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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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SAT: 720 math
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Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Does the PSAT penalize for incorrect answers?

Little stressed here, I've been practicing for the PSAT and I’m kind of a guesser on tough questions. Does the PSAT take off points for wrong answers or is it like some tests where it’s better to guess than leave it blank?

a year ago

No need to worry about the guessing strategy for the PSAT! The PSAT scoring does not penalize for incorrect answers, so it's absolutely in your best interest to take a shot at every question. For every correct answer, you earn one point, and for questions you answer incorrectly or leave blank, you simply don't earn any points – there's no subtraction of points for wrong choices.

Even if you're absolutely stumped on a particular question, try to give it your best guess. Eliminate any answer choices you're certain are incorrect, and then guess from the remaining options. For example, if you can eliminate two out of four answer choices, your chances of guessing correctly go up to 50% instead of 25%. That being said, don't spend too long agonizing over any one question, as you don't want to then have to rush through questions you're overall more likely to get right.

Keep practicing, and remember that making an informed guess is often a valuable strategy for taking standardized tests like the PSAT. Good luck!

a year ago

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