Hi rkhicha,
It definitely does depend on the individual.
What would be your reason for aiming to complete the AWA in 15 minutes rather than the 30 minutes allotted? If you're concerned about burning out before the Math and Writing sections, don't worry. It's highly unlikely that spending 15 extra minutes on the AWA will make much of a difference in this sense. Plus, trying to finish the AWA in 15 minutes would likely just stress you out... and that's certainly not the state of mind you want to be in going into the test!
Pace yourself and plan to make full use of the time allotted.
In general, try to divide your time something like this:
First 3-5 minutes: Read the topic carefully and brainstorm on your scrap paper. Throw as many ideas as you can onto the paper for the first minute or so, then start narrowing down your main argument. Circle or write down the points that will support your thesis. This will serve as your outline and help you structure your essay.
Next 15-20 minutes: Write! Try to pace yourself, and be sure that each paragraph that follows your introduction relates to and supports your introduction and main idea.
Next 5 minutes: Proofread! Look out for grammatical errors and/or logical inconsistencies. Make any necessary changes.
Any additional time: Give yourself a second to stretch. Look away from the computer screen and blink a few times. Then, look over your essay again with "fresh" eyes. Look for proofreading errors again. Add in transition words between paragraphs if you don't have them already. Make sure your introduction, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion all work together. That said, DON'T try to completely change your essay... you don't want to run out of time! Make all the small changes you can, then call it a day.
If you complete all these steps and still finish early, feel free to move on!
Chris Black
Web Content Editor
Knewton
