Making Your Mindset
When it comes to the GRE, your mindset can make a big difference. The test is long. The test is hard. The test is fast.
The people who make the GRE are experts in creating the feeling of, “I know that I know how to do this, but I just can’t seem to figure it out.” There are people who say that one of the problems with tests such as this on is that they aren’t accurate because they have pressure and unpredictability. That would be right if the test just wanted to find your understanding of vocabulary and mathematics, but that’s not all they want to test. They want to test how you deal with pressure. They want to test how you deal with unpredictability. They want to test how you reason, above everything else. So all those added difficulties are fair game. They aren’t in the way of your test; they are your test.
That’s what makes your mindset so important. You might be able to convince me that mindset doesn’t have anything to do with your ability to do math (although I disagree) or to remember vocabulary (I still would disagree, but maybe not as strongly). But you won’t be able to convince me that mindset has nothing to do with how you handle pressure, unpredictability, and reasoning.
So what’s a good mindset? And how do you get it? Here are some tips.
Crisis mode versus panic mode
I hope you haven’t been in a lot of emergency situations, but I’m sure you’ve had at least one opportunity to see both crisis mode and panic mode demonstrated in real life. Picture a situation where John is preparing lunch and cuts his hand severely. He calls for his wife, Kelly. In panic mode, Kelly would see the blood and scream, “Are you okay? Are you okay? What happened?” She would go to find her keys to drive to the hospital, then decide to call the doctor, then get mad because she couldn’t find the keys, then start yelling. Now picture Kelly in crisis mode. She appears calm, although she talks rapidly and with direction. “John, sit down and put pressure on your hand with this towel. I’m going to drive you to the hospital. Hand me your keys.”
Both modes are normal responses to a problem, but the chief difference is that crisis mode works, and panic mode doesn’t. Not only does panic mode not help, but it also hurts.
You have to approach your test in crisis mode. Focus, take in the information you see, assess the situation, make a decision, and follow through. The good news is that crisis mode can be artificially created until it becomes a habit. In other words, fake it ‘til you make it.
Practice makes permanent
Are you expecting to roll into the test and be great at geometry without any practice? No? Then you really shouldn’t expect that you can wait until test day to practice your mindset. Your mindset is part of your test approach. A crisis mode of attack needs to be practiced.
My music teacher used to say, “Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect.” I think that is a hugely important lesson. Taking practice tests doesn’t really make you better at practice tests; it just cements what you’re doing into place. Bad actions don’t turn into good actions with practice. They just turn into bad habits. That means when you take a practice test, you should be practicing a mindset of focus, decisiveness, and careful timing strategy. If you can approach your problem sets (at least the first time through) with this same mindset, you’ll be ready to knock your practice tests out of the park.
Categorize to access
Studying creates a huge wealth of information in your head. That’s good, because the GRE tests a huge spectrum of knowledge and skills. If you’ve studied the underlying material, the key to improving your score is improving your ability to categorize each question so that you can access the material you’ve studied that matches up with that question.
While most students don’t take the time to do this actively, most of the ones that do so don’t find it particularly difficult. As you study a particular question type, make the first step an active categorization based on, “what information are they telling me, and what are they really asking me?” You will start to notice patterns in the words, equations, and phrasings that come with each question type, which will help you to notice them and answer them when they show up in a mixed problem setting.
Using your breaks
Once you get into crisis mode, it can be tempting to want to skip your breaks and power through the test. Don’t. This is a long test, and real crisis mode requires using the resources you have available to you. When you get a break, take it. I suggest that you eat something small (such as an apple), drink a small amount of water, and get some quick cardio, like running up a few flights of stairs. You should take that time to take some deep breaths and encourage yourself. If that sounds silly to you, fine. But you really don’t have anything to lose by trying it.
It’s just a test
I realize that when you’re studying for a huge exam such as the GRE, it feels like everything rests on the exam score. But you have to know that isn’t true. Firstly, your application to graduate school is more than your GRE scores. Secondly, you can take the test more than once. But most importantly, your mindset requires the perspective that this is just a test. It’s a test you can study for and conquer. Give it the respect it requires and the preparation it deserves, but don’t give it the power to affect your mindset. Because your mindset matters.