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How to Pace Yourself Through 122 ASWB Exam Questions

How to Pace Yourself Through 122 ASWB Exam Questions

 

Pacing yourself on the ASWB exam isn’t simply about answering questions quickly. It’s about using your time strategically so you can carefully work through challenging questions, avoid getting stuck, and still have time to review the questions you’ve flagged.

Beginning August 3, 2026, the ASWB Social Work Licensing Exams use a 122-question format. You’ll complete two separate sections of 61 questions, with up to two hours for each section. After finishing the first 61 questions, you’ll have the option to take a scheduled break of up to 10 minutes, during which the exam clock stops. Once you submit the first section, however, you cannot return to those questions.

That change makes having a pacing strategy especially important. Instead of thinking about one long 122-question marathon, you can approach the exam as two manageable 61-question blocks. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how much time you have per question, where your pacing checkpoints should fall, when to flag a difficult question and move on, and how to leave yourself enough time for review. We’ll also show you how to practice this strategy before test day using full-length 122-question ASWB practice exams from Agents of Change.

Learn more about the 2026 ASWB exam changes

1) Understanding the 122-Question ASWB Exam Structure

Before you can build a pacing strategy for 122 ASWB exam questions, you need to understand how the new exam is structured. The biggest shift isn’t simply that the exam is shorter. The ASWB exam is now divided into two separate 61-question sections, which means you should think about test day as two distinct testing blocks rather than one four-hour marathon.

a social worker studying at a modern library

The current structure applies across the ASWB Social Work Licensing Exam categories and is designed to place greater emphasis on applying professional knowledge, problem-solving, and reasoning.

The Basics: What You’re Up Against

Here’s the current ASWB exam format:

Component Current ASWB Exam
Total Questions 122
Scored Questions 110
Unscored Questions 12
Testing Time 4 hours total
Section 1 61 questions, up to 2 hours
Scheduled Break Optional break of up to 10 minutes after Section 1
Section 2 61 questions, up to 2 hours
Question Format 3- or 4-option multiple-choice questions
Correct Answers 1 correct answer per question

ASWB divides the exam into two 61-question sections with a two-hour limit for each section. Once you submit Section 1, those answers are final. You cannot return to the first 61 questions after moving on to Section 2.

That last point matters a lot for pacing.

On the old exam, you could think about managing your time across one large pool of questions. Now, you need to complete your answering and reviewing within each two-hour section. Saving all of your review time for the end of the four-hour exam is no longer an option.

Scored vs. Unscored Questions

Of the 122 questions you’ll see, 110 are scored and 12 are unscored. The unscored questions are included so ASWB can collect information about potential future exam questions.

The important part? You won’t know which 12 questions are unscored.

That means your strategy should remain simple:

  • Treat every question as though it counts.
  • Don’t spend extra time trying to determine whether an unusual question is scored or unscored.
  • If a question feels especially difficult, use your normal decision-making strategy, select your best answer, flag it if needed, and keep moving.

An unfamiliar or challenging question isn’t necessarily an indication that you’re doing poorly. Your job is simply to make the best decision you can based on the information provided.

Think of the Exam as Two 61-Question Tests

This is one of the most helpful mindset shifts you can make.

Instead of walking into the testing center thinking:

“I have to get through 122 questions.”

Think:

“I have two hours to work through 61 questions, review my flagged items, submit that section, reset, and do it again.”

Within each section, the testing software allows you to skip questions, return to previous questions, flag questions for review, and change your answers. Once you submit the section, however, you cannot reopen it.

This gives you a natural pacing reset halfway through the exam.

What Happens After Question 61?

After you complete your first 61-question section, you’ll be prompted to review and submit your answers. Once you submit them, Section 1 is closed.

You’ll then have the option to take a scheduled break of up to 10 minutes. During this scheduled break, the testing clock stops. You can choose to take the entire break, take a shorter break, or move directly into the second section.

For most test-takers, using at least some of this break can be valuable. Stand up, use the restroom if necessary, have a drink or permitted snack, and give your brain a brief reset before beginning the next 61 questions.

Keep in mind that unscheduled breaks are different. You may request an unscheduled break during the exam, but your testing clock continues to run.

