SSAT Tip of the Week: How to Tackle Multiple Choice
The SSAT is a multiple choice test; to answer such questions correctly, you will need a clear strategy that can be adapted to each section. When faced with a multiple choice question, we recommend the following strategies.
Predict the Answer
+ After reading the question, see if you can predict the answer before reading the answer choices
Eliminate Wrong Answers
+ Even if you think you know the answer, always read through every answer choice and eliminate wrong answers
+ When you eliminate an answer, make sure you understand and could explain why it’s wrong
Check your Answer
+ When you have chosen your answer, look back at the question and make sure that your choice correctly answers the question
+ If not, look back at the answers you eliminated and re-evaluate each of them
Know When to Guess
+ There is a ¼ point penalty for wrong answers on the Middle and Upper Level SSAT, so it is important to make educated guesses as often as possible.
+ If you can confidently eliminate even one wrong answer, then you should guess between the remaining answer choices.
+ However, feel free to omit questions for which you are so unsure that you cannot eliminate any wrong answers. You don’t want to lose points for guessing blindly!
Integrating this consistent system of elimination into your test-taking is an important way to improve your performance on multiple choice questions! It can be adapted to the verbal, reading, and quantitative sections, so make sure you practice this method for each of the sections.
Find a post about multiple choice questions for the ISEE here.
