(Struggling with pacing). Any good strategy to improve that?

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will finishing 37 math questions in 75 mins.

Here's what I suggest:

1. Do 10 questions at a time. Don't time yourself, but make sure that the answers are right and you understand why you are right and why you are wrong (if you get one wrong). Do this for about 1~2 weeks (depending on how good you get). This time can be shortened if you are doing well.

2. When you are answering about 80~90% correct, start answering 5 more questions (i.e., 10, 15, 20, 30) in one sitting. Once you get more confident, move onto timed questions.

3. Start by answering 5 questions in 15 or 20 mins. Make sure that you are not misfiring and getting questions wrong.

4. Gradually add more questions and shorten the time you take to do them.

5. In between breaks, I do an "equalizer" activity. For me, this is to listen to a really good music mix. For others, this could be to eat chocolate, do jumping jacks, whatever. I like to be "in the zone" when I do these questions. When I go back to practice, I am motivated to do more and am not tired. When you are on the "break" during the actual test, you are allowed to listen to your music for like 5 mins...

This process of getting up the speed may take 2~3 weeks.

Good luck, and hope that this helps!

Paul
[email protected]
www.EssayMatch.com

GMATCHPOINT wrote:I just started with my preps and I am very disappointed as I need nothing less than 3 hours to solve 37 math problems of a mock paper-test. Is it really possible to do all 37 questions is 75min? How can I improve pacing? Just practicing?

I do just fine with math in general (at least I thought I would, until I start studying for gmat). Any light out there?

Thank you Paul. It sounds like a really good plan. Will give it a try during this incoming week.
Really appreciated it!

save your time on DS questions. If you do research on attacking DS problems in other parts of this forum, you will realize that for many DS questions, you don't even need to solve for x to answer the question.

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I am trying really hard, but when I go thru all the 37 questions there are always 3-4 left after the 75min. But thank you for your advice anyway. Think I need more practice before the real exam.
You wrote below that “you don’t need to solve all the questions”, what do you mean by that? How many questions do I need to solve to get close to the 47-49?!?

Cheers!

GMATCHPOINT wrote:I am trying really hard, but when I go thru all the 37 questions there are always 3-4 left after the 75min. But thank you for your advice anyway. Think I need more practice before the real exam.
You wrote below that “you don’t need to solve all the questions”, what do you mean by that? How many questions do I need to solve to get close to the 47-49?!?

Cheers!

OHHH LOOK AT YOU...now you are down to 3-4 questions left before the time runs out!

I thought you need 3 hours ?

If you have only 3-4 questions right at the end, you are fine. Just make some educated guesses and make sure you dont leave any question unanswered.

Thanks for your post ANYWAYS

For those out there with timing/pacing problems, I guess the best answer to improve pacing is practice practice practice. Read the tips above from logitech and boatracers it works really well. I still hv room to improve, but in a couple of weeks I managed to reduce from 37 questions in 3 hours down to 37 questions in 80-85min (sometimes less depending on the difficulty). I am getting there! .....I hope
Tks!