Question Types You’ll Encounter

The ASWB exam continues to use multiple-choice questions, but questions may now include three or four answer options, with the 2026 exam increasing the proportion of three-option questions. ASWB has also increased the emphasis on questions that require candidates to apply professional knowledge through reasoning and problem-solving, rather than relying primarily on simple recall.

You may encounter questions that ask you to:

  • Recall relevant Social Work knowledge.
  • Apply knowledge to a client situation.
  • Determine what a Social Worker should do FIRST or NEXT.
  • Choose the BEST or MOST APPROPRIATE response.
  • Prioritize safety, assessment, ethics, or intervention.
  • Reason through several answers that may initially appear appropriate.

That’s why pacing isn’t just about calculating how many seconds you can spend on every question. Some questions may take you 30 seconds. Others may require two minutes of careful reasoning.

The goal is to create enough flexibility that the difficult questions don’t derail the rest of your section.

The Big Takeaway

The new ASWB exam gives you fewer questions than the previous format, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon your pacing strategy. Instead, the new structure gives you a much cleaner way to manage your time.

61 questions. Two hours. Review. Submit. Break. Reset. Repeat.

Once you understand that rhythm, the next question becomes much easier to answer: Exactly how much time should you spend on each question?

That’s where the math of the new ASWB exam gets interesting.

Agents of Change packages include 50+ ASWB topics, 2 free study groups per month, and hundreds of practice questions so you’ll be ready for test day!

2) The Math of the Clock: Timing It Out

With the new 122-question ASWB exam, pacing looks very different than it did on the previous 170-question exam.

You still have four total hours of testing time, but those four hours are now divided into two separate two-hour sections of 61 questions each. That distinction matters because you cannot save unused time from Section 1 and add it to Section 2. You have a maximum of 120 minutes for each set of 61 questions.

Here’s the Raw Math

For each half of the exam:

120 minutes ÷ 61 questions = approximately 1 minute and 58 seconds per question.

That’s nearly two minutes per question if you use every available minute.

Sounds luxurious compared with the old exam, right? Not quite.

You don’t want to plan on spending the full two minutes on every question because that would leave you with virtually no time to return to flagged questions, reconsider difficult items, or make sure you’ve answered everything before submitting the section.

Instead, think of 1 minute and 58 seconds as your ceiling for the average question, not your target.

A Better Target: About 90–100 Seconds Per Question

For your first pass through each 61-question section, aim to average around 90 to 100 seconds per question.

Here’s why:

Average First-Pass Pace Time to Answer 61 Questions Approx. Time Left for Review
90 seconds/question ~92 minutes ~28 minutes
100 seconds/question ~102 minutes ~18 minutes
110 seconds/question ~112 minutes ~8 minutes
118 seconds/question ~120 minutes Almost none

You don’t need to literally time yourself for 90 seconds on every question. Some questions may take only 30 or 45 seconds. Others may require considerably more thought.

The goal is to create a time cushion.

If you quickly recognize the correct answer to a straightforward question, answer it and move on. The time you save becomes available for the more challenging FIRST, NEXT, BEST, and MOST APPROPRIATE questions that require you to carefully reason through the situation.

Suggested Timing Framework for Each 61-Question Section

Rather than constantly watching the timer, use a few checkpoints throughout each section.

Here’s a practical pacing plan:

Checkpoint Approximate Time Used Approximate Time Remaining
Question 15 ~25 minutes ~95 minutes
Question 30 ~50 minutes ~70 minutes
Question 45 ~75 minutes ~45 minutes
Question 61 ~100 minutes ~20 minutes for review

This gives you an easy target:

About 15 questions every 25 minutes.

If you reach Question 30 and have used roughly 50 minutes, you’re in a great position. If you’re at Question 30 and have already used 70 or 75 minutes, that’s a signal that you may be spending too much time on difficult questions.

And remember, you’ll essentially repeat this same pacing strategy twice:

Section 1: 61 questions → review → submit
Optional 10-minute scheduled break
Section 2: 61 questions → review → submit

ASWB even resets the question numbering for the second section back to Questions 1–61, making it easy to use the same checkpoints again.

