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When running short of time on the GMAT, completing the test is the top priority since unanswered questions carry harsher penalties. Use smart guessing heuristics and backup “SOS” strategies when needed. Practice pacing through mock tests to finish calmly and maximize your score.
Preparation for the GMAT is not only about mastering concepts but also about handling the test strategically under timed conditions. One of the most important aspects of test-taking discipline is ensuring that you attempt all questions. Leaving questions unanswered carries a heavier penalty than marking a few incorrect answers, which is why completing the test is always the higher priority. This is where your preparation strategy and regular practice with GMAT mock tests come into play. Alongside mastering concepts, mocks build your ability to pace yourself and finish strongly. Similarly, structured study through a reliable GMAT prep course allows you to be confident enough to attempt every question with balance.
It is often said that even the best laid plans go astray. No matter how well you prepare for your GMAT and how well you moderate your time, there is always a slight possibility that you will be unable to complete it in time. On a particular section, you might get a few extra-time-consuming questions, just have an off day, or suffer from a stroke of bad luck. Such situations are only natural and do not necessarily mean that you cannot get a good score. You must simply know to manage the situation and minimize the damage such dearth of time has on your overall GMAT score.
First and foremost, remember that on the GMAT, the penalty for not completing the test is greater than the penalty for getting the last few questions wrong. Thus, you must ensure that you answer every question, even if you have to employ guesswork to do so. Even if you have to mark questions blindly during the last few seconds of the test, that is all right. That having been said, there are still a few tricks that you can employ to increase your chances of getting the right answer. If you are forced to choose randomly, pick the shortest answer choice on all RC, CR, and all verbal-oriented DI questions. On all Quant problems and quantitative-oriented DI problems, if you have to guess and 0 is among the answer choices, select 0. On all other problems where you must guess, pick the same option each time, for example C, so that the general 20 percent probability of being correct works in your favor. Statistically, these are just a bit more likely to be correct
In the most extreme of cases, you might simply not be able to answer all of the questions. In this situation, you will have to make an educated guess on some questions, flag them for review, and move on so that you can maximize the number that you get to. In the Verbal section, you can apply this approach to one RC set to create more time for the remaining questions. In the Quant section, you may do this for around three lengthy to read questions, and in the DI section, it would be best to use it on a Multi-Source Reasoning set. If, at the end of the section, time permits, return to the flagged questions and give them a calm re attempt.
It must be stressed at this point that these strategies are emergency strategies, only to be applied if you feel that you will not be able to complete the GMAT otherwise. Do not use the tricks related to answer choice length as a general guideline while normally solving questions, and never skip a question unless you absolutely have to. These are backup, damage control strategies.
A thoughtful approach to time on the GMAT often mirrors the larger journey toward a graduate degree and the career that follows. Every significant step in this path asks for clarity, calm judgment, and the ability to make purposeful decisions even when conditions are less than ideal. Whether you are preparing for the GMAT, the GRE, your MBA application process, or the demanding years of business school, you will meet moments when plans do not unfold exactly as imagined. What matters then is your ability to stay steady, choose wisely, and keep moving with intention. The discipline you build while managing time pressures on the GMAT quietly strengthens the mindset that will help you shape strong applications and later navigate the academic, professional, and personal choices that come with an MBA. When you learn to handle pressure with balance, you prepare yourself not only for a good test day but also for a thoughtful and resilient life path.
