Pacing is a critical skill for success on the SAT, as it allows you to allocate your time efficiently across all sections of the exam. The SAT is a timed test, with specific time limits for each section, so managing your pace can significantly impact your overall score.
Start by familiarizing yourself with the time constraints: 64 minutes for the Reading section and a combined 70 minutes for the Math sections for the total of 2 hours and 14 minutes.Each section is divided into 2 equal length modules, and there is a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing section and the Math section. Knowing these limits helps you plan how much time to spend on each question.
During practice, focus on developing a sense of how long you can spend on each question. In the Reading section, aim to spend about 13 minutes per passage, allowing time to answer the associated questions. For Writing and Language, try to spend no more than 45 seconds per question. In Math, roughly a minute per question is a good target.
If you encounter difficult questions, don’t dwell on them. Instead, skip and return to them if time allows. Regular timed practice tests are essential to hone your pacing skills. They help you build stamina and get a realistic sense of how to manage your time effectively during the actual exam.
Pacing ensures that you complete the entire section within the time limit, maximizing your chance to answer every question. It also helps reduce stress, as you’re less likely to feel rushed in the final minutes of the test. When you pace properly, you can approach each question with a clear mind, improving your accuracy.
Additionally, practicing pacing during SAT preparation helps you develop a strategy to skip particularly challenging questions and return to them later. This prevents getting stuck and wasting valuable time. Since the SAT does not penalize for incorrect answers, pacing allows you to give your best effort on questions you know while leaving time to make educated guesses on others.
Overall, good pacing helps you balance speed and accuracy, ensuring that you maximize your score potential by answering as many questions as possible in the time allowed.