As human beings, we are not very good at finishing things. When beginning a new task, most of us are usually very enthusiastic. As time goes by, we become less and less interested in it, and as we come close to conclusion, we do it just because we have to, or because we know we shouldn’t leave things unfinished. Still, most of us have “one or two” unfinished projects in our past.
When solving GMAT questions, staying on guard from start to finish is a key factor for success.
A week or two before their tests, many students have come to seek my advice about “stupid mistakes” they make when solving GMAT simulations. When trying to find out why these mistakes occur, I often find that the problem is simply a loss of focus at the final stages of the question. The student is one step before the final answer, feels that he/she is finished, and that’s when that small mistake is made. Haste and loss of focus can cause you to make mistakes where you would otherwise easily answer correctly.
What you should do to make sure no such mistakes spoil your GMAT score is to consciously bring your focus back to the final stage of the question. Make sure you look at your answer and recheck it to be certain you answer what you were asked. This small step alone can prevent an average of 2-3 mistakes per exam!
