Common KNM exam preparation mistakes in 2026

July 20, 2026 · By Maksim · 2 min read

Hi, I'm Maksim 👋 KNM can look simple from the outside, but I think this is exactly the trap.

I'm writing this article because my biggest mistake was underestimating the difficulty of the exam. At first, I thought I was ready — but later I realized that my preparation was not realistic enough 😅

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My biggest KNM preparation mistake 🇳🇱

My biggest mistake was that I underestimated the exam.

KNM is not just about general common sense. It has specific topics, and if you do not check yourself properly, you can easily think that you are ready when you are not.

What I underestimated 🤖

I used ChatGPT during preparation, and it gave me a false feeling of readiness.

The questions were too easy, so I felt confident. But when I tried the DUO practice exams, I understood that I was not actually ready.

That was a useful moment, but also a bit stressful.

What I would do instead ✅

Before the KNM exam, I would definitely check the DUO practice exams.

Then I would mark all the questions where I made mistakes and study those topics separately. For me, this is much better than just randomly repeating everything.

Keep preparing

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common KNM exam preparation mistake?

Underestimating the exam. KNM has specific topics beyond general common sense, and without checking yourself properly it's easy to feel ready when you're not.

Is ChatGPT reliable for checking KNM readiness?

Not fully — Maksim found its questions too easy, giving a false sense of readiness that only broke down once he tried real DUO practice exams.

How should I fix weak KNM topics?

Check DUO's own practice exams, mark every question you get wrong, and study those specific topics separately rather than just repeating everything randomly.

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