A word on Pacing

I felt that it was perhaps a bit disappointing to just comment on how accurate the practice exams were for the SAT Subject Test, so I figured I might comment a bit on the pacing.

With practice exams, I find myself easily going fast, and finishing well before the 1 hour is over. Of course, when I go back to check whether or not my answers were accurate, I find myself with many "careless" mistakes for not reading the question properly.

Even with the in-class practice exams that are graded, I find myself finishing well before the 1 hour time limit AND, with my time to spare, having the time to check over my answers and find no careless mistakes. And usually I would have no careless mistakes.

The thing with the actual test is that you find yourself going slower than normal. This may seem to be a bit obvious for some, but it's something interesting to point out. The thing is, the actual test has a lot more emphasis on excerpts, and this doesn't appear to hold true for practice exams. This is one reason why you may be going slow.

Another reason possibly is because we are nervous. For most of us this is the "real thing", it's now or never, it's our future, or part of our future being decided right now. In that aspect, it is a bit frightening.

For me, I find myself thinking "Oh dear, I am not doing so well" while I'm absent-mindedly reading the excerpt -- later I would just have to read it with a faster speed, only to find that I don't understand it, so I would have to slow down and read it again.

Perhaps this anxiety doesn't apply to all of us.

But for my first experience with the SAT Subject Tests, I ended up spending a rough 70% on 50% of the questions, and squeezing in the last 45 questions on the last 20/30 minutes. There was some rushing there -- and now it's making me nervous after the test because the last thing I need is careless mistakes!

Ahh, I can only pray. Pray.

Several things to take away:

1) Don't take the statement "pacing is important!" Lightly
2) Practice is key!

Even if its practice under no pressure.

At least you'll be more "multiple choice" oriented...