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The GMAT is more than just a test—it’s a challenge designed to measure your decision-making skills, much like evaluating business opportunities. Your task is to identify which questions are worth your time and which aren’t, then prioritize wisely and commit to your choices. It’s less about getting every answer right and more about making smart, strategic decisions under pressure.

Good time management is essential, just like in real business situations. This blog will guide you through time management tips for GMAT prep shifting from the old approach of solving everything to a smarter mindset—knowing when to tackle a problem and when to let it go.

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GMAT Timing Breakdown

Here’s a simple table to help you understand the timing for GMAT:

GMAT Section Number of Questions Time Allotted Average Time per Question
Quantitative 21 45 minutes 2.15 minutes
Verbal 23 45 minutes ~2 minutes
Data Insights 20 45 minutes 2.25 minutes

Sticking to these averages ensures you complete each section on time. However, maintaining this pace can be challenging. In this blog, we’ll dive into the tips to pace yourself on the GMAT prep. You’ll learn why timing is so important, pick up some time management strategies, and get practical tips to confidently tackle the quantitative, verbal, and data insights sections.

Why is Time Management Essential for GMAT Prep?

Many test-takers face challenges with GMAT timing because they try to tackle more than they realistically can. They often aim to answer every question perfectly, which results in either rushing or spending too much time on difficult problems, leading to careless mistakes or running out of time. It’s important to understand that achieving a high GMAT score doesn’t require perfect accuracy. Top scores can still be achieved with a reasonable number of errors, as long as those errors are spread evenly across the exam and don’t consume excessive time. The important thing is to make sure that the easier questions are answered correctly and efficiently, without spending too much time on overly difficult ones. Establishing effective time-management habits during practice sessions is essential for developing solid pacing skills beforehand, ensuring that pacing becomes second nature on test day.

How to Use the Clock (Timer) Effectively on the GMAT

It is important to keep an eye on the timer during the GMAT to ensure that you’re pacing yourself effectively. Since the timer counts down rather than up, having timing benchmarks in mind helps you stay on track. Regularly checking the time helps you adjust your pace, avoid rushing at the end, and maximize your performance in all sections. Get some insights on the key takeaways from the first year of the new GMAT.

Verbal Section Timing Strategy
Question Number Allocated Time Time Remaining on Timer
1-5 10 minutes 35 minutes
6-10 10 minutes 25 minutes
11-15 10 minutes 15 minutes
16-19 10 minutes 5 minutes
20-23 5 minutes End Test
Quantitative Section Timing Strategy
Question Number Allocated Time Time Remaining on Timer
1-4 9 minutes 36 minutes
5-8 9 minutes 27 minutes
9-13 9 minutes 18 minutes
14-17 9 minutes 9 minutes
18-21 9 minutes End Test
Data Insights Section Timing Strategy
Question Number Allocated Time Time Remaining on Timer
1-4 9 minutes 36 minutes
5-8 9 minutes 27 minutes
9-12 9 minutes 18 minutes
13-16 9 minutes 9 minutes
17-20 9 minutes End Test

Practicing Timing Strategies in Study Mode

During study mode, it’s important not to focus on timing. The main goal at this stage is to deepen your understanding of the concepts, not to rush through problems. When you time yourself, it can create unnecessary pressure and prevent you from fully grasping the reasoning behind each solution. Instead, take your time to explore different approaches, review explanations step-by-step, and figure out how the concepts connect. This careful, step-by-step method reinforces the learning in your GMAT prep process, making it easier to quickly apply strategies in exam mode.

Read our GMAT Exam Success Stories

Timing Strategy in Exam Mode: Tips to Maximize Your Score

Practicing under exam conditions is important for getting used to the pressure and timing of the GMAT. By simulating the test environment, you can improve your timing and build the confidence you need to do well on test day.

