How should students handle questions about which they feel unsure on the Gold Phase Version E Practice Test?

Using strategic guessing is a thoughtful approach for students when faced with questions they feel unsure about. This method involves making an educated guess based on any available knowledge or reasoning rather than leaving the question unanswered or resorting to random guessing.

When students engage in strategic guessing, they analyze the remaining answer options, considering factors such as familiarity with the content, recall of related information, and elimination of obviously incorrect answers. This increases the likelihood of selecting the correct answer compared to random guessing, which does not utilize prior knowledge or reasoning skills.

In contrast, skipping questions can leave potential points unearned and might negatively impact test scores. Random guessing for all uncertain questions often leads to lower scores since it does not leverage any understanding of the material and can result in choosing incorrect answers without any basis. Choosing the first answer that comes to mind can be inconsistent and often does not reflect careful consideration, which is particularly important in a practice test scenario where understanding and preparation are key to improvement. Therefore, strategic guessing allows students to engage with the test material actively and enhances their chances of success.