GRE Quant Timing & Careless Errors: The 5-Minute Review System That Raises Scores

Since September 2023 the GRE General Test is shorter and faster. Quant now has two computer‑delivered sections with built‑in navigation: you can skip within a section, mark questions, change answers, and use an on‑screen calculator. Section 1 has 12 questions in 21 minutes; Section 2 has 15 questions in 26 minutes—about 1 minute 45 seconds per question on average. The test is section‑level adaptive: your performance in the first Quant section influences the difficulty of the second, and scoring considers both how many you get right and the difficulty of the sections. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so you should enter an answer for every question.

Your goal in both Quant sections is to collect as many sure points as possible on Pass 1, then convert marked questions on Pass 2. Use triage codes as you read: 1) Solve Now if the path is clear in under ~75–90 seconds. 2) Mark if you see the idea but it looks grindy or multi‑step. 3) Skip if you’re unsure where to start. Treat the Review screen as a dashboard, not a destination—glance, don’t camp there.

Pass 1 — 11 minutes: Sweep the section answering all low‑friction problems. Limit yourself to ~75–90 seconds per “Solve Now.” If the computation mushrooms or you’re not narrowing choices, mark and move. Pass 2 — 8 minutes: Work the marked set from easiest to hardest. Commit to a single clean approach per problem; if it stalls at ~90 seconds, move on. Final sweep — 2 minutes: Do a quick Careless‑Error Firewall (see below) on any questions you changed or that involve units, inequalities, or rounding. If time is about to expire, quickly guess on any open questions.

Pass 1 — 13 minutes: Repeat the fast sweep. Because this section can be tougher, be even stricter about bailing on grindy algebra or messy arithmetic. Pass 2 — 10 minutes: Convert your marks. Prefer questions with visible progress (you’re collapsing cases or pruning choices) over ones that feel like fresh starts. Final sweep — 3 minutes: Careless‑Error Firewall and end‑of‑section guesses where needed.

Quantitative Comparison (QC): Try simple, strategic numbers first (0, 1, −1, fractions, large values). If different numbers flip the relationship, the answer is “cannot be determined.” Redraw geometry with variable features stretched to extremes when diagrams aren’t fixed. Single‑answer multiple choice: Work backward from choices on equations/inequalities; estimate aggressively on percent/ratio problems to avoid long arithmetic. If your computed result isn’t one of the five, re‑read and re‑check before restarting. Multiple‑answer (select one or more): Full credit requires selecting all correct choices. If time is short, mark these to return; they’re poor pure‑guess candidates. Numeric entry: Read units and rounding direction, keep extra precision in the work and round only at the end. If you must guess, sanity‑check the order of magnitude and sign.

Always put something in before the clock hits zero—no penalty for wrong answers means blanks are the only guaranteed wrong. Use elimination to raise your odds. Prioritize guessing on single‑answer items over multi‑select and numeric entry. For data interpretation, confirm you’re reading the right axis and scale before you commit; if you’re out of time, pick the remaining plausible option rather than restarting a calculation.

Before you move on—or in the final sweep—run this quick check: U‑S‑A‑N‑D. U = Units and rounding (mph vs miles, percent vs decimal, nearest tenth?). S = Signs and direction (did an inequality flip? is distance nonnegative?). A = Arithmetic (re‑compute the last step in your head or with a different path). N = Number set/domain (integer vs “number,” distinct vs could repeat, positive?). D = Data/diagram (read the correct axis, ensure not drawn‑to‑scale traps didn’t bite). This 20‑second guardrail routinely saves one to two questions per section.

Do this immediately after every timed set, quiz, or mock. Total time: 5 minutes.

1. Snapshot (45 seconds): Record the question ID/topic, your first method, and the exact time you bailed or finished.
2. Root cause (60 seconds): Tag one cause only—Content Gap, Setup/Translation, Strategy/Heuristic, Arithmetic/Calculator, Misread/Attention.
3. Fix (90 seconds): Write a “Do‑This‑Instead” in one or two lines plus a miniature worked example.
4. If–Then Rule (45 seconds): Create a trigger you can spot under stress, e.g., “If ratios plus totals, then table it before solving,” or “If QC expressions share a factor, cancel first.”
5. Retest (60 seconds): Re‑solve clean from scratch. If not perfect, schedule it for 24‑hour and 72‑hour spaced reviews.

Keep it lightweight so you actually use it: date, topic, root cause, your If–Then rule, and a 1‑line exemplar. Name patterns so they’re memorable: “Hidden Zero in Denominator,” “Percent of the Original vs New,” “Boundary Case QC,” “Slope as Rate of Change,” “Overcount in Combinations.” Revisit the log for 5 minutes before each study block to prime your radar.

Start with Exambank’s diagnostic to set your baseline by topic. Then use the Learn → Solve Together → Test Yourself flow to apply the two‑pass plan under real timing. Set up mixed Quant sets that mirror the new GRE pacing (12Q/21:00 and 15Q/26:00) so the clock and cognitive load feel authentic. After each set, your AI tutor surfaces your slowest items and your highest‑leak error causes, then generates targeted follow‑ups at the right difficulty. Tag mistakes with a root cause, save your If–Then rule in the solution notes, and let Exambank schedule 24/72‑hour retests automatically. Progress charts and streaks keep you consistent while personalized review sets focus on your “tricky bits.”

Days 1–2: Diagnostic + short lessons on your weakest Quant topics. Build your error‑log template. Days 3–5: Daily 2× mini‑sections (one 12Q/21:00, one 15Q/26:00) using the two‑pass workflow. Do the 5‑Minute Review after each. Days 6–7: Raise difficulty on one set per day; practice rapid bailout decisions and the Careless‑Error Firewall. Days 8–9: One full Quant mock per day with the two‑pass plan; refine your If–Then rules. Day 10: Light mixed drills + concentrated review of your error log and highest‑value triggers.

Hide the clock if it spikes anxiety; it will reappear near the end of the section. Use Mark and Review deliberately, not as a parking lot for everything hard. Don’t over‑use the calculator—estimate first. Protect Section 1 accuracy to set up a strong Section 2. And above all, never leave blanks; make a final pass to guess on anything still open.

On the shorter GRE, speed without structure leads to avoidable misses. A two‑pass plan keeps you in control, and a disciplined 5‑Minute Review converts mistakes into durable, repeat‑proof wins. Put these pieces together, and Quant scores move.