving and that you’re not actually ready to sit for the real GRE. So, you must follow realistic test-day conditions whenever you take an official practice GRE exam.

Here are some tips for creating a realistic GRE experience during your practice tests:

• If possible, take your practice test at the time of day that you will take your actual GRE. If you work or go to school full-time and plan to take your actual GRE exam on the weekend, then take your practice test on Saturday or Sunday morning, when your mind is fresh. It would not be a great idea to come home after working all day and sit down to take a practice GRE.
• Go to a quiet location outside of your home, such as a private study room at the library or a closed office at a coworking space, to take your practice test (unless you’re taking the online GREbecause of the COVID-19 pandemic; in that case, taking practice tests at home, in the same room where you’ll take the actual GRE exam, is a good idea).
• Turn your cell phone off and put it out of view.
• Do not skip any sections of the exam. Yes, that means you must do the two Analytical Writing tasks as well as all four Quant and Verbal sections
• Do not take any additional breaks or do anything you cannot do on test day (such as pause the exam to cook dinner). Use only the online calculator provided.
• Do your scratch work with paper and pencils similar to those provided at GRE test centers. If you are taking the at-home GRE, then use the exact same whiteboard or clear sheet protector that you plan to use while taking that test.

Remember, unless you adhere closely to actual GRE testing conditions when you take a practice test, the practice test will not be an accurate gauge of your ability to hit your score goal. If you repeatedly pause the test, eat lunch while you’re testing, or exceed the allotted time for a section, your score will not be representative of your GRE readiness.

Do you really want to waste the precious hours you have to spend on each practice test, and the limited number of official practice tests available, by relaxing the rules of the test? The results will be not only receiving an inaccurate score, but also missing out on the valuable training for the rigors of test day that a practice exam provides.

Happy studying! ✨

Warmest regards,
Scott