Top Ten Tips for Time Management During Standardized Tests
Learn how to tackle the unique challenge of time pressure on standardized tests. Discover strategies to improve your pacing and maximize your performance under the clock.
Top Ten Tips for Time Management on Standardized Tests
We've all experienced that heart-pounding moment: we steal a glance at the clock during an exam, only to discover there's a mere minute remaining and a mountain of unanswered questions! How did we end up here? What's our next move?
Time management on standardized tests is a formidable hurdle, consistently ranking among the most daunting skills for students to conquer in tests like the SAT and ACT. Unlike most other exams that ramp up problem difficulty by testing more complex concepts, standardized tests operate within a fixed and predetermined range of concepts. This means that the maximum conceptual difficulty of any problem on the SAT or ACT is limited. To compensate, the test makers introduce a unique challenge: time pressure.
If you're like most students, you haven't experienced time pressure like this before. Sure, tests at school are timed, but they test us on topics we've recently learned in class. School tests have time limits primarily to fit them into a class period. They often test us not only on whether we get the correct answer but also on how we derive that answer. In contrast, standardized tests only care about the correct response. They often reward critical reasoning and strategic approaches that arrive at correct answers more swiftly than the explicit, stepwise work we have to show in school.
Time Traps
Test makers use their understanding of that explicit, stepwise work to create time traps on standardized tests. For example, consider the following problem:
A straightforward algebraic solution involves treating this as a rate conversion problem, like so:
But under the time pressure of a standardized test, a student might misread the problem, miscalculate under stress, or take more time than necessary checking their work or performing the calculation. This problem isn't conceptually difficult, but it can become a time trap if approached in the traditional manner.
A more efficient approach would be to notice that the answer choices are very spread out; they're each separated by at least one order of magnitude. That means that all we have to do is find the order of magnitude of the answer in order to find the correct answer choice.
The distance of Saturn's orbit is in the range of 109 kilometers, so we start with an order of magnitude of 9. We subtract 1 from that magnitude since the order of magnitude of 30 years is one. Then we subtract 2 for the order of magnitude of 365 days, then 1 for the order of magnitude of 24 hours. That leaves us with an order of magnitude of 5 for the answer. The only answer with an order of magnitude of 5 is C, the correct answer.
Notice that the only math we had to do to get to the correct answer was subtraction: 9-1-2-1=5. This is much simpler, and therefore much faster than setting up the appropriate rate conversion, crunching the resulting multiplication and division, and rounding the result.
While most students will eventually be able to arrive at the correct answer for this problem, the test makers are betting that they will likely spend a lot of time working through the algebraic approach. That means that students will have less time to work on harder problems later on, increasing their chances of running out of time before completing the section.
The above is just one example of how test makers can design questions that ramp up time pressure. Don't worry if you didn't identify the more efficient solution at first. There are specific steps you can take during your test prep journey to practice looking for efficient solutions and improve your overall time management on standardized tests. Below, find North Avenue Education's top tips for effective time management on standardized tests.
1. Understand the Test Structure
Knowing what to expect from the test is one of the easiest ways to improve your efficiency on test day. You don't want to spend precious seconds reading standard sets of instructions or puzzling out unique question types for the first time. The more familiar you are with the structure of the test and the types of questions it poses, the more nimble you'll be as you move through each section on test day.
Each standardized test has a preset number and sequence of sections. The SAT, for example, has one Math section and one Reading and Writing section, each of which has two modules. The ACT, on the other hand, has 4 mandatory sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. It also has 1 optional Writing section. Make sure you know how many questions to expect from each section– and how long you have to complete them all. The North Avenue Guide to the SAT and North Avenue Guide to the ACT both open with excellent overviews of their titular tests.
The need for familiarity doesn't end at the section level! Within each section, you'll often find sets of algorithmic question types, sometimes even in a predetermined order. For example, the SAT's Reading and Writing section always opens with Words in Context questions and ends with Rhetorical Synthesis questions. Getting to know each question type not only increases your comprehension speed when encountering that type, but it also allows you to deploy question-specific strategies to swiftly arrive at the correct answer.
2. Practice with Timed Sections
The best way to get comfortable with the time constraints of standardized tests is through practice. Use practice tests to simulate the actual test conditions. Time each section strictly, and work on improving your speed without sacrificing accuracy.
