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Practice strategy: how many tests do you really need?

By Marin Devereux·6 min read·

“How many practice tests should I do?” is the most common question we get. The honest answer: it depends on your starting point and test date. But the research is clear on the general shape.

What the research says

Score improvement by practice volume

Approximate percentile improvement. Biggest gains come in the first 8 tests.

Meta-analyses of practice effects on cognitive tests show that the bulk of improvement happens in the first 4–8 sessions. After 15+ sessions, gains flatten to near zero. This means: quality of practice matters more than quantity.

The optimal session structure

  1. Warm-up (5 min): 3–5 easy questions to activate the right mental mode.
  2. Targeted drill (20 min): Questions tagged to your weakest sub-skill. Not a random mix.
  3. Review (10 min): Go through every wrong answer. Log the mistake type.
  4. One new thing (5 min): Read one tip or shortcut you have not tried before.
40 minutes beats 2 hours
A focused 40-minute session with targeted questions and error review beats a 2-hour marathon of random practice every time. Your brain needs time to consolidate learning — cramming multiple long sessions in one day has almost zero additional benefit.

Building your schedule

Schedule builder
Your test is in 10 days. You scored 55% on the diagnostic. Your target is 70%. How should you structure your prep?

Days 1–3: One 40-min session per day drilling your weakest skill (the diagnostic tells you which). Days 4–6: One 40-min session per day on your second-weakest skill. Days 7–8: One full timed mock each day. Day 9: Light review of errors only. Day 10 (test day): Pre-test routine, no new practice.

Signs you are over-practising

  • Your scores are not improving between sessions (plateau).
  • You are making more careless errors than before (fatigue).
  • You are memorising specific questions instead of learning the method.
  • You are practising more than 90 minutes per day.
The cramming trap
Doing 5 full practice tests the night before is worse than doing nothing. Sleep is when your brain consolidates what you learned. All-night cramming replaces consolidation with fatigue.

Track your progress on forge

The analytics dashboard shows your score trend, weak areas, and optimal next session — so you practise smart, not long.

View your analytics
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