Time Management During Actuarial Exams

Setting Your Pace

Calculate your target time per question before the exam. For a 30-question, 3-hour exam, that is 6 minutes per question. During the exam, check your pace every 5 to 10 questions. If you are behind, move faster on questions you know well and flag difficult ones for later. Do not spend more than double the target time on any single question in your first pass.

The Two-Pass Strategy

On the first pass, answer every question you can solve confidently within the target time. Flag anything that requires extended calculation or where you are unsure of the approach. On the second pass, return to flagged questions with your remaining time, starting with those you are most likely to solve. If time is running short, make educated guesses on remaining questions since there is usually no penalty for wrong answers on actuarial exams. Practice this two-pass approach on timed practice exams to build the habit before exam day.