Time Management Strategies for the ACT and SAT

Use these time management strategies so you won't run out of time on the ACT or SAT.

The ACT and SAT questions are challenging by themselves. Add to it the limited time that you have to answer all the questions and these tests become even more challenging. Part of taking the SAT or ACT is knowing how to use your time wisely. If you find you’re running out of time to answer all of the questions, follow these time management strategies for the ACT and SAT.

6 Time Management Tips for Test Day

1. Don’t Know The Answer? Move On To The Next Question

Students approach the questions sequentially. That’s only natural (though you don’t have to). However, when you do that, if you are stuck on a particularly difficult problem, you could end up spending far too much time on it. That is time that could have been better spent answering 10 or more other questions.

The best way to approach the test is to first go ahead and answer all of those easy questions first. Then go back and answer the tougher ones. This way you minimize the loss of points due to lack of time.

2. For Reading, Read The Questions First and Skim

Why read the questions first in the reading portions? Because then you know what to look for. You don’t need to rely on memory alone, which can be iffy given the stress and time pressure.

You can also opt to skim the passage once to understand what the passage is about. This allows you to have an understanding of the basic ideas before you read the whole thing and could avoid subsequent rereads. However, unless you’re pressed for time, never answer the questions based on the skim alone. Many questions are designed to trick you, especially if you didn’t read the passage well enough.

3. Take Practice Tests

Practice makes perfect, they say. The best way to score well on the ACT or SAT (and improve your time) is to familiarize yourself with the different types of questions. Getting familiar with the questions will help you answer them faster and know what to expect on the test.

However, it’s not just your grasp of the subject matter that will improve with practice tests. You’ll get a better handle on the pacing of the exam, too. You’ll know what areas you tend to take too long on and can work to improve your speed going forward.

4. If Running Out of Time or Simply Don’t Know, Guess

There may be a question or two you run into on the ACT or SAT that you simply don’t know no matter how much time you spend on it. Or you might run out of time and not be able to return to give those difficult questions the time they deserve. If you run into this scenario, it is always better to guess than to leave answers blank! By guessing, you have a 25% chance of getting it right.

If you pace yourself correctly, you shouldn’t run out of time, but every test is different.

5. Use Leftover Time to Review Your Answers

If you find you’ve completed the section of the ACT or SAT and have a few minutes left over, don’t just sit back and relax! Use this time wisely. Review your answers, and take some extra time to go over the ones you weren’t positive about or sections you rushed through.

6. Wear a Watch

Most testing rooms for the physical SAT or ACT will have clocks in them, but you know classrooms – is there any guarantee the clock will be working? Or showing the right time? You won’t be able to look at your phone to double check!

Wearing a watch is a good idea as you can be sure it’s working. However, you should never wear a smartwatch. It’s not allowed in the test and if it goes unnoticed by the proctor but goes off, you could be disqualified from the exam. You should also make sure your clock won’t beep at any point or this could also get you disqualified.

Good time management is essential to doing well on the SAT and ACT. Practice tests will help you get a better idea of pacing, and they’ll give you valuable information about what sections you require more or less time on. It’s not all about knowing the answers! Time management has always been a part of the exams that need your attention during prep.

Most colleges still require an SAT or ACT score from their applicants. By understanding what last year’s accepted class averaged on the SAT or ACT, you’ll know what you’ll need to aim for. This can be invaluable information during prep and studying! Use our College Match tool today to see what your potential schools are looking for on the SAT and ACT from their students.