Know When to Move On

When working through a challenging question, use the first minute to evaluate your understanding. At this stage, you should have sufficient insight to evaluate whether you have a clear strategy for solving the problem. If, after a minute, you’re still uncertain and haven’t made substantial progress, it’s best to move on. The longer you struggle, the less likely you are to arrive at a solution, and your time is better spent on questions you can solve. Make an educated guess and flag the question for review later. This strategy helps conserve time and mental energy, enabling you to concentrate on other questions more efficiently.

How Many Hours Should I Study for the GMAT Focus Edition?

Power of Elimination and Guessing

If you’re unsure about a question, try to eliminate as many incorrect answers as possible to improve your chances of selecting the right one. Even making a random guess gives you a 20% chance of success. Leaving a question unanswered often carries a significant penalty, so it’s best to always attempt. You might find clues in the question that can help you rule out wrong choices, even if you’re not certain about the correct answer. This strategy can significantly help maximize your score.

How to Prepare for GMAT Verbal (Focus Edition) in 30 Days jamboree

Use of the Bookmark and Review Feature

The “Bookmark and Review” feature is a helpful tool for managing your time. If you come across a question that’s taking too long or you’re unsure about, flag it and move on. After finishing the easier questions, come back to the flagged ones when you have time left. This lets you focus on the questions you can confidently answer, without wasting too much time on difficult ones. Using this feature wisely helps you stay on track and make the most of your time during the test.

GMAT Sectional Timing Strategies

GMAT Quantitative Section timing tips

In the GMAT Quantitative section, you have 45 minutes to answer 21 questions, averaging 2.15 minutes per question. To manage your time effectively, solve easier questions in about one minute and allocate more time for difficult ones. Start quickly, use all provided information, and avoid getting stuck. If a question takes over three minutes without a clear solution, make your best guess and move on.

GMAT Verbal Section timing tips

In the verbal section, timing depends on the question type. In Critical Reasoning (CR), which makes up roughly 40% of the verbal section, you may end up spending 1-1.5 minutes tackling easy and medium questions. More difficult CR questions may take up to 3 minutes. For Reading Comprehension (RC), which accounts for the remaining 60% of the verbal section, allocate 3-5 minutes, depending on the length, to read the passage. Concentrate on understanding the main idea and the author’s tone, as you can always revisit specific details when answering the questions. RC questions can take between 30 seconds and 90 seconds.

GMAT Exam Success Stories: 90+ percentile in Verbal

GMAT Data Insights Section timing tips

To manage time efficiently, use the elimination technique for Data Sufficiency questions to eliminate wrong answers quickly. Focus on identifying key information in graphs, tables, and multi-source data, and refer back to details as needed. Avoid trying to absorb all the data upfront. Lastly, use the calculator wisely to simplify calculations, but don’t rely on it for every question.

Learn more about the Data Insights Section

Importance of Sectional Tests & Full-Length Tests

Don’t wait until test day to implement your time management strategy! Taking practice tests regularly is one important step of your GMAT prep journey as it helps you identify what works for you and where you need improvement. These tests allow you to fine-tune your pacing for both sectional and full-length tests, enabling you to handle timing challenges and build the stamina needed for the real exam. Sectional tests are great for practicing specific timing, while full-length tests help you develop endurance and maintain accuracy over the full 1.5-2-hour test duration. Regular practice ensures you are ready to perform at your best on test day.

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FAQs

For the Quantitative and Data Insights sections, it’s around 2.15-2.25 minutes per question. For the Verbal section, it’s roughly 2 minutes.
Focus on eliminating incorrect answers quickly, use the calculator wisely, and don’t try to absorb all the data at once. Refer back to the details when needed.
Spend 1-1.5 minutes on easy and medium Critical Reasoning questions and 3-5 minutes on Reading Comprehension passages, focusing on the main idea.
If a question is taking too long, move on after a minute or two. Make your best guess and flag it for review later to conserve time.
Full-length tests help build stamina and practice time management, ensuring you're prepared for the actual exam. Attempting these tests is a critical part of your GMAT prep.