Time Management for SAT

SAT Time Breakdown

Reading Section (65 minutes)

• 5 passages with 10-11 questions each
• 52 total questions
• Average: ~13 minutes per passage + questions

Writing Section (35 minutes)

• 4 passages with 11 questions each
• 44 total questions
• Average: ~8.75 minutes per passage

Math No-Calculator (25 minutes)

• 20 questions (15 multiple choice + 5 grid-in)
• Average: 1.25 minutes per question

Math Calculator (55 minutes)

• 38 questions (30 multiple choice + 8 grid-in)
• Average: 1.45 minutes per question

The 3-Pass Strategy

Pass 1: The Easy Ones (40% of time)

Goal: Answer all questions you can do quickly and confidently

Criteria for "easy":

• You immediately know how to solve it
• Takes less than 30 seconds to read and understand
• You're 90%+ confident in your answer

Mark answers and MOVE ON — don't second-guess

Pass 2: The Medium Ones (40% of time)

Goal: Tackle questions that require more thought

Criteria for "medium":

• You understand what's being asked
• You know the approach but need time to work through it
• Requires calculation or careful reading

Work efficiently — if stuck after 1-2 minutes, make educated guess and move to Pass 3

Pass 3: The Hard Ones (15% of time)

Goal: Attempt remaining questions using educated guessing

Strategy:

• Use process of elimination
• Make strategic guesses (no penalty for wrong answers!)
• Don't leave ANY blanks

Reserve 5% of time for review

Section-Specific Time Management

Reading: The Passage Dilemma

Two approaches — pick what works for YOU:

Approach A: Read Then Answer

• 5 minutes: Read passage carefully
• 8 minutes: Answer all 10-11 questions
• Best for: Strong readers who retain details

Approach B: Skim Then Hunt

• 2 minutes: Skim passage for main idea
• 11 minutes: Read questions, then find answers in passage
• Best for: Those who struggle with long passages

Writing: Speed is Key

Target: 8 minutes per passage

• 2-3 minutes: Read passage
• 5-6 minutes: Answer questions (30-45 seconds each)

Pro tip: Grammar questions are FAST — use this to bank time for reading comprehension questions

Math No-Calculator: Every Second Counts

Target pace:

| Questions | Time per Q | Total Time | |-----------|------------|------------| | 1-10 (easier) | 1 min | 10 min | | 11-15 (harder MC) | 1.5 min | 7.5 min | | 16-20 (grid-in) | 1.5 min | 7.5 min |

Time saved: None! This section is tight. Skip hard ones and come back.

Math Calculator: You Have More Time

Target pace:

| Questions | Time per Q | Total Time | |-----------|------------|------------| | 1-20 | 1 min | 20 min | | 21-30 | 1.5 min | 15 min | | 31-38 | 2 min | 16 min | | Review | — | 4 min |

Strategy: Bank time on easy questions for harder ones at the end

When to Skip and Come Back

Skip if:

• You've spent 2× the target time and aren't close to an answer
• You have no idea where to start
• The question makes you anxious (come back with fresh eyes)
• You're in Pass 1 and it's not immediately obvious

DON'T Skip if:

• You're almost done (finish it!)
• It's the last 5 minutes (guess and move on)
• You've already skipped 5+ questions (try process of elimination)

Bubble Sheet Strategy

Option 1: Answer as You Go

Pros: Don't forget to bubble; less risk
Cons: Slows you down slightly with constant switching

Best for: Those prone to forgetting or making bubbling errors

Option 2: Bubble by Page

Pros: Faster; stay in "question mode"
Cons: Risk of forgetting; could bubble wrong row

Best for: Confident test-takers with good focus

CRITICAL: If using Option 2, bubble after EVERY passage/page, not at the very end!

Pacing Checkpoints

Use these to stay on track:

Reading

• After 13 min: Should finish passage 1
• After 26 min: Should finish passage 2
• After 52 min: Should finish passage 4
• Final 13 min: Passage 5 + review

Writing

• After 9 min: Finish passage 1
• After 18 min: Finish passage 2
• After 27 min: Finish passage 3
• Final 8 min: Passage 4 + quick review

Math No-Calculator

• After 10 min: Finish question 10
• After 17 min: Finish question 15
• Final 8 min: Questions 16-20

Math Calculator

• After 20 min: Finish question 20
• After 35 min: Finish question 30
• Final 20 min: Questions 31-38 + review

What If You're Behind?

If 5 minutes behind:

• Skip longer/harder questions
• Speed up reading (skim, don't study)
• Accept 90% accuracy instead of 100%

If 10+ minutes behind:

• Make educated guesses on 3-5 questions
• Focus on your strongest question types
• Ensure you at least attempt every question

What If You're Ahead?

DON'T:

❌ Second-guess easy questions (trust your first instinct)
❌ Overthink (especially on reading — you're probably right)
❌ Rush through remaining questions (maintain accuracy)

DO:

✓ Double-check grid-ins (bubbling errors are costly)
✓ Verify you answered what's asked (not $x$ when they want $2x$)
✓ Attempt skipped questions with fresh perspective
✓ Check for careless errors in math

Practice Test Time Management

During practice, train like it's the real thing:

1. Time yourself strictly — set timer per section
2. Mark pacing checkpoints — note time when you hit them
3. Track time-per-question — identify where you're slow
4. Practice skipping — get comfortable moving on
5. Simulate test day — take full practice test in one sitting

Common Time Management Mistakes

❌ Perfectionism — spending 5 minutes on a 1-point question
❌ Reading too carefully — every word doesn't matter
❌ Not skipping — getting stuck instead of moving on
❌ No strategy — just going in order without pacing plan
❌ Panic bubbling — rushing to fill in at the end
❌ Ignoring checkpoints — not realizing you're behind until too late

Mental Time Management

Energy management = Time management

Front-load effort:

• First 2 passages: Full focus
• Middle passages: Steady pace
• Last passage: Second wind (almost done!)

Take micro-breaks:

• Between passages: 10-second breath
• After hard question: Blink, refocus
• If frustrated: Skip and come back

Maintain confidence:

• Don't dwell on hard questions
• Trust your preparation
• Remember: You don't need perfection

Test Day Time Checklist

Before each section: ☐ Note start time on test booklet
☐ Calculate checkpoint times
☐ Take a deep breath
☐ Start with confidence

During section: ☐ Check time at each checkpoint
☐ Skip strategically if behind
☐ Mark skipped questions clearly
☐ Bubble carefully (if doing per-page)

5 minutes remaining: ☐ Bubble any remaining answers
☐ Make educated guesses on blanks
☐ Quick review if time permits

Final 30 seconds: ☐ Ensure every question has an answer
☐ One last check of grid-ins

The Golden Rules

1. There is no penalty for guessing — answer EVERY question
2. Don't spend 5 minutes to gain 1 point — skip and come back
3. Check pacing every 15 minutes — stay on track
4. Your first instinct is usually right — don't over-revise
5. Confidence is speed — trust your preparation

Remember: The SAT tests how quickly AND accurately you work. Practice both!