My real GRE score is lower than my practice test score — why?

The most common reasons are test-day anxiety, an unfamiliar environment, and pacing that breaks down under real pressure. If it happens consistently, fix the root cause rather than just retaking. Practice under increasingly realistic conditions. And if you're also weighing the GMAT, keep in mind that the GRE's section-adaptive format is generally less stressful than the GMAT's question-adaptive one.