Guessing is KEY to the ACT

When should I Guess?

Unlike the SAT, there is no penalty on the ACT for getting an answer wrong. Therefore, it is absolutely a waste to leave any question unanswered. If there is only 5 minutes left and you have 20 questions to go, it is best to just guess on all of them and then use the time to go back and read some of the questions to try and get the best answer. This will ensure that the clock doesn't run out and you have unanswered questions! You will get zero points for a question that you didn't answer, but you have a shot at getting a point if you guess the correct one.

What are my Odds?

The English, Science and Reading tests all have 4 answers to choose from, so your odds are one in four, or 25%. That means in our scenario above, where you just randomly guess on 20 questions, you could expect to get 5 of them right! The Math test is a bit different, with 5 answers to choose from, so you have a 20% chance of guessing the right answer. Either way you slice it, 20% or 25% is much better than zero percent for a question left unanswered!


How do I Increase my Odds?

Guessing is not just for last minute desperation. Unless you are one who will get a perfect score, there will be a LOT of answers that you aren't sure of. The good news is that you can turn this into a positive instead of a negative. Instead of focusing on the fact that you didn't know the answer, see if you can eliminate one or two obviously wrong answers and then guess from the remaining choices. If you eliminate 1 Math answer from among the 5, you will have increased your guessing odds from 20% to 25%. That is something to focus on, because it is a victory, however small, and can keep you from becoming demotivated during the test.

Remember that almost no students in America will know the answer to every single question. If you go into the test expecting that, then you are less likely to get discouraged during the test. Take away a small victory from every question.

1) Increase your odds by narrowing down the possible answers.
2) If you have to just guess without having a clue, focus on how much time you just saved by quickly moving on to the next question! Get those questions that you don't know out of the way and save your time and energy for the ones you can solve.

With the ACT, it's all about managing your attitude. The more positive you remain, the better your score will be!