Time management on the GRE Quant section is one of the most important skills you can develop. While accuracy and content mastery are crucial, even strong students can lose valuable points if they do not manage their time effectively. The reality is that you may not have the time or ability to solve every question in full detail. That is perfectly normal. What matters most is that you maintain control of your pacing and make sure that you provide an answer for every question on the test.

A simple but highly effective timing strategy is this: answer every question as you encounter it. Even if you are uncertain or feel pressed for time, avoid leaving any question blank.

Here is why this approach works. If you skip questions with the hope of returning to them later, you risk running out of time before you get the chance. In that case, you guarantee yourself a zero on those questions. You lose any opportunity to earn points on problems that you might have partially understood or been able to guess correctly. On the other hand, if you make your best educated guess before moving on, you give yourself a chance. Even a random guess gives you a nonzero probability of selecting the right answer, and since the GRE has no penalty for incorrect responses, there is no downside to guessing. This mindset shift is small but powerful. It is about maximizing your score potential with the time available, not about striving for perfection on every problem.

Once you have moved through all the questions, you can use the review screen to see which ones you marked for a second look. If time remains, you can revisit those questions strategically. Focus first on the ones that seem most approachable or where a small amount of additional thought might lead to a correct solution. Skip the questions that still feel confusing or overly time-consuming. This approach keeps you calm, organized, and in control, even under pressure.

There is another advantage to this method. By interacting with every question once, you build familiarity. When you return to a marked question, you will not have to restart your thought process from scratch. You have already read the prompt, recognized the structure, and made an initial judgment. This reduces cognitive load and allows you to focus on solving, not reorienting yourself.

In short, one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your GRE Quant score is to ensure that you always put down an answer. Guess, mark, and move on. Then, if time permits, revisit with purpose. This habit helps you avoid the worst-case scenario—unanswered questions—and ensures that every minute you spend is contributing to your overall score.

Reach out to me with any questions about your GRE prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep