It’s a good idea to take a break and recharge after a practice test. Once you’re rested, your job is to carefully analyze the results of the practice test. If you have not yet achieved your GMAT score goal, what has prevented you from doing so?

Chances are, there are specific concepts and skills that you’ve yet to fully master. You can use the results of your practice exams to pinpoint those concepts and skills so you know which topics to revisit for further study.

GMAC practice tests provide reports with separate scores for Quantitative, Verbal, and Data Insights. These are good, big-picture snapshots of your overall performance. However, you’ll get the most out of your test results by thoroughly analyzing each incorrectly answered question.

For example, let’s say that a practice GMAT presented you with a total of four number properties questions:

Question 1: Prime factorization (you answered correctly)

Question 2: Units digit pattern (you answered correctly)

Question 3: Least common multiple (you answered correctly)

Question 4: Factorials (you answered incorrectly)

Spend the time to understand why you got the first three questions correct. Your goal is to be able to correctly answer similar questions in the future. Study what you did correctly.

Then, ask yourself why you did not arrive at the correct answer to the fourth question. Was there a pacing issue? Did you make a careless error or fall for a trap answer? Do you fully understand the content on which the question is based? Go back and review factorials to eliminate any lingering weaknesses in that area. Follow this process for all questions you answered incorrectly on the test.

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep