Is There a Penalty for Guessing?

Question: Is There a Penalty for Guessing?

Answer: Not exactly. The SAT has a penalty for all incorrect answers: you lose 1/4 point for each wrong answer. It doesn't matter whether it's wrong because you guessed as opposed to whether you actually thought it was right. So make sure to check your work, and only guess if you have narrowed the choices down. The good news is that the Math Grid-In section has no penalty for wrong answers.

SAT FAQ Index

• Should I Guess on SAT Multiple-Choice Questions?
• Is There a Penalty for Guessing?
• Can I Skip Questions and Return Later?
• When Can I take the SAT?
• What's the Score Range?
• Should I Re-take the SAT?
• What's a Good Score on the SAT?
• Do Colleges Have to See All of my SAT Scores?