Don’t Confuse “More Time Per Question” With “More Time to Overthink”

One potential downside of the shorter ASWB exam is psychological.

You know you have nearly two minutes available per question, so it can be tempting to use it.

You read the question.

Then you read it again.

You narrow the answers to B and C.

Then you start imagining additional details that aren’t in the vignette.

Then you change your answer.

Then you change it back.

Suddenly, you’ve spent four minutes on one question.

The additional time on the new exam should give you breathing room, not permission to overanalyze every answer choice.

When answering ASWB questions, focus on the information that is actually provided. Identify what the question is asking, eliminate answers that don’t fit, select the best remaining response, and move forward.

Keep an Eye on the Clock Without Obsessing Over It

Checking your timer after every question can become distracting and increase test anxiety.

Instead, build your clock checks around your checkpoints:

Question 15 → Question 30 → Question 45 → Question 61

If you’re a few minutes ahead or behind, that’s completely normal. Individual questions vary in difficulty.

What you want to catch is a pattern.

If you reach Question 30 with only 45 or 50 minutes remaining, for example, you know you need to stop lingering on difficult questions and start making decisions more efficiently.

A few habits can help:

  • Read exactly what the question is asking before getting lost in the details of the vignette.
  • Pay close attention to qualifiers such as FIRST, NEXT, BEST, MOST, and MOST APPROPRIATE.
  • Eliminate clearly incorrect answers before comparing your strongest remaining choices.
  • If you’re stuck, choose your best answer, flag the question, and continue.
  • Save enough time to revisit flagged questions before submitting that 61-question section.

That final point is especially important. Once you submit a section, you cannot go back to it, even if you have time remaining later in the exam.

The Big Takeaway

The new 122-question ASWB exam gives you significantly more time per question, but the best pacing strategy isn’t to slow down dramatically.

Think:

61 questions. 120 minutes. Aim to finish your first pass in about 100 minutes. Save roughly 20 minutes for review.

Then reset and do it again.

Pacing well means giving yourself permission to move quickly through questions you understand while protecting enough time for questions that genuinely require deeper reasoning.

And the best place to learn your natural pace is before exam day. Taking full-length, timed ASWB practice exams from Agents of Change can help you identify whether you tend to rush, overthink, or spend too much time on particular types of questions.

Next, let’s look at one of the biggest threats to that pacing strategy: getting stuck on a difficult ASWB exam question.

3) When to Push Forward and When to Pause

One of the hardest pacing decisions on the ASWB exam is knowing when a question deserves more thought and when it’s time to make your best choice and move forward.

a 20 something diverse student studying at a modern library

The new 122-question exam gives you more time per question than the previous format, but that extra time can become a trap if you use it to overthink every difficult answer choice. Your goal isn’t to solve every question with absolute certainty. Your goal is to make the best decision based on the information provided while protecting enough time to complete and review all 61 questions in the section.

Push Forward When You’re Stuck

If you’ve read the question carefully, eliminated what you can, and still feel stuck between two answers, it’s usually time to move on.

A practical rule is:

Choose your best answer, flag the question, and keep going.

The ASWB testing software allows you to mark questions for review and return to them later within the same 61-question section. You can also change an answer before submitting that section.

You should strongly consider moving forward when:

  • You’ve narrowed the question down to two reasonable choices but keep going back and forth.
  • You find yourself rereading the same sentence without gaining new information.
  • You’re inventing additional facts about the client or situation that aren’t provided in the question.
  • You’ve spent several minutes on one question and still don’t feel closer to an answer.
  • You notice yourself changing answers based on anxiety rather than new reasoning.
  • You’re falling noticeably behind your pacing checkpoints.

Remember, getting temporarily stuck on one question doesn’t mean you don’t know the material. Sometimes a fresh look at the question later makes the distinction between two choices much clearer.

Pause When the Question Truly Requires Reasoning

Moving quickly doesn’t mean rushing.

Some ASWB questions deserve a little more time, particularly questions asking what a Social Worker should do FIRST, NEXT, BEST, or MOST APPROPRIATELY.

