Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment First ACT test

DS12 took the ACT last weekend. Grade advanced this year. No prep. I did however explain to him the night before that if the tester gave the five minute signal it would be a good idea for him to use that time to fill in bubbles. To guess.

After the test he told us he left quite a bit undone (he's a slow and careful thinker). I reminded him that he could have guessed and he said, "But that would be like cheating and the people correcting would know I didn't know it."

Oy!

For next time, let him know that the Scantron doesn't judge his character.

My middle kid left more blank than I think she should have on the SAT. I realize that wrong answers on the SAT deduct a 1/4 point, but I am pretty sure that she narrows down the question to two answers, then refuses to guess. Scored 97% percentile, but still think she should be answering every question.

Eldest, on the other hand, will guess even if she has no idea. It has a lot to do with personality, not sure how much you can change that.

LOL!! That's exactly what I said: machines don't judge.

I think you're right about not changing personality.

I don't know-- DD found out about the penalty on the SAT and then ran the odds, so she was mostly unwilling to guess, but then I had her TRY both strategies on practice sections. That convinced her.

Her score was clearly higher "with guessing." But it was still hard to shut that "but I don't know the answer!" impulse off completely.

Yes, I think that's a good idea: do a practice one next year, timed, and show him how guessing can be advantageous.