Answering first 10 questions correctly vs timing

Question

Hello there,

My question is about timing when you solve the first 10 questions correctly. By answering the first 10 questions correctly, you start to get harder questions, which may cause to problems with timing. Does GMAT take this into consideration? If so, how?

Thanks in advance

bb · Answer

The GMAT does not reward or penalize you for spending more or less time on Venetian questions if that's what you asking about but if you spend 30 mins on the first 10 questions, your score will likely be hosed since you won't have enough time to finish.

PS. In my experience the really hard questions come around questions 13 or 14.

Sent from my iPhone using

PS. In my experience the really hard questions come around questions 13 or 14.

Sent from my iPhone using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi bhdrb,

While answering most (if not all) of the earlier questions in each section is certainly beneficial to your score, you have to perform at a high level throughout each section to score at the highest levels overall. As such, you cannot afford to 'overcommit' to the first 10 questions in the Quant and Verbal sections. Since you're asking about this subject, I assume that you've put in some study time already. It would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

Goals:
4) What is your goal score?
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
6) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
7) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

bbb789 · Answer

thanks for the answer.. 
What I wanted to ask was not about spending 30 mins on the first 10 questions.. It's about overall timing. What I realized when I solve practice tests, I start to get harder questions as I answer correctly, and in return, after a point, it becomes harder for me to complete the test on time since I start to receive harder questions.. As far as I know leaving couple of questions unanswered causes lower score than giving wrong answers.. On the other hand, as I receive harder questions, probability of having more wrong questions increases and questions become to more time-consuming. My question seems like a paradox to me. And, I wonder whether this fact is included during score calculation.

bb · Answer

You took some time to think about this one :-)

The score depends on the number of hard questions answered correctly and easy questions answered wrong. Just answer as many questions correctly as you can. Don't spend more than 3 mins on any question. And keep an eye on the clock. Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum

mvictor · Answer

During my latest attempt, I finished 8 questions in less than 5 minutes...I scored 49 and got plenty of time (~30 mins left on the screen while at question 32). I can firmly state that GMAT does not care how fast you answer the questions as long as you answer correctly.
One of the good things on the real test is that you will see lots of experimental questions scattered across all 4 parts of each section. While you might see some very tough questions (35-36 questions on Quant for me were very very very very complex ones - i highly suspect those were experimental), most of them might be very easy - so you won't have problems solving them.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi bhdrb,

On any given question that you face on the GMAT, you essentially have 2 goals:

1) Get the question correct if possible.
2) Do so in the most efficient way possible (and sometimes the 'best' approach is to dump a question that's too difficult).

One of the great aspects of the GMAT is that most questions can be answered using multiple approaches. If you find that you're spending a significantly large amount of your 75 minutes answering the first 10 questions in either the Quant or Verbal sections, then it's likely that "your way" of approaching those questions is the 'long way.' As such, the 'issue' that you're discussing is really about YOUR efficiency and precision - so you have to take a good look at how much time you're actually spending on individual questions. 75 minutes is absolutely enough time to work through all of the questions in the section, but you're not allowed to 'stare', you cannot afford to read each prompt over-and-over and you have to keep the little mistakes to a minimum. All of those skills take time to develop though.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Answering first 10 questions correctly vs timing

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards