time/pressure Forum

[clay7676]

Just finished PT 52 Part one. Did first 13 then I stopped the clock. Then I did the last last 12 without the clock. On the first 13, I got 7/13, on the last 12 I got 12/12. I'm not sure if it has to do with 'warming up' or if I just can't handle the time constraint (and I don't think the first 12 were harder either). I don't know how this problem would translate into a formal setting, but it has me worried because something is going on. I'm thinking, maybe, I have this anxiety about time so I can't slow down and read each one carefully as time is always in the back of my mind. Without time, though, I can concentrate and fully sink in each question's components. This may be due to just general anxiety through my personality, but I'm sure I can overcome it somehow. Anyone else here dealt with it or experienced this and have some suggestions?

[susanqr91]

I think everyone experiences it to some degree. Without the time constraint, many if not most of us would get a better score. The trick is practice practice practice. I had this problem and by test day my brain was just used to it and I had a sort of internal clock.

What really helped me was switching it up. Don't do practice tests every day or timing yourself rigorously every section, or you'll burn out. Take your time learning techniques for different types of question and learn how to approach them efficiently, then work on speed. Practice sections going as quickly AND efficiently as you can and see how long it takes you to finish. Then work backwards, trying to shave off time. This really helped me, but every one works differently so try it and see how it works for you. Good luck

[iamgeorgebush]

With more timed practice this will become less of an issue. That's all I can really recommend for you when it comes to timing pressure---practice makes perfect!

(Of course, you should focus on accuracy at first. But it sounds like you're doing pretty well accuracy-wise, so I'd recommend focusing on timed practice.)

[bobtheblob916]

short answer: you'll get used to it.

[SecondWind]

With more timed practice this will become less of an issue. That's all I can really recommend for you when it comes to timing pressure---practice makes perfect!

(Of course, you should focus on accuracy at first. But it sounds like you're doing pretty well accuracy-wise, so I'd recommend focusing on timed practice.)

+1

Don't time yourself until you can get all or most all of them correct using unlimited time. Then review each question and see how you could have attacked the problem in a manner which you could have gotten to the solution quicker while still knowing why each correct is correct and why each wrong answer is wrong. Once you can do that consistently (i.e. you've practiced), then start working on pushing your speed to it's limits. In other words, accuracy first, speed second.