As you practice, pay attention to which types of questions slow you down. Focus your study sessions on these areas to improve your efficiency. Additionally, practicing under timed conditions helps reduce anxiety on the actual test day, as you'll be more accustomed to working within a set time frame.
3. Develop a Pacing Strategy
A pacing strategy involves setting specific time goals for each section or question type. For instance, if you have 60 minutes to answer 60 questions, aim to spend no more than one minute per question. Of course, some questions will take longer and others shorter, but this average can guide your pacing.
Use a watch or the test center’s clock to keep track of your time. If you find yourself spending too long on a single question, make an educated guess and move on. You can always return to it later if time allows.
4. Practice Moving On
Once you know how long you have for each question, practice recognizing when to move on. You often have less than a minute per question on the SAT and ACT. While you work on practice problems, make sure you develop a sense of what a minute passing feels like. If you've spent more than about 1.5 minutes on any problem, it's time to move on. Notice how it feels when you get sucked into a question and practice letting go of the need for completion. Sometimes the most strategic thing to do is to stop working on that problem, make a guess, and use the time for a different problem you're more likely to get right.
5. Answer Every Question
On many standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, there’s no penalty for wrong answers, so it's in your best interest to answer every question. If you're running out of time, make sure to fill in an answer for every question, even if it's a guess. A guessed answer still has a chance of being correct, whereas a blank one does not.
Remember that you have a higher chance of guessing the correct answer on multiple-choice questions. If you have to guess on some questions to make up time, try to prioritize guessing on multiple-choice questions and save a little extra time to work on student-produced response questions.
6. Prioritize Questions by Difficulty
One of the most effective time management strategies is to prioritize questions based on their difficulty. Start by quickly skimming through the section to identify and categorize questions as easy, medium, or hard. Tackle the easy questions first to secure those points. Then, move on to the medium questions, and finally, if time permits, attempt the hard ones. Remember to move on from any question that you spend more than about 1.5 minutes on.
This approach ensures that you maximize your score by answering all the questions you're most confident about first. It also prevents you from spending too much time on questions that might not yield many points.
7. Use Process of Elimination
When you encounter a difficult question, use the process of elimination to narrow down your choices. By eliminating obviously wrong answers, you increase your chances of guessing correctly. Be ruthless! An answer that is half-right and half-wrong is all wrong. This technique not only improves your odds but also saves time by allowing you to focus on fewer options.
8. Stay Calm and Focused
Test anxiety can significantly impact your performance and time management. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, or positive self-talk to stay calm during the test. A clear and focused mind works more efficiently, enabling you to manage your time better.
9. Review and Adjust
After each practice test, take time to review your performance. Identify which sections or question types took the most time and why. Adjust your strategy accordingly, focusing on improving your speed and accuracy in those areas.
Additionally, analyze any mistakes to understand if they were due to time pressure, misreading the question, or a lack of knowledge. Addressing these issues during your study sessions will help you perform better on the actual test.
10. Get Enough Sleep
One of the most crucial yet often overlooked aspects of test preparation is getting enough sleep the night before the exam. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep to ensure your mind is sharp and focused. A well-rested brain processes information more efficiently, improves problem-solving skills, and helps you stay calm under pressure. Remember, no amount of last-minute studying can replace the benefits of a good night's sleep!
Conclusion
Mastering time management on standardized tests is a skill that requires practice, strategy, and a calm mindset. By prioritizing questions by difficulty, practicing with timed sections, developing a pacing strategy, answering every question, using process of elimination, staying calm and focused, and reviewing and adjusting your strategies, you can improve your performance and reduce the stress associated with these high-stakes exams.
Remember, standardized tests are designed to challenge your critical thinking and time management skills. With the right preparation and strategies, you can conquer these challenges and achieve your best possible score.
If you're interested in having an expert guide you through the ins and outs of time management on standardized tests, the tutors at North Avenue Education would love to connect with you! We can tailor your test preparation plan to your unique needs with one-on-one tutoring. If you learn better in a group setting, we can also guide you through the test prep journey with a small group of peers in our Small Groups classes.
Do you have any time management tips we didn't cover?! Send us an email at info@northaveeducation.com
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