gmat test taking strategy

[CBANEZ]

The GMAT score is reduced if questions are anwered incorrectly or if you do not finish a section (leaving many questions unanswered). Articles about test taking strategies state that if one cannot solve a problem, one should choose an answer by using the process of elimination (eliminate the choices which are obviously wrong and choose an answer from the choices which were not eliminated). Many times I come across a question which I either don't understand or have no way of knowing how to solve. If I use the process of elimination for these types of questions, I spend too much time on the question. When I spend too much time on these questions, I cannot finish the section and/or leave too many questions unanswered. What should I do when I run into questions which I either don't understand or have no way of knowing how to solve? Should I forget about using the process of elimination and instead just choose any answer (if I employ this method, I won't spend so much time analyzing this question and will have more time left so that I can finish the section)? Which will reduce one's score more - answering questions incorrectly or not finishing a section and/or leaving many questions unanswered?

In addition, I also run into questions which I know how to solve but I know that solving them will take a long time. If I work on this problem, I may not finish the section or may leave many subsequent questions unanswered. How do I handle these types of questions? Do I just choose any answer so that I can work on subsequent questions which may not take as long to solve?

Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,
Carina Banez
(removed)

[StaceyKoprince]

Hi, I removed your personal contact info - not a good idea to put that stuff up for the public to view on the forums. Too many spammers are prowling around!

If you don't have any idea how to do something, then yes, you should just guess and move on. There's nothing you can do, so don't waste time doing nothing useful. :)

You'll never know how to do everything that they give you (because whatever you can do, they'll just give you something harder).

Read this:

https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/inde ... lly-tests/

Then these:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... -to-do-it/

Finally this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

Good luck!