Does the Order You Answer IMAT Sections In Actually Matter?

Yes. Since every correct answer is worth the same regardless of section, tackling your strongest, fastest section first while your focus is sharpest can genuinely raise your score compared to just following the printed order.

Almost every candidate answers the IMAT in the order the sections are printed, without ever asking whether that's actually the best order for them. It's an understandable default. It's also worth questioning, because nothing about the exam requires you to work through it front to back, and the printed order has nothing to do with where your own points are easiest to collect.

What's actually fixed, and what isn't

The questions within each section are fixed, and your total time is fixed. What isn't fixed is the sequence you tackle the sections in. You can flip to general knowledge first, do biology last, or split your attention however you want inside the allotted time, as long as you're marking answers on the same answer sheet by the end. Most people never test this because the printed order feels like the "official" one, not because any rule says otherwise.

Why the order can genuinely change your score

Every correct answer is worth the same under the scoring formula, regardless of which section it came from. That means a quick, confident section you save for last, after slower sections have already eaten into your focus and your clock, is worth exactly as much as it would have been worth first, except you're now answering it tired and rushed. Putting your strongest, fastest section early banks points while your attention is sharpest, and leaves your remaining time for the sections that actually need more of it.

How to find your own order instead of guessing

Don't decide this the night before test day. Run a couple of full timed mocks using different section orders and compare which one leaves you with more completed, confidently-answered questions at the end, not just a higher raw score on one attempt. Pair it with a skip-and-return approach within each section, so a slow order doesn't undo the benefit of starting strong.

What order can't fix

Reordering sections doesn't create extra time, and it isn't a substitute for actually knowing the material. It's a small, testable adjustment on top of real preparation, not a workaround for it. Treat it as one variable to settle in advance so it's one less decision to make under pressure on the day itself.

The order you answer in is one of the few things about the IMAT you get to fully control before you even sit down. It's worth deciding on purpose instead of by default.