GmatNY86 wrote:
I don't use the strategy of spending more time (at least not significantly). I just want to know want to get somewhat of a gauge on the test. Not looking to be validated. In fact if the first 10 questions are overrated that would relief some of the stress I feel when I don't know the answer to a question somewhat early on.
Honestly, it's really impossible to "know" how you're doing.
One my first attempt at the GMAT, I *felt* good before I clicked to show my score and not cancel, end result was 610.
I felt TERRIBLE on my 2nd attempt. Sleep deprived, upset stomach, finished with less than 30 seconds on both sections and continuously thought to myself "there will NOT be a third time", clicked to show my score and not cancel, 710.
No matter what, the early non-experimental problems are always easier. When you get problems right (assuming non-experimental), you get a more difficult problem. Even if you mess up on a few problems, as long as you don't have a streak of crashing and burning on problems, you'll be fine.
The other problem is you have no way of differentiating between experimental problems and real ones. If you spend a lot of time on a problem and it is an experimental one, you've just done two things to hurt you:
Spent a lot of time on one problem.
Right or wrong, experimental problems don't matter and you'll never know either way.
The early problems are not "worth more" in that regards. Hitting a bad patch is fine AS long as you focus and buckle down on the following problems