Pause when you need to:

  1. Identify exactly what the question is asking.
    A question asking what to do FIRST may have a different answer than one asking for the BEST long-term intervention.
  2. Check for an immediate safety issue.
    Before choosing an intervention, consider whether there is a concern involving suicide, violence, abuse, neglect, medical danger, or another urgent risk that changes the priority.
  3. Distinguish assessment from intervention.
    If you don’t yet have enough information to act, additional assessment may need to come before treatment, referral, confrontation, or another intervention.
  4. Compare two genuinely strong answers.
    If you’ve quickly eliminated the weaker options and are deciding between two plausible answers, taking another 20 or 30 seconds to identify the key difference may be worthwhile.
  5. Re-read an important qualifier.
    Words such as FIRST, NEXT, BEST, MOST, INITIAL, and MOST APPROPRIATE can completely change what the question is testing.

The key distinction is whether the additional time is producing better reasoning.

If you’re thinking through ethics, safety, sequence, assessment, or the information actually provided in the vignette, that may be useful time.

If you’re simply cycling through the same two answers over and over, it probably isn’t.

Use the “One More Read” Rule

A simple strategy can prevent one difficult question from eating up several minutes.

If you’re stuck:

Give the question one deliberate reread.

On that reread:

  • Identify the central issue.
  • Look for the question stem’s qualifier.
  • Eliminate anything clearly outside the Social Worker’s role.
  • Compare your strongest remaining choices.

Then make a decision.

If you’re still uncertain, select your best answer, flag it, and move on.

This creates a stopping point. Without one, it’s surprisingly easy to spend four or five minutes trying to turn an uncertain answer into a certain one.

Don’t Leave a Question Blank Just Because You Plan to Return to It

Even though the testing software lets you skip questions, a stronger pacing strategy is generally to select your best answer before moving forward, even when you flag the question for review.

Why?

Because you don’t want the section clock to expire while unanswered questions remain.

If you return later, you can reconsider and change your answer. But if you don’t get back to it, you’ve still recorded your best response.

Treat Flagging as a Tool, Not a Collection

Flagging can be incredibly useful, but avoid flagging every question you feel slightly uncertain about.

If you flag 30 of the 61 questions, your review screen may simply recreate the entire exam.

Instead, reserve flags for questions where:

  • You were genuinely torn between strong choices.
  • You want to reconsider a specific piece of reasoning.
  • You recognized that you were spending too much time and intentionally moved forward.
  • You want to verify your answer if review time remains.

Your flags should tell you, “This question deserves another look,” not simply, “I wasn’t 100% certain.”

You are unlikely to feel 100% certain about every ASWB question, and that’s okay.

The Section Deadline Matters

The most important new pacing rule is this:

Your review deadline is the end of each 61-question section, not the end of the entire exam.

Once you submit the first section, you cannot return to those questions. If the two-hour limit expires, your responses for that section are automatically recorded.

That means you shouldn’t think:

“I’ll come back to all of these at the end of the exam.”

Instead, think:

“I need to finish, review my priority flags, and feel ready to submit before these two hours are over.”

Then you can take the optional scheduled break, reset, and use the same strategy for the second 61-question section.

A Simple Decision Rule to Remember

When you’re unsure whether to stay with a question or move on, ask yourself:

“Am I still reasoning, or am I just overthinking?”

If you’re identifying something new that could change the answer, pause.

If you’re replaying the same reasoning without making progress, push forward.

Answer. Flag. Move on. Return if time allows.

That approach protects one of your most valuable resources on the ASWB exam: not just your time, but your mental energy.

4) Making the Most of the 10-Minute Break

One of the best features of the current ASWB exam format is the scheduled 10-minute break after your first 61-question section.

Once you submit Section 1, your answers are locked and you cannot return to them. At that point, you can take a break of up to 10 minutes before beginning the second 61-question section. Most importantly, the exam clock stops during this scheduled break, so using it does not reduce your two hours for Section 2.

Our recommendation? Use the break. 🧠

Even if you feel like you could immediately keep going, you’ve just completed 61 licensing-exam questions. Giving your brain a few minutes to reset can help you start the second half with better focus and less mental fatigue.

What Should You Do During the Break?

Keep it simple. This isn’t the time to replay questions from Section 1 or worry about whether you picked the right answer.

