Timing & General Advice

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Timing & General Advice

by jessb » Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:23 am
Hello,

So as many people recommend I took the GMAT prep this weekend to set a 'baseline' for myself.
I got 560 Q32 and V34 - better baseline than I thought. While ideally my target is 700, I'd probably be content in the high 600s

I will be starting to study this week and will probably take the test in 2 months.

As I start to study - I had a question about timing. I finished both V & Q sections with about 20 minutes to spare. While this may sound silly to some, and the advice would immediately be to learn to time manage, this is not unusual for me at all. In my lengthy academic career, I can probably count on one hand how many times I WAS NOT the first one out of an exam. That said, I'd like to be clear, I've finished with A+ and D- at this speed, it does not seem to be a function of my knowledge/ability.

Are there any other speedy exam takers out there? Should I bother worrying about timing, or just focus on the questions/sections themselves, and assume, like I've always done, that I won't run out of time?

Any input would be appreciated!
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by tpr-becky » Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:46 pm
If you are a naturally quick test taker then your focus should not be necessarily on slowing down as that may cause more problems. Instead your focus should be on approaching the test methodically and being sure not to skip steps. Using your scratch paper more than you are used to may help you to cut down on easily avoidable errors. Another useful technique is to be sure to reread just the ultimate question before you confirm your answer to be sure you answered the question that was being asked.

In evaluating your timing look at the questions you missed and determine if you missed them because you need to review the material or because you made a careless error or rushed through the question, maybe misreading or miscalculating. If this is not the case then you can focus on the content - also as you get closer to the goal the questions will get harder and may take more time so your speed may help you once you get to the more difficult problems.
Becky
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The Princeton Review
Irvine, CA