- Tue Jul 01, 2014 4:41 pm
#15148
Hi stix26!
Timing is definitely an issue for everyone on this exam. The test is not designed for the average test taker to finish in the time allotted. So it is normal to feel like you could get a much better score if you just had a little more time!
You can deal with the time constraints of the test by learning efficient strategies for the questions, practicing them over and over, and thinking strategically about how you use your time. It sounds like you already understand the efficient strategies in the bibles, so that's step 1! Now it's time for a whole lotta practicing. Keep doing practice questions, timed sections, and timed practice tests. The more you do, the better you'll get at applying the strategies quickly, and the faster you'll get at taking the test.
The good news is that your planned test date is almost a year away so you have plenty of time to practice between now and then. It's important that you are able to sustain a study schedule up until the test. You don't want to take a few months off from studying because you'll forget what you've learned when you aren't applying it on a regular basis.
Even with lots of practicing, you may never feel 100% comfortable with having to do an entire section in 35 mins. As it gets closer to test day, you may need to consider test-taking strategies to help you maximize the time you have. For instance, it is often a better use of your time to skip some of the really tough questions that are giving you trouble in the middle of an LR section to make sure you see some of the comparatively easier questions at the end of that section. If you have time, you can always go back to the ones you skipped. And if you run out of time, at least you got to some questions that you probably had more of a chance of getting correct.
For the RC and LG sections, sometimes students find that they can get a much higher score if they decide that they are only going to do 3 out of the 4 passages/games. Because they have longer to spend on the passages/games they do, they might actually get a higher score than if they just rushed through all four. I wouldn't consider this strategy just yet for you because you have plenty of time to significantly improve your timing before the June 2015 test by practicing. But if it is getting closer to test day and timing is still a major issue, it's something to consider and experiment with in some of your practice tests.
Eventually, if you feel that your timing is still not improving, you may want to consider getting a few hours of tutoring. A tutor can help you pinpoint more specifically what the issue may be and also help you think strategically about how to use the time you've got on the test.
Hope this helps! And best of luck in your studying!
Best,
Kelsey
