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Updated on: 01 Oct 2025, 02:16
Originally posted by Akshat_verma_25 on 28 Sep 2025, 09:14.
Last edited by Akshat_verma_25 on 01 Oct 2025, 02:16, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by Akshat_verma_25 on 01 Oct 2025, 02:16, edited 1 time in total.
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Hi,
I’ve been tracking my performance across GMAT practice and mocks, and I’ve noticed that almost all my mistakes fall into three main categories. These issues show up not just in Verbal, but in Quant and IR as well. I’d love to get suggestions from experts and peer GMAT fellows on how to address them systematically and permanently.
Here are the patterns I’ve observed:
1. Not reading attentively / missing details (most frequent)
2. Overwhelm, overthinking, and loss of confidence (second most frequent)
3. Conceptual gaps (least frequent)
My question to the experts is that -What are some proven strategies, habits, or training methods that can help me minimize these three categories of mistakes across the GMAT? I’m especially looking for advice on:
Any structured routines, mental frameworks, or personal tips that worked for you would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance!
bb KarishmaB GMATNinja Narenn Bunuel
AV
I’ve been tracking my performance across GMAT practice and mocks, and I’ve noticed that almost all my mistakes fall into three main categories. These issues show up not just in Verbal, but in Quant and IR as well. I’d love to get suggestions from experts and peer GMAT fellows on how to address them systematically and permanently.
Here are the patterns I’ve observed:
1. Not reading attentively / missing details (most frequent)
- I sometimes rush or skim, which causes me to miss small but crucial details.
- As a result, I fall into trap answers or misapply the logic even when I know the underlying concept.
2. Overwhelm, overthinking, and loss of confidence (second most frequent)
- Certain questions feel overwhelming, and I freeze up or start doubting myself.
- Other times, I actually overthink an answer: instead of trusting my reasoning, I start creating scenarios or adding unnecessary complexity, which pulls me away from the right choice.
- Both of these stem from confidence issues under pressure.
3. Conceptual gaps (least frequent)
- Occasionally, I make mistakes simply because I don’t know the concept well enough.
- This is not a common issue, but it does show up at times.
My question to the experts is that -What are some proven strategies, habits, or training methods that can help me minimize these three categories of mistakes across the GMAT? I’m especially looking for advice on:
- How to train myself to read more attentively and avoid detail misses
- How to manage overthinking and overwhelm so I can stay confident under pressure
- How to deal with occasional conceptual blind spots efficiently
Any structured routines, mental frameworks, or personal tips that worked for you would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance!
bb KarishmaB GMATNinja Narenn Bunuel
AV
30 Sep 2025, 08:52
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Akshat_verma_25
Hi Akshat_verma_25,
To avoid missing key details, try giving yourself an extra 15 seconds while reading. Practicing questions untimed can really help with this. Your first goal should be to build high accuracy, and that means forcing yourself to slow down and spend enough time upfront, rather than spotting the trap after it’s too late. Marty’s streak method can be very helpful here, since it pushes you to be more certain before locking in an answer just to keep your streak going.
On the overthinking part, most of the time it stems from a gap in your strategy or the techniques you're using for that question type. Take a step back and examine your current approach. Are you reading the question or options multiple times? If yes, try to limit yourself to one careful read unless absolutely needed. Do you freeze up when you see a new question? That could be because you subconsciously feel it’s unsolvable. Practicing those specific question types under time pressure will help you build mental resilience.
Someone once told me to make all your mistakes during practice so you get most of them right on test day. And it’s true. Everyone feels pressure and anxiety during the test. The key is to prepare yourself to sit with discomfort during practice so you’re not thrown off when it shows up on the real test.
I feel you already have a good sense of what’s going wrong and what needs to be done. Stick to a structure, invest the time, and the results will follow.
As you continue practicing, you’ll discover something new almost every day. So keep your focus on core concepts and applying them well. If you come across something completely unfamiliar, it’s okay to guess and move on. You don’t need to get everything right. If your fundamentals are strong and you get the things you do know right, that’s more than enough for a great score.
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Expert reply
30 Sep 2025, 16:11
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Akshat_verma_25
Akshat_verma_25
Excellent question, it's great that you're being self-aware and thinking deeply about this.
1) It's essential to build habits for proactive error prevention.
My students find this doc helpful: GMAT Habits for Proactive and Mindful Error Prevention: How to Dodge Common Traps (by Ben@GMATcoach.com)
I suggest making your own copy of this doc and adding to it, based on your own mistakes and insights.
2) Daily Rapid-Fire Flashcard Quizzing: Make flashcards for any wording or habits that are causing mistakes or hesitation.
Build fluency through active recall — it’s far more effective than passive review like re-reading.
Use this format:
“When I see _____” (just this blank goes on the front)
“I do/think _____” (back)
This builds the habits you need for rapid accuracy.
Example:
3) For overwhelm, it can also help to take a deep belly breath (video demo here, article here) whenever you feel too much tension or time pressure.
Even with 10+ years as a GMAT expert, on the actual test I still naturally feel a spike of anxiety when I see something that looks unusual, long, and hard.
A good strategy for time management is to skip it and come back to it at the end, to make sure you're getting all the lowest hanging fruit. You are penalized much more if you have to rush or skip any easier questions that appear later.
Or, if you decide to tackle it right away, taking a deep belly breath can help you get into the ideal mindset, by blending intense focus with the right amount of calmness.
