So I heard from some seniors that when you’re in doubt on the PSAT, you should just guess because there's no penalty for wrong answers, while others say to leave it blank. What’s the best strategy here? Should you always guess on the PSAT, or are there times when it's better not to?
Great question! The advice from the seniors is spot-on. Since the PSAT doesn't penalize for wrong answers, guessing can be to your advantage when you're stumped. There's essentially a 'no harm, no foul' situation at play here. If you guess and get it wrong, your score doesn't decrease, but if you happen to guess correctly, you gain points.
To maximize your score, you should absolutely fill in every bubble. However, try not to make wild guesses. Eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can to improve your chances. For example, if you can eliminate two wrong answer choices on a four-choice question, you've just increased your odds of guessing correctly from 25% to 50%!
Remember, the PSAT is also a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship, so every point can count towards potentially earning a scholarship. Guess wisely, but guess nonetheless. Good luck on test day!
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