Every GMAT candidate plans to solve practice tests repeatedly. Many of them think it is a good idea to attempt mock tests as an alternative to actually studying for the test.

In all honesty, this is quite bizarre. Whole practice tests whet your problem-solving skills, they are not an appropriate supplement to actual studying. The free GMAT mock test is meant to be breached once you’ve finished studying everything.

We’re going to tell you 5 things that you absolutely need to know about GMAT practice tests

1. Practice tests are not for every day

Consider this- you only take medicine when you’re sick. You don’t take medicine when you’re fit as a fiddle. The practice tests are like that medicine. You only do them when you want to test what you have learned in study sessions. They give you the confidence to approach the actual test and introduce you to its format. Once you finish your practice tests, you will be able to locate the areas that you need to work more on, and the areas that you are relatively good at. Only taking problem questions will only lead to half-baked learning.

2. Practice tests will not help you get better

Hear us out. Practice tests do sharpen your skills, but taking only practice tests without processing any of the results will not improve your chances of cracking GMAT in any shape or form. You will have to back up these tests with actual studying. All these tests can do is point out areas where you need to focus and grind more. Practice tests should only be taken when you feel like you’re fully prepared to tackle the test. And when you are, you should do it right.

3. Take the test as AS A TEST

As you probably already know, the GMAT is very different from any other competitive exam out there. You need to be thorough with two basic things- firstly, the syllabus, which is basically a collection of topics that you have learned in high school. Secondly, the GMAT exam pattern allows you to use information that you have learned to find answers and solve every question. There are ways in which you can implement several tricks to actually turn the situation to your advantage in a GMAT exam. When you are taking a practice test, be sure to apply these tips and tricks, so that you know how to use them when the time comes. Try to stick to the stipulated time limits, eat and drink as you would during the test, and approach the question paper with an analytical mind-set.

4. Keep the time limit in mind

Time management can make or break your chances of scoring high in GMAT. Give yourself the time that you would get for the actual exam. Within this time, try to solve the questions to the best of your ability. Do not slack or get distracted because that will beat the purpose of a mock test. Finally, when the time is over, compare the answers and see how you fared. Analyze them and keep an error log or a record of your mistakes. This way, you will know the mistakes you are prone to making. Thereby, you can classify them as conceptual errors or silly mistakes and work on them accordingly. If you do this diligently, you’ll find yourself getting better at subsequent practice tests.

5. Only solve official practice tests

None of the questions on the internet can create the algorithm and complexity of a real GMAT exam. The only real practice questions that are available are the official GMAT practice tests on the GMAC website. But there are only six such tests available. That is why you should solve practice questions from the official sources before you move on to solving these six practice tests. Instead of leaving the tests to the last minute, try and incorporate them within your prep time, so that you can work on your problem areas throughout. Also, to make up for the lack of official tests, you can look up some online forums that have some genuinely brilliant prep questions.