How to Finish an Exam on Time

Co-authored by Ted Dorsey, MA

Last Updated: June 29, 2021 References

Finishing an exam on time can be a stressful feat, but it can be accomplished with the right preparation and mindfulness. Prior to the exam, you should be sure to study extensively, seek advice on the exam, and take care of your mind and body to prepare. During the exam, it is important to approach the questions strategically, keep track of the time, and make the most of how long you have to finish it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Strategizing Your Approach to Questions

1
Quickly review and assess the questions. When you receive your exam, read through all the questions before you begin. Note how much each question is worth and gauge how long you should spend working on each one, making sure that the time you assign to each is proportional to how much they’re worth.^{[1]
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Research source} Make sure that you read through the instructions thoroughly so that you know exactly what to do when you begin the test.
2
Answer the questions you know the answers to first. Answer the questions that you’re certain of before you attempt others to be sure that you receive the marks allotted for these questions; this way, you avoid the regret of losing marks over time restraints. Try starting with a longer question that holds more weight, then move on to smaller questions that you are also sure about. Completing these questions correctly will help build your confidence for the rest of the exam.^{[2]
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Plan out answers to long questions. Make sure you allot a bit of time for planning out longer, essay-style questions. Your plan won’t be marked once the full answer is complete, but it will make structuring your response much easier.^{[3]
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Research source} Keep a checklist in mind of guidelines for essay questions:
- Have a clear thesis statement
- Use keywords that will reflect your understanding of the material^{[4]
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- Demonstrate and support your arguments with examples and evidence^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Most of Your Time

1
Avoid taking breaks and leaving early. Taking unnecessary breaks will only eat up your limited exam time; make sure you use the washroom, fill your water bottle, and so on, before you enter the examination room or hall. Do your best to focus, and avoid letting your mind wander. If you are finished or convinced that you can’t answer anymore questions, stay and review your exam instead of leaving. Attempting to address questions you don’t know the answer to may leave you with extra marks, while leaving them blank will guarantee you get nothing.
2
Keep a close watch on the time. Check your watch or the nearest clock periodically to keep track of how much of the exam remains; to avoid looking up too often, check only when you finish a question or turn a page. If this is too distracting, take off your watch (or pull out your cellphone, if allowed) and place it directly in front of you. Note how long you are spending on each question and try to stick to the number of minutes you budgeted for each question; if you are taking too long on a question, flag it for later and move on.
3
Avoid letting exam anxiety get the best of you. Worry is normal during an exam, but letting panic get the best of you can waste a lot of precious time. If you start to feel overwhelmed, give yourself a moment to collect yourself and calm your mind. To do this effectively, put down your pen or pencil, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing; try to think positive thoughts. Once you feel stronger, resume the exam.^{[6]
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Keep yourself comfortable. Ensure that you stay comfortable during the exam by bringing a bottle of water with you, and a sweater that you can easily put on or remove. Anxiety is linked to temperature changes in the body, meaning that your exam worry can cause symptoms that might distract you and impede your work. Some physical manifestations of anxiety that affect temperature are:
- Vasoconstriction: when blood vessels tense up and cause the body to overheat^{[7]
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- Sweating: the body's response to vasoconstriction (to cool your body down)^{[8]
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- Over-sensitivity: discomfort caused by heightened sensitivity to the hot or cold^{[9]
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5
Make one last attempt at answering difficult questions. Take a final opportunity to complete any questions that you don’t know the answer to, which may at least earn you a few extra points. Have a strategy in mind for completing these questions before you get to them. When “guessing”, remember that:
- multiple choice answers that feel familiar are likely to be correct. ^{[10]
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- choosing longer multiple choice answers over shorter ones is usually the best bet.^{[11]
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- the answers to difficult questions may be found in prior questions.^{[12]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Preparing Yourself for the Exam

1
Make a list of testable course material. Go through course material, homework, and assignments to see what is likely to be covered in the exam. Make a detailed list so that you can study this course content, and ask teachers or classmates for any help or clarification you might need before the exam.^{[13]
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Research source} If possible, obtain a practice exam, online or from a teacher, to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions.^{[14]
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2
Ask for advice about the exam. If a sibling or friend has completed an exam for the same course in a prior year, ask for advice about how to approach it. Commiserating about this kind of academic challenge may also help you relieve exam-time stress.^{[15]
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Research source} To fully gain from the wisdom of their experience, ask questions like:
- ”How was the exam divided between different types of questions (e.g. multiple choice, true or false, and essay questions)?”
- ”What question (s) surprised you most on the exam?”
- ”Is there an area of study you wish you had focused on more?”
3
Devote a lot of time to studying. The best way to ensure that you complete an exam efficiently is by studying as much as you can beforehand. Research has shown that an even mix of studying and practice testing is the most ideal and time-efficient approach to learning. To optimize your studying, try:
- taking detailed notes; the process will help you remember the material later.^{[16]
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- closing or blocking distracting websites, and putting away your smartphone.^{[17]
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- putting on instrumental background music to perk you up and keep your focus.^{[18]
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- breaking up broad topics to study them more efficiently.
EXPERT TIP

Ted Dorsey, MA
Master's Degree, Education, University of California Los Angeles
Ted Dorsey is a Test Prep Tutor, author, and founder of Tutor Ted, an SAT and ACT tutoring service based in Southern California. Ted earned a perfect score on the SAT (1600) and PSAT (240) in high school. Since then, he has earned perfect scores on the ACT (36), SAT Subject Test in Literature (800), and SAT Subject Test in Math Level 2 (800). He has a BA in English from Princeton University and a MA in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Ted Dorsey, MA
Master's Degree, Education, University of California Los Angeles

Our Expert Agrees: The best way to improve your exam timing is to know the test better. If you know what to expect and you can get better at doing the test in the way it's meant to be done, then timing will no longer be an issue.
4
Make sure that you’re healthy and alert. An important way to prepare for an exam is to make sure you’re in the best shape possible to take the test. The mind and body are interconnected, and what we do to our body can greatly affect our mental state.^{[19]
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Research source} To make sure both your mind and body are ready for an exam, make sure to:
- get a minimum of 6-7 hours of sleep each night.^{[20]
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- eat a healthy diet full of essential nutrients.^{[21]
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- exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.^{[22]
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Community Q&A

Question

I can't finish my maths paper on time. What should I do?

Community Answer

Decide beforehand how much time you are going to spend on each section of the exam depending on the marks distributions. If your paper generally has the long answer type questions at the end, do the paper backwards.
Question

Is it better to be cold or warm when taking an exam?

Donagan

Top Answerer

It's better to be comfortable. Being too cold or too warm can be distracting.
Question

What should I do if my exam is on a computer at school and I am not allowed to go back to previous questions?

Community Answer

Just take your time with each question and answer to the best of your availability. If you absolutely don't know an answer and you don't think it will come to you, skip it and move on.