After you take your first baseline practice exam, it is time to begin the real work that drives GRE success: targeted study and focused practice. The purpose of that initial test is to give you an honest snapshot of your current performance. Once you have that information, the next step is not to keep taking more tests but to systematically strengthen the areas where you are weak.

Your goal at this stage is to master the material that appears on the GRE. Taking additional practice exams too early can easily become a distraction. It might feel productive, but in reality, it is a poor use of your time and a waste of the limited number of high-quality, official practice tests you have available. Those tests are best reserved for when you are ready to measure the results of your study, not to guide it.

If you have not yet mastered topics such as functions, sequences, probability, or geometry, there is no need to confirm that by taking another full-length exam. You already know what the outcome will be. The more effective approach is to train those skills directly. Work through targeted lessons, analyze your mistakes, and practice similar problems until the underlying logic becomes second nature.

Every hour spent strengthening your foundation moves you closer to real progress. Every premature practice test, on the other hand, only confirms what you already know and consumes valuable resources. Save full-length tests for when they will give you meaningful feedback about your readiness for the actual GRE.

Improvement on this exam is the result of consistent training, not testing. Once your preparation is nearly complete and you have built both accuracy and confidence, that is the right time to return to full-length practice exams to simulate test conditions and refine your pacing. Until then, focus your time and effort where it will make the greatest difference: learning and mastering the material.

Reach out to me with any questions about your G​RE prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep