quote:
Originally posted by AlexK:
My experience definitely supports this idea. I finished my AP American exam (the multiple choice and all of the short-answers except part of one with something like 55 minutes to spare for the DBQ (big document-based question essay). In fact, I ended up finishing with just enough time because I spent extra time organizing and developing my essay to a large extent. Then I went back and was able to easily finish that last short-answer question which I had been taking too long on with too many elaborations. With the multiple choice questions in the beginning, I had done better in budgeting my time, and there were three or four which I wasn't sure about, but the best answers came quite clearly, actually, when I went through the questions with a second quick pass that couldn't have lasted more than a minute or so.
So listen to AlexK! People waste their time doing everything from reading or studying to running to dishwashing to test-taking with the illusion of (misdirected) extra "effort" as the way to force their way through in order to achieve success by sheer willpower. I have certainly done this before. Only recently have I learned to let go of math problems that I don't immediately find the answer to and come back to them later. This simple technique can make my homework take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour less than it would otherwise!
Focused energy is of course the best for achieving any goal. But what most people don't realize is that that focus must be directed towards an efficient method; otherwise it is effort wasted, and that sure is exhausting and frustrating for a person to witness.
-Cameron
If you already know the information then the problem might be your approach/strategy during the exam. Time is often adequate if you alocate a time limit to each question marginally short of the time that might be recommended for the test. Then when the time [b]you allocate for the question is up move on to the next question. Most problems arise when time is wasted on a question that you find difficult to answer and not spending it on getting the ones you can answer done first. If you calculate your time properly you'll be through to the end of the test with time to spare to go back and fix any questions you couldn't answer earlier.
Alex
[This message has been edited by AlexK (edited December 30, 2003).][/B]
