Considering this strategy on the GMAT Verbal Section.

[Guest]

I've been studying for the GMAT for the past few months and cannot seem to nail down the verbal section in the alloted time.

I always have 8-10 questions left in verbal when time expires and just go bananas filling in random answers without reading the questions. I destroy all my progress and crush my test score. It appears that I'm losing about 20-30 minutes somewhere in the verbal section. It is my understanding that the time lost on the reading comp section is compensated for in sentence correction, but I rarely finish a sentence correction problem in less then 1.5 mins and a bulk of these questions come at the end of the test anyway.

That being said, I'm considering revising my test taking strategy for the very long reading comp passages that eat up my time.

If I spend 2 minutes on each reading comp question and fish for the answer in the passage, I'll hopefully be able to get a couple of them right (2/4?). I know this isn't the correct way to go about solving these problems, but I feel that this sacrifice is worthwhile because it will increase my chances of getting more valuable questions right in the long haul and avoid the streak of 8 incorrect answers.

I typically go 2/10 when I'm guessing answers as time is running out. What probably makes my score worse is that each wrong answer is followed by an easier question and another wrong answer. By the end of the test I'm getting 1+1 wrong. If I get two long reading comp passages with 3-4 questions each, I'll hopefully get at least 4/8 questions right. After I finish the reading comp passage questions, I'll be back on track, bring my score back up, avoid the huge blocks of incorrect answers, and finish the test on time.

Your thoughts are appreciated as I'm taking the test on Thursday!

[gmat_jul]

I think this is correct strategy

[StaceyKoprince]

Well, since you're taking the test tomorrow, yes, go for it. If you take it again (or if anyone else with a similar problem is reading this), you'll be better off if you can get your SC time to 90 seconds! It can be done, with both strong knowledge of grammar and good technique for working through questions. If you decide to take it again and want to talk about how to get faster at SC, let us know. And good luck!

[Guest]

I actually never took the exam. I need to do the sentence correction book and practice problems again. It makes no sense for me not to give myself a shot at RC and obviously my SC weakness is holding me back from party time.

[StaceyKoprince]

Okay - so now you can work on your SC timing as well. If you want, post a (legal) problem in the relevant verbal folder and ask about the most efficient way to move through it - that kind of thing.

[Hitesh]

Well, I have the same problem. Not able to finish the verbal test in allocated time.

Suppose I am running short of time, and I decide to mark a few questions even without reading it, in order to complete the test.

Is it advised to do it in the end , when only 2-3 mins are left, and I should just mark all questions. Or I should better do it in the middle of the test so that I can get sufficient time for the last 5-10 questions to correct my score.

Please advise, I am planning to write my test on next monday.

[Jigish]

Hitesh,
I think it's a bad idea to try to rush through - marking answers without even reading the question - be it in the middle of the test or end. The optimal way, I think, is to keep an eye on time spent on each question and if you're running out of time on any specific question, make an educated guess and move on. Don't spend 2 min 30 secs getting a sentence completion question correct. By the end of 1 min 30 sec, if you don't have an answer, take 15 more seconds - eliminate and make an educated guess from the remaining options.

[StaceyKoprince]

I agree with Jigish that the optimal plan is to move through the entire test at a steady pace - force yourself to let go on those ones that just aren't working for you. But you may not be able to get yourself to do this in the next week, so at the least, don't do it on the last few questions in a row. Do it in the middle somewhere, and NOT in a row - spread the guesses out. If possible, choose to do this on questions that look really hard. Ideally, choose to do it on the ones that are causing you to go way over on time right now anyway - after all, if going that far over is costing you at least one other question later on, your BEST outcome is 50/50 (one right, one wrong) and you put yourself at real risk of getting BOTH wrong.

[StaceyKoprince]

I should add - everybody has to guess, at some point. Most people have to guess on 5-8 question in a section, including between 2 and 4 completely random guesses, on average. Accept it. Let it go. :)

[Hitesh]

Thanks Jigish and Stacey. It was helpful.

I will give the test on Monday update the post again to tell how it went....

regards
Hitesh

[StaceyKoprince]

good luck!