Instead, use your break to reset physically and mentally:

  • 🚻 Use the restroom, even if you only think you might need to.
  • 💧 Have some water or access the drink you brought.
  • 🍎 Eat a quick snack if you need an energy boost.
  • 🙆 Stand up and stretch after sitting through the first section.
  • 🧘 Take a few slow breaths and consciously shift your attention away from the questions you just completed.
  • 🧠 Remind yourself that Section 1 is finished. Your only job now is the next 61 questions.

ASWB allows candidates to leave the testing room during breaks to use the closest restroom and access a drink or snack, but you must remain inside the testing center building. You should also bring your photo ID with you when leaving the testing room.

Leave Section 1 in Section 1

This may be the most important psychological part of the break.

Once you submit the first section, you cannot change those answers.

So there’s no benefit to spending your break thinking:

“Was Question 37 actually B?”

“Did I miss something in that ethics question?”

“Maybe I should have changed that answer…”

Those questions are done.

Instead, mentally close the door on Section 1 and treat Section 2 as a fresh test.

You have another 61 questions and a fresh two-hour clock. What happened in the first section does not need to affect how confidently you approach the second.

Don’t Accidentally Turn 10 Minutes Into 12

There is one important timing detail to know.

The scheduled break lasts a maximum of 10 minutes. When those 10 minutes expire, your exam clock automatically begins running for Section 2. If it takes you longer than 10 minutes to return and be readmitted to the testing room, that additional time comes out of your testing time.

So don’t wait until the final seconds of your break to head back.

Remember that you may need time for the proctor to readmit you into the testing room.

A good approach is to handle your restroom, water, snack, and stretch relatively quickly and start making your way back before the full 10 minutes have passed.

What If You Don’t Need the Whole Break?

That’s completely fine.

You don’t have to use all 10 minutes. You can end the scheduled break early and begin Section 2 whenever you’re ready.

Just remember that unused break time does not get added to your testing time. Whether you take two minutes or the full 10, you’ll still receive up to two hours for the second 61-question section.

Because of that, there’s generally little advantage to rushing back simply to “save” break time.

Scheduled Break vs. Unscheduled Break

There’s an important difference between the scheduled halfway break and any additional break you choose to take.

Scheduled break after Section 1:
Your clock stops for up to 10 minutes. ✅

Unscheduled break during a section:
You can request one by notifying the proctor, but your exam clock continues running. ⏱️

That’s another reason to take advantage of the scheduled break. If you need the restroom, water, or a quick mental reset, the halfway point is the best opportunity to do it without sacrificing question-answering time.

Think of the Break as Your Reset Button 🔄

The new ASWB exam has a natural rhythm:

61 questions → Review → Submit → Break → Reset → 61 questions

Use that structure to your advantage.

Your first section is finished. You don’t need to carry difficult questions, uncertainty, or frustration into the second half.

Take the break. Move around. Have some water. Clear your head.

Then sit back down and tell yourself:

“New section. New 61 questions. Two fresh hours. Let’s go.”

5) Common Pacing Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even with more time per question on the new 122-question ASWB exam, pacing mistakes can still cost you valuable time and mental energy.

The biggest risk is no longer simply “running out of time.” It’s using your extra time inefficiently, especially by overthinking, reviewing too many questions, or forgetting that each 61-question section has its own two-hour limit.

Here are some of the most common pacing pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Pitfall #1: Spending Too Long on One Difficult Question

You hit a challenging question. Two answers both seem reasonable. You reread the vignette, reconsider the choices, and suddenly four or five minutes have passed. 😵‍💫

One difficult question should not control the pace of your entire section.

How to avoid it: Give yourself one careful reread. If you’re still stuck, choose your best answer, flag the question, and move on.

Remember, you can return to flagged questions before submitting that 61-question section. Protecting your time gives you a better chance of answering every question and revisiting the truly difficult ones later.

Pitfall #2: Thinking You Have Two Minutes to Spend on Every Question

Mathematically, 120 minutes for 61 questions gives you almost two minutes per question.

But using the full two minutes on every question would leave almost no time for review.

Some questions may take only 30 or 45 seconds. Let them.

