Struggling at the end

[CAREY33]

When taking practice exams I find myself struggling with questions at the end of each section. Sometimes it is because I haven't left myself enough time but other times I make stupid mistakes because my brain is fatigued.

Any recommendations on how to beat this fatigue at the end issue? Yes, I always take the exams well rested.

[MartyMurray]

One thing that I noticed is that I can actually think clearly when I am fatigued, and that what is really going on is that being fatigued exaggerates my bad habits. So I actually practiced doing GMAT questions when I was tired, late at night or something, to uncover my bad habits and learn to get right answers even when I was tired.

Another thing that helps is to remind yourself that the section will last for only another 15 minutes, maybe take a short mental break for a minute, and dive back in. Even a one or two minute break could be the pause that really refreshes.

Also, as you get more skilled in answering questions and see more clearly what is going on in them, answering them will take less effort and you will be less fatigued.

Another thing that you could try is working to achieve better flow and effortlessness while taking the test. Those topics are fairly extensive, but you could begin by taking a different attitude toward the test and noticing how you respond to it emotionally. Emotional responses can be tiring. Also, I have seen someone go from always getting fatigued to no longer getting fatigued just by changing her mindset.

[DavidG@VeritasPrep]

Marty's essentially advocating for a form of mindfulness, a motion I'll second. The effect of a mindfulness practice on test scores is quite robust: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... on/275564/

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Hi CAREY33,

There are a variety of factors that can impact your energy levels and fatigue at the end of each section: the amount of sleep you gain the night before your Test, the time you begin the Exam, the foods/drinks that you consume, your breathing/posture/etc. Then there's the 'training process' that you go through while studying - you might not have 'worked your way up' to the proper level (of consistent energy/work) yet.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[ceilidh.erickson]

Struggling with timing can lead to anxiety, which in turn drains energy. One essential thing to do is to have a clear and fixed timing strategy that you don't deviate from.

Here's the strategy that I recommend to my students: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... tch-paper/