SATBlog

One of the ways they try to distract you is by trivializing the Scoring . They tell you that you get one point for every answer you get correct. Answers you skip won’t count for you or against you. Answers you miss will count 1/4 of a point off. You take the test thinking the questions are only worth one point, so it becomes easy to dismiss questions since a perfect score equals 800 points.

But think about it. There are only 67 questions in the verbal SAT! There are only 54 questions in the math test and only 49 in the writing skills section! So there’s absolutely no way the questions can be worth only one point. When you take the test, think of every question being worth 10- 15 points each.

This brings us to Guessing versus skipping questions. There is a technical rule of thumb for guessing. The rule is that if you can eliminate any of the answer choices, guess. Let’s say you do a reading passage, you get three of five questions wrong and two of them right, you’re one and a quarter points (or 12.5 actually) up. When practicing the test absolutely guess. First, that’s the only way to get better at reasoning out answers that you don’t know you know, you only think you know. Secondly, it’s the only way to find out where you are good at guessing and where you don’t do it well. Last, but not least, this will help you tune into that little voice that can lead you to some correct answers. You want to be able to “feel” that some on the answers are right. Your intuition can help you steal a few points. Learn to listen to your little voice — that little whisper or feeling that you get about answer choices or word meanings because that’s a crucial idea in getting those last few points you need to beat this test.

The score you’re shooting for also determines your Guessing Strategy. Choose the range of score you want. Up to 1500, you want to be conservative and focus on the questions you know you know. 1500 to 1800, you need to be more aggressive and go after questions you feel uncomfortable with. 1800 and up you have to answer everything except those you have absolutely o clue as to which might be the correct answer.