How to avoid it: Aim for an average first-pass pace of around 90 to 100 seconds per question. Ideally, you’ll finish your initial pass through all 61 questions with approximately 20 minutes remaining for review.

Think of the extra time as a cushion, not a requirement to slow yourself down.

Pitfall #3: Overthinking Questions You Actually Know

Sometimes your first response to an ASWB question is based on solid reasoning.

Then you keep reading.

And reading.

And suddenly you’ve talked yourself out of the answer.

This often happens when test-takers start imagining information that isn’t actually included in the vignette.

How to avoid it: Base your answer on the facts provided in the question.

Ask yourself:

“What information did ASWB actually give me?”

Don’t diagnose missing details, invent additional client history, or create exceptions that aren’t in the question.

Extra time should help you reason more clearly, not create more possibilities.

Pitfall #4: Flagging Too Many Questions 🚩

Flagging is helpful when used strategically.

But if you flag every question that makes you slightly uncomfortable, you could reach the review screen with 25, 30, or even 40 flagged questions.

At that point, your “review list” is practically another full exam section.

How to avoid it: Flag questions only when you have a specific reason to return.

Good reasons include:

  • You were truly torn between two strong answers.
  • You intentionally moved forward because you were spending too much time.
  • You want to reconsider a particular sequencing, safety, or ethics issue.
  • You know exactly what you want to check when you come back.

You do not need to flag every answer you’re less than 100% confident about.

Pitfall #5: Leaving Questions Blank

The testing system allows you to move through questions within a section, but leaving questions unanswered can become risky if you lose track of time.

If the clock expires, you don’t want unanswered questions sitting behind you.

How to avoid it: When possible, select your best answer before moving on, even if you plan to flag the question.

There is no advantage to leaving an answer completely blank when you can make your best choice and reconsider it later.

Pitfall #6: Saving All Your Review for the End of the Exam

This strategy worked differently under the previous exam structure.

Now, your review window closes at the end of each 61-question section.

Once you submit Section 1, those answers are locked. You cannot finish Section 2 and then return to a question from the first half.

How to avoid it: Treat each section as its own complete testing experience:

Answer → Review → Submit → Reset

If you’re aiming to preserve around 20 minutes for review, begin monitoring your pace well before Question 61.

Pitfall #7: Changing Answers Just Because You Have Extra Time

Review time can be incredibly useful, but it can also tempt you to second-guess solid answers.

Changing an answer because you noticed something you initially missed is one thing.

Changing it because you suddenly feel nervous is another.

How to avoid it: Before changing an answer, ask:

“What new reason do I have to believe my original answer was wrong?”

If you found a qualifier you missed, recognized an ethical principle, or realized you misunderstood the sequence of events, changing the answer may make sense.

If your only reason is, “Now I’m worried,” that probably isn’t enough.

Pitfall #8: Checking the Clock Constantly

Watching your remaining time after every question can make pacing feel more stressful than helpful. ⏱️

You don’t need to calculate your exact average pace every few minutes.

How to avoid it: Use simple checkpoints instead.

For example:

  • Around Question 15: about 25 minutes used
  • Around Question 30: about 50 minutes used
  • Around Question 45: about 75 minutes used
  • Around Question 61: aim for about 100 minutes used

That should leave you roughly 20 minutes for review.

If you’re a few minutes ahead or behind, don’t panic. These checkpoints are guides, not rigid deadlines.

Pitfall #9: Rushing Because the Exam Feels Easier Than Expected

The shorter format can create the opposite pacing problem too.

If you know you have more time available, you may fly through the first section and finish much earlier than necessary.

Moving efficiently is good. Rushing isn’t.

How to avoid it: Slow down enough to identify exactly what the question is asking, especially with words like FIRST, NEXT, BEST, MOST, and MOST APPROPRIATE.

You have enough time to read carefully.

Use it.

Pitfall #10: Letting Section 1 Affect Section 2

Maybe the first section felt harder than you expected.

Maybe you flagged more questions than you wanted.

Maybe one question is still bothering you during your break.

Once Section 1 is submitted, none of that helps you anymore.

How to avoid it: Use the scheduled break as a true reset.

Do not mentally score your first section. Do not replay your answers. Do not assume a difficult section means you’re doing poorly.

