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[smalishah84]

Can please someone tell me if this first 10-15 question theory on both the sections is correct? Some say that the first 10-15 questions on both the sections are crucial to a higher score. i.e a strong start and a weak finish will earn a higher score than a weak start and a strong finish. Is this true?????Anyone???????

[Hokie]

This is a complicated question - I haven't really been able to find a definitive answer, but I can share what I have heard:

- Every question is important.
- You should ignore any strategy that suggests taking longer on earlier questions.

However, logically, as each question either gives you a harder question that can lead to more points or reduces your chances of more difficult questions, it follows that more weight in points is found earlier.

IMPORTANT: Focus on getting the most questions right -- I took the GMAT before, you will need the max amount of time on many of the questions, especially if you continue to get them right. Taking too much time on the earlier questions will lead you to get more wrong as you rush to finish the section, and you may very well fall back below the level you gained.

[smalishah84]

Thanks Hokie

BUT Hokie there is one thing that I have experienced with giving the GRE. I had heard that this same thing applied to GRE and the GRE has 28 questions to be completed in 45 mins. I had done 22 questions in 44 minutes and the last six were all random guesses. My quant score was 800. I had been very careful in the first 15 questions taking almost 27 minutes for them. It had paid off then.

BUT I am not too sure about the GMAT. The PowerScore company seems to agree with the above theory but Manhattan GMAT has to say what you are saying.

I dont know what I will do on the test date but something tells me that I will probably be leaning more towards giving every question the respect it deserves.

Any one else thought about this issue?

[bdahlg68]

I've been happy with just working to complete the entire section with a couple minutes to spare. I try not to watch the time. I focus more on staying focused and calm rather than paying too much attention to the exact number of seconds I have left per question. Using a strategy like this will probably help your confidence on test day as well. Especially considering either strategy you mention is more or less speculation and could really get your nerves going.

Otherwise, Princeton Review offers a strategy of 25 minutes each for 1st 12 questions and 2nd 12 questions, with 25 minutes remaining for last 13 in Quant. Similar strategy in verbal but with 13/14/14 questions per 25 minutes.

Hope this helps!

[Hokie]

@bdahlg68 - the Princeton Review strategy is good to hear! That's similar to what I used when I took my initial GMAT.

I agree with bdahlg68 in principle. I can use the relaxed approach during Verbal, but in Quant (my weaker subject) I have to watch my time carefully. I think it is important to pay attention to the amount of time you are using, and, if you get too far over 2 mins, start eliminating answers.

I also want to add that, if you give even 15 seconds more to the first 10 questions, you will have used an additional 2.5 minutes on these over the standard 2 minutes each. This is more than you have allotted for any question. Having tried this strategy - it tends to leave me very rushed at the end. Just my thoughts. : )