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监督自己，和各位共勉

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Rehearsing the following three skills will lead to better time awareness, and ultimately more effective time management:

1. Maintaining a Positive Time Position (am I ahead, behind, or right on track?) What is a “positive time position” and how do I make sure I can achieve this on test day?
   
2. Determining Your Payoff Ratio Should I spend the extra 30 seconds on that difficult data sufficiency question? How about an extra minute on that tough critical reasoning question? Will the extra time pay off?
   
3. Using Quick Elimination Strategies When I do find myself in time-short situations, how can I dig myself out?
   

This strategy series will address the three time management elements listed above.

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For some, maintaining a positive time position comes naturally. However, for most of us, the time pressure is too tight, and the stakes too high, to ignore. So, how does one work out of the red zone and into the green? Collect data, reflect, and transition.
(1) KEEP A SINGLE-PROBLEM TIME LOG When practicing GMAT problems, ALWAYS keep track of the time. Try to work within the following time constraints for any individual problem:
Quantitative: 2 minutes
Sentence Correction: 1 minute 15 seconds
Critical Reasoning: 2 minutes
Reading Comprehension: 6 min / 3 question passage, 8 min / 4 question passage, etc.
Keep a time log that reflects the time spent on EVERY problem. A time log might look like a rough version of this:

Question Type	Benchmark	Time Spent	Time Position
Data Sufficiency	2 min	2 min 10 sec	Negative by 10 sec
Sentence Correction	1 min	15 sec	1 min Positive by 15 sec
Reading Comp	6 min	5 min 30 sec	Positive by 30 sec

More than anything, this will make you aware of your pacing on a single-problem level, and will force you to consider the time as you work through a practice problem. In addition to highlighting those question types that are costing you time (data sufficiency in this case) and those that are buying you time (sentence correction and reading comp in this case), the time log tears the mask off the scary clock. In other words, once you know how much time you’re spending on a problem, you will be less anxious about it. Less time anxiety means more focus on the content of the question at hand.
(2) REFLECT ON THE RESULTSAt this point, a common response from students is, “Okay, I’ve been keeping a time log and I’ve discovered that I am consistently behind on Data Sufficiency problems. I know that I’m working too slowly, but how do I fix that?” This is obviously a great question; awareness is one thing, but increasing speed is another. Speed comes when the problem solving process runs like a finely tuned machine. Have you practiced critical reasoning diagrams enough to make them second nature? Can you sketch a reading comprehension passage in your sleep? Do you immediately consider options for rephrasing, and do you automatically draw a grid, for data sufficiency problems? Do you search for splits and re-splits on sentence correction questions? Speed is all about process. If you find you’re losing too much time on any particular question type, reflect on, and rehearse, the process. Be sure to keep a time log as a measure of progress.
(3) TRANSITION TO BENCHMARKS While keeping a single-problem time log will help you become aware of your pacing on all question types, it’s certainly not a practical way to monitor the time during the actual exam. First, checking the clock after each problem on the actual exam is too much of a distraction. Second, to be an effective time manager, you must be flexible. You may be able to complete a slightly easier math problem in fewer than 2 minutes, and you may need slightly more than 2 minutes for the more difficult problems. For these two reasons, it’s much easier to monitor time on the actual exam using these 15 minute benchmarks:

Time Left	Math—Near Question…	Verbal—Near Question…
75 minutes	1	1
60 minutes	7-8	8-10
45 minutes	14-15	16-18
30 minutes	21-22	24-26
15 minutes	28-29	32-34

Keeping track of the timing for question blocks, as opposed to individual questions, allows for flexibility: less time on the slightly easier questions, more time on the difficult questions.
Once you feel comfortable with the single-problem time log, begin to transition to the 15 minute benchmarks. To practice, take a block of 7 or 8 math problems and allot yourself 15 minutes. Are you maintaining a positive time position for an 8 question block? Do the same for a block of verbal questions and monitor your progress.

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Determining Your Payoff RatioIs it worth is to spend an extra 30 seconds on that difficult data sufficiency problem? How about an extra minute for a tough critical reasoning question? These are not questions you want to be struggling with in the heat of the exam. Ideally, you should know ahead of time whether those extra 30 seconds are likely to get you the correct answer. You should know in advance whether spending an extra minute on a critical reasoning question will pay off. In general, you should have a sense for your payoff ratio before you walk into the exam.
Consider the following approach for determining your payoff ratio on data sufficiency problems, for example. Choose a group of data sufficiency problems that are at the top end of your ability level. Give yourself the standard benchmark time of 2 minutes per problem. When 2 minutes have elapsed, choose an answer, regardless of where you are in the problem solving process. Then, give yourself 1 additional minute and mark a second answer when this minute has elapsed. Track your results in a table similar to this one:

Question #	2 min answer	3 min answer	Correct answer	Points
#1	A	C	A	-1
#2	E	E	E	0
#3	B	C	C	+1
#4	D	A	B	0
#5	D	A	A	+1

As in the example above, give yourself 1 point when the third minute helps you change an incorrect answer to a correct answer (#3 and #5). The gamble has paid off in these cases. Subtract a point when the third minute caused you to change a correct answer to an incorrect answer (#1). The gamble was costly in this case. Give yourself zero points when there is no answer change (#2), and when an incorrect answer is changed to another incorrect answer (#4).
Next, add up your total points and divide by the number of questions (1/5 = .2). This is the payoff ratio for this particular question block. What does this number mean? Well, for the extra 5 minutes spent on these 5 difficult data sufficiency problems, this person only saw a payoff of one more correct answer. Was it worth it? Probably not, considering that, all other things being equal, this person is now time-short by 5 whole minutes.
This begs the question: For what payoff ratio does it become worth the extra time spent? How about .3? Or .4?
The answer to this question is probably not as satisfying as you might hope. The payoff ratio is not necessarily meant to be used as a strict guide for allocating time. Rather, the quantitative process of determining your payoff ratio is meant to lead to a qualitative understanding of how you are using your time. “When I spend an extra minute on data sufficiency problems, it doesn’t usually change my answer,” or “The extra minute on reading comprehension questions really allows me to find the proof text I need to choose the right answer.” This awareness alleviates anxiety, and allows you to make quick and sound decisions during the exam.
Take some time to find your payoff ratio for each question type, and see if this knowledge helps you to better manage your time.

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1. PrepareThe majority of anxiety stems from the unknown, the "what ifs" that float around in your head. The more you know, the fewer "what ifs" to be had. Know the format of the GMAT inside and out. Know which sections come first, second, and third. Know the rules regarding scratch paper and bathroom breaks. Most importantly, study. Know the material that will be tested and how it will be tested. If you are a master of the information covered on the GMAT, then anything the test throws at you, you will be able to handle. If you're confident in your abilities, you'll be able to fight off those jitters.
2. Once you've prepared, prepare even moreSure, you've taken a few computer practice tests and even slept with the Official Guides under your pillow (much to the chagrin of your significant other). But you can still do more. Figure out where the test center is and make a trial run. Know what you're going to wear (yes, I'm actually serious about this). Choose comfortable clothes and bring layers; you don't want to be too cold or too hot during the test.
3. RelaxClose your eyes and visualize your favorite place. Take deep breaths. Go for a jog. Listen to your favorite Gregorian chants. Get a massage. In the days leading up to the GMAT, relax as much as you can. This isn't to say you stop studying but don't focus exclusively on the test. Also, remember that the GMAT is not a test you can cram for; you will know the vast majority of the material well before those final days and whatever you try to sneak in right at the end is not really going to matter. Do some practice problems and review your time management strategy, but do not go nuts. Do make sure to get plenty of rest and good food. But go out, enjoy life, and leave that Official Guide under your pillow.
4. Indulge a bitGet as much rest as you can while you gear up for the GMAT. You may not have slept eight hours in a night since you were three years old but, guess what? Now's the time to know what it's like to wake without the alarm going off (or to go to bed before The Daily Show). Also, now is the time to make sure you're taking your mother's advice: eat your vegetables and take your vitamins. You want to be in top physical shape.
5. Have a post-GMAT planLook, you've got a rough day ahead of you. No one is denying that. So give yourself something to look forward to, something positive you can think about for two seconds when you're bogged down trying to figure out if you're dealing with a compound subject. Plan to meet a friend for dinner, have tickets to that evening's ballgame, or book a manicure for an hour after you're done. You're almost at the finish line!
6. If things do start to go south, keep your head upOne of the worst things about test anxiety is that it can be self-perpetuating. What happens if you get in there and flub the first question? Your confidence is going to start going down the tubes. Don't let it. This is something you can control. The GMAT is designed to be hard for everyone; don't beat yourself up if you can't answer a question. First of all, you don't have time to do it and, secondly, what's past is past. You have to let it go and move on to the next problem.
7. Remember, it's not the end of the world (or your bschool prospects)The GMAT is just a test. And you can always take it again. It's also just one part of your application to business school; it won't make you or break you. Yes, you want to do well. And you should do well. But if you don't, it really and truly won't ruin your life.
So take a couple of deep breaths. Shake out your hands and do a couple of neck stretches. Close your eyes for a few seconds and just relax. And if all else fails, remember that Dick looks pretty funny walking at three miles/hour in his tighty-whities.