Timing on exam day - half-way pt, five-min warnings, etc.?

[pinfeathers6]

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This info can probably be found somewhere, but if someone knows off-hand I'd appreciate it. Does anyone know if proctors give you half-way or five minute warnings during a section? Is there a universal protocol for them to follow or is it just at their discretion? Just wondering. I'll be using my own watch but I was curious as to whether they give notice.

Thanks!

 

[PurpleHaze]

There is a universal protocol for it. I'm not 100% as to what it is, but it will be read to you tomorrow before the test starts (you know how it is... they read every instruction under the sun to you while you fill out the information sheet). I think you get a warning at the halfway point and at 5min left, but no other warnings.

 

[Nikki2002]

Last August, the last one we got for each section was a five minute warning.

 

[tictaq]

This info can probably be found somewhere, but if someone knows off-hand I'd appreciate it. Does anyone know if proctors give you half-way or five minute warnings during a section? Is there a universal protocol for them to follow or is it just at their discretion? Just wondering. I'll be using my own watch but I was curious as to whether they give notice.

Thanks!

there is only a 5 min warning I believe

 

[Zephyrus]

PS/BS

when the proctor says "you may begin" ....
write down the time he said it at the beginning of your booklet
write down the time after the first three 32 minute intervals, corresponding to the end of the first and second set of discretes (1/3, 2/3 through test), and the five-minute warning (when you should be wrapping up.)

e.g.
9:04 (begin)
9:36 (should be near 1st set of discretes)
10:08 (should be near 2nd set of discretes)
10:40 (approx. "5 minute warning" from proctor)

this is much quicker than having to "guesstimate" with one's watch, and eliminates any anxiety over time, since one can always flip to the benchmarks to gauge oneself.

for verbal, there are no "benchmarks" (i.e. discrete sections), so i write down 60 minutes after the start-time to give me an advanced warning if i'm behind, so that I can start skimming the last few passages.

e.g.
12:01 (begin)
1:01 (25 minutes remaining, should have 2 or 3 passages left)

It seems complicated, but it takes only seconds to write the times in one's booklet, and can then be referenced easily and quickly!

 

[pinfeathers6]

Thanks for the advice. I took Kaplan, so they actually tell you to use a good ol analog watch and start it from noon for each section. I've marked on the watch where I should be by each triad of passages and attack the discretes first. 🙂

 

[sweetstuff25]

i always found it useful to do the discretes first, so that the rest of the timing can be evenly split amongst passages. it's just easier to think that way.

 

[gujuDoc]

there is only a 5 min warning I believe

Actually during the 3 science sections there is a 45 minute warning and 5 minute warning. During the writing, since its sooooo much shorter there is a 5 minute warning before each essay time ends.