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Last Updated on May 1, 2023
Understanding how to guess on the GRE is essential regardless of how well-prepared you may be for your GRE. Sure, we’d like to answer every question correctly. However, that likely won’t be the case. Thus, we need to have a solid GRE guessing strategy in place for when we just can’t come up with an answer to a particular question. This article will discuss how to go about guessing on the GRE.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What It Means to “Guess” on the GRE
- Educated vs. Random Guessing
- Educated Guessing
- Random Guessing
- The Verdict: Guessing Is an Important Part of GRE Test-Taking Strategy
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
First, let’s discuss what exactly it means to “guess” on the GRE.
What It Means to “Guess” on the GRE
Before we discuss specific methods of guessing we can use on the GRE, we must review some relevant exam mechanics.
First, in any GRE section, we can move back and forth between questions as long as the section time has not run out. In other words, just because we have answered a question does not mean we can’t return to it. So, when we “guess” on the GRE, as long as the section timer has not run out, we can always come back, reattempt the question, and select a new answer.
Thus, although we may guess on a handful of questions, if we have a few minutes left at the end of a section, we could dedicate that extra time to a few of the questions we guessed on, and doing so could lead to correct answers.
Armed with this knowledge, you can feel a little better about guessing, since all guesses are not set in stone. Do note, however, that it is not common for students to have extra time at the end of a section, so you cannot reliably depend on this option.
TTP PRO TIP:
When guessing on questions, take advantage of the fact that you can revisit questions if you have extra time at the end of the section.
Now that we understand the exam mechanics affecting our guessing strategies, let’s discuss the two main types of guessing: educated and random.
Educated vs. Random Guessing
On the GRE, two types of guessing come into play: educated guessing and random guessing. Let’s first discuss when and why we would make an educated guess on the GRE.
Educated Guessing
Educated guessing can happen when we have enough information to eliminate one or more answers. However, we do not have enough time to answer the question, or there is some component of the question that we cannot decipher.
When to Make Educated Guesses
Making an educated guess is always better than taking a random guess. After all, when making an educated guess, we have eliminated one or more answer choices and have likely done some of the work, allowing us to narrow the number of selectable answer choices. On the other hand, with random guessing, we are guessing blindly among the answer choices.
So, the time to make an educated guess is when we essentially “hit a brick wall” on a question, but, at a bare minimum, can still eliminate at least one answer choice, significantly increasing our chance of arriving at a correct answer. Also, remember that just because we are guessing now does not mean we can’t come back and reattempt the question later.
TTP PRO TIP:
If we can eliminate a few answer choices, and then guess, we significantly increase our odds of selecting a correct answer.
Let’s now review an example of when it would make sense to make an educated guess.
Example of Taking an Educated Guess
Consider the following quantitative comparison question:
Quantity A:
The area of an isosceles right triangle with a hypotenuse of 10
Quantity B:
The area of an equilateral triangle with a side length of 10
Say you encounter the question above, but Geometry is not your strong suit. Thus, you do not know the formulas necessary to determine the area of the isosceles triangle or the area of the equilateral triangle.
Even so, you can eliminate one answer choice, and that is answer choice D. Even though you can’t calculate the exact answers for the two quantities, you know that each quantity is a number, and since two numbers can always be compared to each other, there is a relationship between them. Since answer choice D says that the relationship between them cannot be determined, you know that choice D is a false statement.
For each quantity, it is possible to calculate the sides of each triangle. Thus, there is enough information to determine the area of each triangle (even though you can’t actually calculate the two values because you’ve forgotten the formulas). Since we know the answer cannot be D, and thus we can eliminate choice D, we have increased our chance of correctly answering the question from 25% to 33%.
In case you are wondering, here is the solution to the question:
Solution:
Quantity A: Use the formula for the area of a triangle: 1/2 (base)(height). Since the base is 10 and the height is 10, we see that the area is (1/2 )(10)(10) = 50.
Quantity B: Use the special formula for the area of an equilateral triangle: A = [sqrt(3)/4](s^2). We are told that the side is 10, so we have:
A = [sqrt(3)/4](10^2)
A = [sqrt(3)/4](100)
A = (25)[sqrt(3)]
A = 43.3
Quantity A is clearly greater than Quantity B, so the answer is A.
One good way to know when it’s a good idea to guess on a question is by being aware of your strong and weak areas.
Be Aware of Your Strengths and Weaknesses
You will become a better and more strategic guesser on the GRE if you know your strong and weak topics. For example, let’s say you struggled with combinations throughout your GRE prep. Then, question number 10 in the second quant section of your GRE presents a combination question. In this case, give the problem 30 to 45 seconds, eliminate an answer choice or two if you can, and then take an educated guess.
Had you not known that combinations were a weak area, perhaps you would not have had the self-awareness to realize that spending 2 to 3 minutes on that question would be a losing battle. Now, you are banking time to use on questions that are more in your wheelhouse.
TTP PRO TIP:
By having a handle on your strong and weak areas, you can strategically take educated guesses on questions based on your weaker topics.
Next, let’s discuss instances when you believe, with enough time, you can answer a question.
