Week of May 13th Test Taking Tip: Develop a Time Cushion to Answer More Questions

One of the most common ways people miss out on maximum scores on standardized exams is not necessarily from wrong answers. Rather, it is from lots of questions that remain unanswered once time expires! This is especially detrimental on exams where you do not lose points for incorrect responses on the multiple choice (such as AP exams). Take a typical SAT math section, where you must complete 18 questions in 25 minutes. This means you have an average of

(25 min x 60 sec) / 18 questions = 83 seconds per question

We also know that not every question is a question that is difficult for us. Some of these questions we know the answer to immediately! A conservative estimate is that you can answer 20% of these questions in 10 seconds or less. If this is the case, then let's say 4 questions of 18 are answerable in 10 seconds (total time = 40 seconds). This means you now have an average of 

(24.3 min x 60 sec) / 15 questions = 104 seconds per question

Thus, though it may seem a little disorganized, a viable strategy on the first pass through a section is to only answer questions to which you immediately know the answer. This means you should, on the second pass, have more than enough time to make an educated guess on every question. Don't wildly guess, but just remember that you have more time than you think. Make sure you keep this in mind for AP exams, where you are not penalized for incorrect responses.