What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Should I guess on the SAT or leave questions blank?

Hey guys, I'm not sure if it's better to guess on the SAT when I don't know the answer, or just leave the question blank. I've heard that guessing might lead to negative consequences, but I'm not sure. What do you guys think?

9 months ago

Hello! It’s natural to be unsure about whether to guess on the SAT or leave questions unanswered. However, the current SAT format actually encourages you to make educated guesses. Unlike the previous version of the test, which penalized you for incorrect answers, the current SAT does not deduct points for wrong answers. You simply gain points for each correct answer and do not lose any for incorrect ones or those left blank.

With that in mind, it's almost always better to guess the answer rather than leaving a question blank. If you don't know the answer, try to eliminate some of the options to increase your chances of choosing the correct one. Even if you can't eliminate any choices, you still have a 25% chance of guessing correctly on a multiple-choice question.

Furthermore, guessing on questions you don't know might lead to slightly higher scores, as occasionally, you will guess correctly and gain points. So, when taking the SAT, feel confident in making an educated guess when you're unsure of the answer. Best of luck on your test!

9 months ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.