The Score, Issue #16: How’s Your Guessing Game?
Turning Guesswork into Strategy: How Smart Guessing Can Improve Your ACT and SAT Scores.
Greetings, and welcome to another edition of The Score!
Today, we’re diving into — you guessed it — guessing. While guessing on the ACT or SAT might seem like admitting defeat, it is sometimes a necessary strategy. The way you approach it can make all the difference. So, let's explore the art of educated guessing and discuss how to make it work for you.
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Guessing Penalty?
First things first: let's bust a common myth. Neither the ACT nor the SAT penalizes you for incorrect answers. This means you only gain points for correct answers; no points are deducted for incorrect guesses.
Embrace Reality – Have a Guessing Plan
While we all wish we were so good that guessing would never be necessary, the reality is different. Chances are, most of us are going to have to guess on at least a few questions. Unfortunately, many students don’t plan for this ahead of time. Thus, when pressed for time, they resort to chaotic guessing. This “strategy” often means they end up guessing on easy questions that could be answered correctly with just a little more forethought. So, what's the remedy?
Aim for Low-Points-Per-Second (LPPS) Questions
Time is of the essence, especially on the ACT and SAT. If you're forced to guess due to time constraints, target LPPS questions. These are questions that typically take longer to answer by design. Examples include:
Chronology Questions (a sub-type of Time Trap Questions)
Do LPPS Questions Last
Aim for high “return on investment” questions first. LPPS questions are “low and slow.” That is, they offer a low probability of success (because they tend to be harder) and they take longer to solve, purely by nature of how they’re designed (e.g, they ask about the passage as a whole). Such questions should be tackled only after answering the other question for a given passage.
Prioritize & Make Judgment Calls
Once you've answered the other questions, decide on what to do with any LPPS questions. If you've spent a considerable amount of time on the passage already, guess on any LPPS questions and move on. On the other hand, if you still have some time left, go ahead and tackle any LPPS questions. Just make sure that you utilize the proven question type tactics available on Walker Prep!
Decide to Guess? Do It Right
Don’t resort to half measures. If you're sure you don't have time to work the question properly, then make your guess quickly without hemming and hawing over the options. An efficient way is to skim the answer choices, eliminate any clearly implausible ones, and then make a quick choice from the remaining options.
Pick a Letter, Stick to It
A time-saving tip for guessing is to pre-select a letter (e.g., A, B, C, or D) that you'll default to when making a random guess. It helps in avoiding the paralysis of indecision during those high-pressure moments.
Patterns? Ignore Them!
During my years of tutoring, I've observed a peculiar behavior. Students hesitate to pick the same answer letter consecutively, thinking it improbable that the correct answer would be the same letter several times in a row. Remember, the correct answer sequences are randomized. Don't fall for the trap of overthinking these types of probability-based patterns. This is the ACT and the SAT, not Las Vegas. Keep your focus on applying strategies and tactics to the question at hand. Or, if you’re guessing, just quickly pick any random letter you haven’t eliminated and bubble it in.
Going Beyond Guessing
While guessing isn't the ideal approach, being strategic about it can absolutely work in your favor. On the other hand, failing to plan ahead can needlessly cost you points and lower your score.
Plan your guesses, don't let “Vegas-style” patterns sway your decisions, and remember: success on the ACT and SAT is all about strategy and tactics.
Speaking of which, if you're looking to get deeper insights and tactics beyond guessing, subscribe to Walker Prep! This site is a treasure trove of information on how to quickly achieve exceptional score gains. To embark on your journey to higher ACT and SAT verbal scores and join the community of test prep geniuses, become a premium subscriber now!