Your job is now simply to handle the next 61 questions.

The Best Pacing Strategy Is Flexible

There is no perfect number of seconds you should spend on every ASWB exam question.

Instead, strong pacing means being flexible:

  • Move quickly when the answer is clear.
  • Pause when meaningful reasoning is needed.
  • Flag when additional review could actually help.
  • Move on when you’re simply overthinking.

And throughout each 61-question section, keep one larger goal in mind:

Give yourself enough time to answer every question and still have a meaningful review period before you submit.

6) FAQs – How to Pace Yourself Through the ASWB Exam

Q: What should I do if I’m behind schedule during the ASWB exam?

A: If you find yourself behind schedule, say you’re only at question 30 when you should be nearing question 50, it’s important to stay calm. Panicking will only make it harder to think clearly. The first step is to acknowledge it without judgment. Then, start tightening your pacing from that point forward.

Here’s what helps:

  • Stop overthinking each question. Aim for 1.5 – 2 minutes per item.

  • Use educated guessing when you’re truly unsure, there’s no penalty for wrong answers.

  • Avoid revisiting flagged questions until the end, unless you have a strong reason.

Most importantly, don’t let a slow first half sabotage your mindset. Even if you’re behind, many test-takers still finish strong by staying focused and trusting their instincts.

Q: Is it okay to guess on questions I really don’t know?

A: Absolutely. In fact, you should. The ASWB exam doesn’t penalize you for incorrect answers, so leaving a question blank is the only real mistake. If you encounter a question that feels completely unfamiliar or confusing, take your best guess, flag it if you think a second look might help, and move on.

Here’s a smart guessing approach:

  • Eliminate obvious wrong answers first to increase your odds.

  • Trust your gut—your first instinct is often correct, especially if you’ve studied consistently.

  • Practice this skill ahead of time using tools from Agents of Change, which help you get comfortable with decision-making under time pressure.

Remember, your goal isn’t perfection—it’s passing. And sometimes, strategic guessing is part of a passing strategy.

Q: How do I train myself to pace better before test day?

A: Pacing is a skill—and like any skill, it gets better with practice. The most effective way to train is by taking full-length, timed practice exams under realistic conditions. This helps you understand your natural pace, recognize where you tend to slow down, and build the stamina to stay focused for four hours straight.

To pace better, make sure you:

  • Use a timer every time you take a practice test

  • Simulate real test-day conditions, including taking a 10-minute break at question 61

  • Review your timing as part of your score analysis—note where you lost time and why

With Agents of Change, you get access to multiple timed practice exams, complete with study plans and live support to help you build both content knowledge and test-taking endurance. The best part? You get access until you pass—so you can start preparing as early as you want, without wasting your investment.

7) Conclusion

Pacing yourself through the 122-question ASWB exam is less about racing the clock and more about using your time intentionally. With two separate 61-question sections and two hours available for each, you have more breathing room than candidates did under the previous exam format. The key is to use that additional time wisely by moving efficiently through questions you know, slowing down when meaningful reasoning is required, and avoiding the temptation to overthink every difficult choice.

As you prepare, practice the same rhythm you plan to use on test day. Aim to complete your first pass through each 61-question section with enough time remaining to revisit your most important flagged questions, and get comfortable using pacing checkpoints rather than constantly watching the clock. Full-length, timed ASWB practice exams can help you identify whether you tend to rush, get stuck, flag too many questions, or second-guess answers that were already supported by strong reasoning.

Most importantly, remember that you don’t need to feel completely certain about every question to perform well. Focus on the information ASWB gives you, identify exactly what the question is asking, make the best Social Work decision you can, and keep moving. 61 questions, review, submit, reset, and repeat. With a pacing strategy you’ve practiced ahead of time, the clock can become something you manage rather than something that manages you.

► Learn more about the Agents of Change course here: https://agentsofchangeprep.com

About the Instructor, Meagan Mitchell: Meagan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group test prep for the ASWB for over 10 years. From all of this experience helping others pass their exams, she created the Agents of Change course to help you prepare for and pass the ASWB exam!

Find more from Agents of Change here:

► Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aswbtestprep

► Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agents-of-change-sw

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Disclaimer: This content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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