Part 1: Why, How, and When to Skip GRE Questions
Skipping and Why It’s Important
Skipping difficult and time-consuming questions is the single most important strategy on the GRE, and it’s the one that gives my students the most trouble. It’s important to skip, whether your target score is 155, 160, or a perfect 170. Since each question is worth the same number of points but some questions take much longer to solve, you must skip these questions.
Important Note: On this blog, every time I say skip, I mean guess, mark the question (using the marking tool), and move on.
Does Everyone Need to Skip?
Yes. Everyone should skip. Many people incorrectly assume that top test takers don’t skip. When I take the GRE, I am realistically aiming for a perfect score on each section. But the only way I can achieve such a score is by solving the easiest questions first and leaving myself plenty of time for the harder questions. I can quickly complete about 18 of the 20 questions on the first section and then 15 or so on the second section. After I finish the easier questions, I can approach the harder, trickier questions, which I have marked, in a relaxed fashion and calmly figure them out.
If skipping is hard for you, think of it as a two-pass strategy. Skipping doesn’t mean that you are bailing on the question. It simply means that you are saving it for last, when you can give it the time and attention it deserves.
The Psychology of Skipping
Every time you skip a question, you are approaching the test intelligently. Rather than going in order and getting stuck on a tortuously complicated data analysis question or a sentence equivalency with several words you have never heard before, you are using a creative approach to avoid a potential minefield in your path. Rather than letting the test intimidate you, you are taking control of your testing experience. Once you internalize this approach and practice it, it becomes easier to skip, and you will see the difference it makes in your score.
How Many Questions Should I Skip?
It depends upon your realistic target score. If you’re aiming for a 160 on the Math part of the test, one way to achieve it is to aim for 17 or 18 questions correct on the first section and 15 on the second. You may think that this means that you get to skip 3 questions on the first section and 5 on the second. But that is the target total, not the target for the first pass. If you were going for 160 on Math, on the first Math section, you could simply target the easiest 15 questions, and then the easiest three of the five questions left. This way, you have solved the greatest possible number of easy questions. On the last two questions (typically the Data Analysis questions around number 15 and 16), you might just fill in random answers. On the next section, you need to get 15 questions correct, but you would target 12 on your first pass, skipping all the difficult Data questions and any other questions you find challenging.
So remember: Skip often and Skip early to take control of your testing experience!
The next blog in this series focuses on Identifying the Skippers: How to Know Which Questions to Skip.
Contact Marks Education for a free 30-minute consultation to discuss the GRE, your study plan, and how we can help you improve your scores.
