Élèves-Gendarmes EGNA common mistakes
Élèves-Gendarmes EGNA · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Learning the rédaction of the épreuve de dissertation or study of a text as a free-form essay, producing a personal opinion piece with no reference to the corpus or the consigne.
Candidates transfer habits from the baccalauréat français, where personal reflection is rewarded, and never study the actual grille de correction, which weights problematisation, use of documents and structured argumentation. The consigne is often read once, quickly, under time pressure.
What to do instead
Before writing, spend five minutes decoding the consigne: underline the verb (analyser, expliquer, discuter), the object and the constraints. Build a plan with two or three parts that each explicitly answer the question, and cite the corpus by document number in every part. Practise on timed subjects and self-correct with a written checklist covering problematisation, use of documents and coherence.
Treating the épreuve de culture générale as a memory test, reciting dates and names without linking them to the question asked, and running out of time before finishing the plan.
Revision is done by rereading summaries instead of practising timed writing, so candidates over-invest in the introduction and never reach the conclusion. The breadth of the programme also pushes them to accumulate facts rather than build arguments.
What to do instead
Revise by theme (institutions, defence, society, history of the Republic) and for each theme prepare three or four mobilisable examples with a date and a source. Do at least one full timed paper per week, strictly capping the introduction at about a quarter of the allotted time, and train yourself to write the conclusion even if a middle part is thin.
In the compréhension de texte or français épreuve, answering with paraphrases of the passage rather than reformulating and justifying with a quotation, or copying long passages verbatim into the answer.
Candidates confuse 'comprendre' with 'recopier' and fear that reformulating will distort the author's meaning. Under time pressure, copying feels safer and faster than constructing an answer.
What to do instead
Train a two-step method for every question: locate the relevant lines, then write one sentence of reformulation followed by a short quotation in support. Ban quotations longer than one line. Practise on past papers and check each answer against the question's verb (identifier, expliquer, comparer) to make sure the expected operation is performed.
Neglecting the mathematical and logical reasoning épreuve because it is judged 'innate', leading to skipped questions, unverified calculations and no strategy for questions that resist.
Many candidates have not done mathematics since the brevet or a vocational track and avoid the subject during revision. In the exam, a single blocking question consumes minutes and the rest of the paper is abandoned.
What to do instead
Work 30 to 45 minutes of calcul mental, proportional reasoning and suites logiques three times a week, timed. In the exam, apply a strict rule: if a question resists for more than ninety seconds, mark it, move on, and return at the end. Always sanity-check a numerical answer by order of magnitude before selecting it.
Underestimating the épreuve de langue (anglais) and answering with isolated words or approximate grammar instead of complete, structured sentences.
Candidates rely on school English and assume the level required is low. They do not revise the specific exercise types (compréhension, expression écrite) and lose points on basic agreement, tense and word order rather than on vocabulary.
What to do instead
Practise the two exercise types separately: for comprehension, answer in complete sentences reusing the question's structure; for expression, memorise ten reusable connectives and five sentence frames (opinion, cause, consequence, contrast, example). Have written answers corrected for grammar, and keep an error log of recurring mistakes to review weekly.
Revising the épreuve physique (course, tractions, abdos, grimper) in a last-minute block a few weeks before the tests, then arriving injured or below the required barèmes.
Physical preparation is postponed because it feels less urgent than written subjects, and candidates train without knowing the exact barèmes or the required execution standards (amplitude, posture, cadence).
What to do instead
Start a progressive plan at least four months out, three sessions per week, with one session specifically on the tested movements at the exact required standard. Measure yourself monthly against the published barèmes, film the tractions and abdos to check amplitude, and taper in the last ten days rather than cramming.
Failing the épreuve d'entretien with the jury by giving rehearsed, generic answers about motivation ('je veux servir mon pays') without any personal, verifiable example.
Candidates prepare a speech rather than a set of experiences, and do not anticipate questions on their parcours, their knowledge of the gendarmerie or current issues. Stress pushes them back to memorised formulas that the jury immediately detects.
What to do instead
Prepare a portfolio of six to eight concrete episodes (sport, work, associative, family) each told in one minute with situation, action and result. Research the institution's missions, organisation and current recruitment reality from official sources. Rehearse with a third party who interrupts and asks follow-up questions, and practise saying 'je ne sais pas, voici comment je me renseignerais' instead of inventing.
Ignoring the coefficient weighting and spending equal revision time on every épreuve, including low-coefficient ones, while under-preparing the highest-coefficient written papers.
Candidates revise what they enjoy or what feels comfortable, and rarely read the arrêté describing the épreuves and their coefficients. The result is a strong optional subject and a weak core subject.
What to do instead
Write out the table of épreuves with their coefficients and your current estimated mark in each. Compute the points at stake and allocate weekly revision hours proportionally, with a floor of maintenance for weak low-coefficient subjects. Reassess the allocation after every mock test.
Managing time badly across timed written papers: no watch, no plan of the allotted minutes, and answers left blank at the end of the booklet.
Candidates practise untimed at home, so they never calibrate their writing speed. In the exam room, perfectionism on the first question and anxiety about quality consume the time meant for the rest.
What to do instead
Do every mock under real conditions with a visible watch and a written time budget per section (for example, five minutes of planning, then a fixed number of minutes per question). Train yourself to write a complete but imperfect answer rather than a perfect partial one, and reserve the last ten minutes for rereading and filling any blanks.
Presenting a dossier or candidature file with missing or inconsistent pieces (attestations, diplômes, dates, signatures) and discovering the problem after the closing date.
The administrative side is treated as a formality and handled at the last minute, and candidates rely on word of mouth rather than the official notice. Requirements such as age limits, nationality, diplôme level or attestation de recensement are assumed rather than verified.
What to do instead
Build a checklist directly from the official recruitment notice at the moment you decide to apply, with each document, its source and its deadline. Scan and store everything in one folder, submit at least a week before the closing date, and keep proof of submission. Re-read the notice once more after submission to catch any update.