Ace exams by reading first and budgeting every minute
The clock ticks down as you flip the exam sheet and panic rises. But those first minutes are your best asset. Scan every question—essay prompts, tight-answer items, anything that grabs your eye. Mark which you can nearly answer in your sleep and which prompt a furrowed brow. This primes your brain across all topics simultaneously.
Next, you carve out a time budget: take the total exam time, subtract ten minutes for review, then divide by the number of questions or sections. Jot these numbers in the margin. These aren’t rigid shackles but gentle guides that keep you from giving one prompt too much love or leaving another untouched.
When you’re ready, zero in on the easiest questions first. You’ve already identified them, so you whip through those high-confidence answers, stacking up solid points. With each answered prompt, your heart rate falls and your focus sharpens. By the time you reach the tougher items, you’ve banked enough points to relax.
For essays, don’t plunge into prose. Outline the mini-questions you underlined earlier, bullet evidence beneath each, and number your points for a smooth flow. This margin plan turns a blank page into a clear roadmap, preventing writer’s block and ensuring you don’t forget critical parts.
These tactics draw on time management and test-taking research: scanning primes recall, time budgets prevent bottlenecks, and outlines reduce cognitive load. By combining them, you maintain composure, optimize effort, and maximize your exam score.
At exam start, spend a few minutes reading every prompt to spot your easiest wins and toughest challenges. Subtract ten minutes from the clock, divide the remainder by the question count, and note your ideal time on the margins. Then answer the simple questions first to build momentum. For each essay, outline the main parts and bullet your evidence in the margin before you write. This method keeps you on track, calm, and efficient. Try it on your next test.
What You'll Achieve
You’ll feel less anxiety, maintain steady focus, and avoid running out of time. Externally, you’ll complete more questions, write more comprehensive essays, and see better exam grades.
Master exam pacing without panic
Scan the entire exam at the start.
Use the first few minutes to read all prompts, noting which are easy, medium, or hard and priming your memory.
Subtract ten minutes and divide by question count.
Create a safety buffer, then calculate your time budget per question or section and jot it on the paper’s margin.
Answer easiest questions first.
Tackle prompts you know well to secure points quickly, freeing mental space for the tougher ones later.
Outline essays before writing.
For each essay, note mini-questions and bullet evidence in the margin, then flesh out the prose, ensuring you cover all parts.
Reflection Questions
- How often have you run out of time on past exams?
- Which section will you tackle first next test?
- What buffer will you reserve for final review?
- How will you practice outlining under timed conditions?
Personalization Tips
- In a sales pitch, you review all client requirements first, allocate your 30-minute prep equally, then craft the easiest slides first.
- During a coding interview, you skim all tasks, budget your hour, solve straightforward problems first, and outline your approach to the tough one.
- At a musical performance, you run through each piece’s key changes, plan rehearsal time per movement, and tackle familiar ones to build confidence.
How to Become a Straight-A Student
Ready to Take Action?
Get the Mentorist app and turn insights like these into daily habits.