EA Prep Week 9: Exam Day Tips and Listener Q&A with Stacey Koprince, Manhattan Prep

“The biggest score killer isn’t one wrong answer. It’s inconsistent pacing.”

Zach sits down once again with test prep expert Stacey Koprince—this time with a big milestone to share: his EA exam appointment is officially booked (date undisclosed, of course).

From there, the conversation becomes a practical, stress-reducing roadmap for what to do after a practice test dip and before the real thing. Stacey helps Zach break down his recent practice exam results into three clear categories—strengths you can’t coast on, fixable mistakes worth reviewing, and true “kryptonite” topics that are better strategically skipped. Along the way, they dig into why careless mistakes happen, how to review smarter (not longer), and how to make confident time-management decisions on test day—especially within the EA’s panel-based format.

The second half of the episode is focused on answering listern questions: how early is too early (or too late) to start studying, how many hours per week actually make sense, how EA prep compares to GMAT prep, and whether private tutoring is really worth the cost in the age of AI and free content. Stacey also calls out some of the worst test prep advice she sees—spoiler: grinding thousands of questions without proper review is at the top of the list.

If you’re approaching test day, debating between the EA and GMAT, or just want calmer, more strategic guidance on how to prepare like a pro, this episode is packed with reassurance, humor, and hard-earned insight.

About Stacey:

Stacey Koprince is one of the most recognized names in test prep, with over 15 years of experience teaching the GMAT, EA, GRE, and LSAT. As Manhattan Prep’s Director of Content & Curriculum, she has written countless articles, guides, and video explanations that thousands of students rely on. A former management consultant, Stacey now spends her days helping future business leaders master tricky concepts and find confidence in their prep—something she’s passionate about seeing “click” for every student.

Helpful links:

Register for the EA: https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment/register

Purchase EA Official Prep: https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment/prepare

GMAC Free EA Prep: https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment/prepare/free-prep-resources

Manhattan Prep EA Resources: https://www.kaptest.com/gmat/courses/executive-assessment-test-prep

Inside the GMAT/GMAC Zach on Substack: https://substack.com/@gmaczach

Key Takeaways:

• Not all wrong answers mean the same thing. Separate true content gaps, careless mistakes, and “kryptonite” topics—each requires a different response.

• You can’t coast on your strengths. Overconfidence in strong areas is one of the most common sources of avoidable score drops.

• Letting go is a strategy, not a failure. Knowing in advance which question types you’ll skip or guess on preserves time, confidence, and overall performance.

• Timing decisions matter more than individual questions. When to move on from a question can have an outsized impact on your score.

• Practice tests are for diagnosis, not judgment. A score dip on a practice exam is normal—and often a sign you’re learning the right lessons at the right time.

• Learning happens between problems, not during them. Review, reflection, and targeted drills drive improvement—not sheer volume.

• The final days are about readiness, not grinding. Light review, strategy reminders, and mental freshness beat last-minute cramming every time.

• Test-day routines should reduce decisions, not add them. Plan logistics, warm-ups, food, clothing, and timing in advance so your brain is reserved for the exam.

• Free prep can work—until it doesn’t. If your score is improving, keep going. If it stalls, higher-quality (and often paid) resources may be worth it.

• The EA and GMAT demand different prep philosophies. EA prep is typically shorter and threshold-based; GMAT prep often requires more time due to how scores are used in admissions and rankings.

Chapters:

00:00 Zach Shares His Exam Booking and Location Choice
01:30 Study Strategies and Practice Test Review
06:08 Test Day Preparation and Environment Setup
13:51 Final Tips for the Day Before and Day Of the Exam
19:50 Managing Test Anxiety and Strategic Question Skipping
24:58 Your Questions: Resources, Study Buddies, and When to Seek Help