Master any test with strategic skipping and shortcuts

Rethinking the GRE: Key principles for success

Key insights

• Understanding leads to mastery: Simply memorizing facts isn’t enough; true learning comes from a deep grasp of underlying concepts.
• Use your time wisely: Invest your effort in questions that can earn you the most points. Not every question is worth the same attention.
• Shortcuts show expertise: Taking smart shortcuts reflects a high level of understanding and adaptability, not laziness.
• Test-taking is a skill: Effective prep means practicing cognitive strategies, building self-awareness, and managing stress.
• Evidence over intuition in reading: Strong reading comprehension comes from basing answers on clear proof from the text and learning from your errors.

The evolving role of the GRE in admissions

For many years, the GRE was a central part of the graduate school admissions process. Recently, however, more graduate programs have made the test optional, and some schools debate whether GRE scores truly predict academic success or ensure fairness.

If you’re considering graduate school, you may be wondering about the GRE’s importance for your application. The answer varies based on your chosen schools and programs. Some still value GRE results, while others have reduced its significance or removed the requirement entirely. Carefully review each program’s policies and weigh how a strong score could strengthen your application, especially if it highlights your abilities or balances other academic records.

Knowing where the GRE stands in your target admissions process will help you create an application strategy that focuses on your strengths.

Learning for understanding, not just memorization

Students often wonder whether it’s better to memorize information or truly understand it. Both research and classroom experience consistently show that deeper understanding is the stronger base for lasting learning.

When you understand material, recalling and applying it becomes much easier, especially in new situations. Memorizing facts or formulas might help with quick recall, but it doesn’t prepare you for unfamiliar questions, leading to "inert knowledge:" information you can’t use when it matters.

Take math as an example: memorizing steps to solve equations might get you through assignments, but GRE questions often present problems in new ways. When you know why each step works, adapting your approach to fit different challenges becomes natural.

Better learning comes from active involvement, such as explaining ideas in your own words, connecting concepts to what you already know, and practicing with feedback. Testing yourself and clarifying your reasoning help build strong memory and adaptable thinking. Though developing true understanding requires more effort at first, it results in greater confidence and less anxiety on test day.

Some memorization still helps, remembering key formulas or vocabulary, for example, but it should support your overall goal of effective problem-solving, critical thinking, and building connections.

Prioritizing questions: When and why to skip

Doing well on the GRE requires more than just knowing the material; it’s about managing your time effectively. One of the best ways to do this is by skipping unusually tough or time-consuming questions and returning to them later if you have extra time.

Why does this work? Getting stuck on a difficult question uses up valuable minutes, adds to your anxiety, and can undermine your confidence. Meanwhile, you might lose the opportunity to answer simpler questions you can get right.

Research and data show that top scorers move quickly through each section, answering the questions they know and marking hard ones to revisit. This helps them rack up as many points as possible before tackling the more difficult problems.

To improve at this, practice quickly deciding whether to answer a question now or move on. Take timed practice tests to hone this judgment. Remember, your score reflects the number of correct answers, not whether you solved everything in order or spent the same amount of time on every question.

Choosing to skip is a smart strategy that lets you stay in control of your time and focus.

Using shortcuts and multiple approaches

Flexibility and efficiency are crucial for solving GRE problems. The best test-takers use shortcuts because they know the material so well that they can spot faster roads to the answer. For example, with a strong foundation in math, you might immediately recognize patterns and choose a quicker method instead of working through lengthy steps.

Exploring several solution methods expands your set of strategies. When your first idea doesn’t work, having backup plans keeps you calm and saves time. As you gain experience, you’ll start noticing links between topics: a geometry trick might simplify an algebra question, or an elimination approach could make vocabulary items easier.

Still, good shortcuts come from genuine insight, not just memorizing tips. Using a shortcut blindly or in the wrong context can create new problems. To stay sharp, strike a balance between finding efficient solutions and revisiting core concepts regularly.

Choosing the best method for each challenge, and always being ready to return to basic principles when necessary, ensures your shortcut use is both responsible and effective.

Mindset and emotional readiness

Excelling on the GRE takes more than just knowledge. Your mindset, level of focus, and ability to manage stress are just as important as content review. Treating test-taking as a skill transforms your outlook, shifting the GRE from a looming threat to a challenge you can systematically prepare for and improve at over time.

Studies show that students who believe in their ability to grow with effort are more resilient and flexible when facing stressful exams. Adopting a "growth mindset" enables you to handle tough questions and bounce back from mistakes instead of letting them throw you off.

The illusion of learning can also be a challenge, sometimes rereading notes or reviewing flashcards feels productive, but genuine understanding only shows when you apply knowledge to new problems. Practicing "active recall," or quizzing yourself and working through problems without immediately checking answers, reveals what you truly know.

Handling nerves on test day matters too. Strategies like deep breathing, encouraging self-talk, or remembering past accomplishments can reduce anxiety and sharpen focus. Regularly simulating test conditions while you practice will help you get comfortable with time limits and unpredictable questions.

Ultimately, viewing the GRE as a skill you can strengthen through targeted training, both intellectually and emotionally, will help you improve your performance.

Mastering reading comprehension and learning from mistakes

For the GRE, reading comprehension isn’t about opinions or creating new interpretations. Every answer needs clear support from the passage: often a specific phrase or idea.

To excel, always connect your answers back to direct evidence in the text. If an answer choice isn’t explicitly supported or misrepresents the author’s statements, rule it out.

Mistakes are part of the learning process. What makes high achievers stand out is how they learn from these errors. When you miss a question, analyze your thought process: Did you misread a key word, fall for a tempting distraction, or miss important details? Keeping a record of your mistakes and your reasoning helps you spot patterns and focus your improvement.

Building these habits leads to better reading, careful elimination of wrong answers, and ongoing progress. Consistently engaging with passages and questions in this way helps you develop the skills and reliability you need, no special reading talent required.

Bringing it all together: A practical approach

To do your best on the GRE, create a strategy that combines these principles. Focus on true understanding instead of memorizing facts, and use your practice time to strengthen both your knowledge and your approach to problem-solving. Try different time management techniques and experiment with question-skipping to maximize your score. Collect shortcuts and alternative strategies, always building them on a solid understanding of the concepts behind them. Pay close attention to your mindset and manage your emotions as you prepare and test. For reading comprehension, take an evidence-first approach and use every mistake as an opportunity to learn.

Using these strategies won’t just improve your GRE score: they’ll help you build skills that matter for graduate school and beyond. This isn’t only about aceing one exam. It’s about becoming a more effective, confident, and adaptable learner for life.