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Ok all D. takes PSAT on Weds. and she asks if she does not know the answer to a question is it best to answer or to leave it blank. I am not sure how the scoring is done..
Does anyone know?

By Over30 (Over30) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:06 pm: Edit

This is from the Sparknotes site, which is the first site I found this on:

"For each section (verbal, math, or writing skills), you get one point for a correct answer, but you lose 1/4 of a point for an incorrect regular multiple-choice answer. In the math section, you lose 1/3 of a point for each incorrect quantitative comparison answer; there is no penalty for incorrectly answering a grid-in. There is also no penalty for skipped questions."

By Julia_525 (Julia_525) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:30 pm: Edit

I think if you haven't a clue to the answer, you are better to leave it blank. If by the process of elimination, you can elimate 2 of the answers, I would take a chance and make the best guess. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it right and scoring 1 pt. If you get it wrong, you only lost 1/4 pt. JMO

By Angstridden (Angstridden) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 08:49 am: Edit

Well if you dont answer isnt that considered incorrect and thus you would lose 1/4 pt? If thats the case perhaps a guess is in order? or not?

By Garland (Garland) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 09:07 am: Edit

No, the additional 1/4 point comes off for a wrong answer, not a non-answer.

By Angstridden (Angstridden) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 09:18 am: Edit

Thanks this is super helpful!

By Xdad (Xdad) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 11:03 am: Edit

To be complete:

1. No need to worry about QC on the PSAT. They have been eliminated with the analogies. This means that the penalty is an universal 1/4 point.

2. There's no penalty in the grid-in section. The chances to guess correctly are very remote but a student should never omit a question and always provide fill an answer.

3. Blind guessing is never encouraged. While educated guessing does work, it may not be advisable for someone to guess if he/she has a great chance to earn a NMS score.

By Over30 (Over30) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 11:50 am: Edit

Xdad, thanks for the comment. I didn't catch the QC information. I have a sophomore taking it Saturday and will remind him of the scoring

By Bigsteve121 (Bigsteve121) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 05:47 pm: Edit

If you can eliminate at least one answer YOU SHOULD GUESS. I beleive it may even say this right in the PSAT booklet. Say you have five questions with five answer choices. You have no clue as to the answer. You guess all five. The probability is that you will get one out of five, so 1 pt - 4(1/4) pts = 0 pts. Now say you eliminate one choice and have four choices left. On average, you will now get one in four right instead of one in five right. Thus you would, on average score positive points if you can eliminate even one answer choice.

By Lamom (Lamom) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 07:26 pm: Edit

I agree with Bigsteve. The free SAT prep at son's high school said don't guess. Son took that If he did not ABSOLUTELY know the answer it was a guess. Husband explained same way as Bigsteve, son improved 200 pts with educated guesses on next try. I think he did this (no guess) on PSAT but I am not positive-got National Hispanic Scholar, close but no NMS. The HS only gives PSAT to juniors so SAT was prep for PSAT. As a music performance major it really didn't matter, Redlands accepted him before the higher score.