Forcing Yourself to Give Up on a “Doable” Question
If you’ve ever taken the GRE, I’m sure you can relate to the following scenario. You land on a question that makes you happy to see because you are certain that you can answer it correctly. However, for whatever reason, the answer you come up with is not there.
In these situations, I realize that your mind is saying press forward. You can’t, however, afford to spend 5 minutes answering the question, even if doing so will allow you to arrive at a correct answer.
Remember, spending 5 minutes on that question would surely hurt you down the line. So, understand the bigger picture. Overspending on a handful of questions will likely hurt you later in the section. On the other hand, with prudent time-management, you can avoid disastrous effects on your overall GRE score.
So, rather than overspending on a question, you must force yourself to make an educated guess and keep things moving. After all, if you have the time at the end of the section, you can always revisit that question and potentially arrive at a correct answer.
TTP PRO TIP:
When a “doable” question is not panning out, take an educated guess and move on.
Now let’s discuss that other type of guessing: random guessing.
Random Guessing
You make a random guess when you don’t know how to answer a question or don’t have enough time to answer it. Thus, when making a random guess, you are not putting too much thought into the answer you select. Let’s discuss situations in which you may need to consider making a random guess.
Random Guessing to Catch Up on Time
Talk to 100 GRE test-takers, and at least 60 will tell you they struggle with timing on the GRE. To combat that problem, some of these test-takers will use a tactic in which they blindly guess on a few questions to catch up on lost time.
I want to caution you against employing this tactic because, when you take random guesses, you may be guessing on a question that you could correctly answer given the correct amount of time. Remember, each correct answer in a given GRE section is worth the same number of points, so it’s not in your best interest to leave points on the table to catch up on time.
At a bare minimum, if you want to take a random guess, at least do so on a question that falls into your “weaker topics” category. In that case, you’ll be guessing on a question that you did not have a good shot at correctly answering anyway.
TTP PRO TIP:
Randomly guessing to “catch up” on time is risky because you may be guessing on questions that fall in your wheelhouse.
You Can Quickly Answer Certain Questions to Catch Up on Time
Remember, not all questions on the GRE take the 1:45 average that we need to shoot for. In fact, some questions can be answered in as little as 10 or 20 seconds. Those are the questions you want to take advantage of to catch up on time.
Consider the following example:
9! is equal to which of the following?
- 362,880
- 362,992
- 363,004
- 363,116
- 363,258
Let’s say you get to this question and know you are a few minutes behind on time. I have some good news! If you recall the rule that all factorials greater than 4! end in zero, then you can say, within about 5 seconds, that the correct answer is A. This is a great example of how you can catch up on time while correctly answering questions!
Next, let’s discuss a scenario when randomly guessing is completely acceptable.
Random Guessing When You Really Don’t Know How to Solve a Question
No matter how much you study for the GRE, you may see a question on the test that you have no idea how to answer. If a question completely stumps you, and you can’t eliminate any answer choices, take a random guess.
For example, let’s say you studied very little about combinations and encountered the following question:
From a group of 10 people, in how many ways can 3 people be selected to win a school raffle?
- 84
- 96
- 102
- 120
- 144
To some GRE students, this problem is a basic combination problem. However, if you have barely studied this topic, then you should just take a guess!
In case you’re wondering, the solution is below.
Since we need to choose 3 people from 10 people, we need to calculate the following:
10C3 = (10 x 9 x 8)/(3 x 2 x 1) = 5 x 3 x 8 = 120
Choice (D) is correct.
TTP PRO TIP:
On a question you have little shot of correctly answering, take a random guess and move on.
The next tip deals with your progress through any GRE section.
Answer Each Question as You Encounter It, Even If Randomly Guessing
A unique aspect of the GRE is that you are able to move around within a section. You can skip any question, and you are able to mark any question for review. These features allow you to easily retrieve any marked question at any time, as long as you still have time left in the section.
So, let’s say you are on the second quantitative section and have answered the first 4 questions easily. But, you’d have to randomly guess on the fifth question. Do NOT skip that question and move to the next one! Instead, guess the answer and MARK the question for review. Do NOT leave it blank!
If You Must Guess, Do So, and Mark the Question for Review
Don’t leave any questions unanswered as you progress through a section. Just guess an answer and mark the question for review. Here’s why: It’s quite possible that you’ll never have a chance to go back to any question. Most students run out of time just as they get to the last question in a section. Therefore, there is no time to go back to marked questions. However, if you randomly guessed on each of the questions you marked, you at least have a fighting chance of getting one or more of them correct.
On the other hand, if you left those questions blank, you’d have to scramble through the “question status” screen to find the questions that you marked for review, and you’d likely have no time to actually work them out anyway.
It’s best to choose an answer to every question as you encounter it, and then mark the question for review. If you happen to have extra time at the end of the section, you can go back and try to work through the question.
TTP PRO TIP:
Leave no questions unanswered as you progress through any GRE section. If necessary, take a random guess, mark the question for review, and revisit the question later if you have extra time.
Let’s discuss one other scenario in which taking a random guess is ideal: at the end of a section.
Take Random Guesses If You’re About to Run Out of Time
Hey, it has happened to all of us. You glance at the timer and see that you still have three questions to answer and 20 seconds left. In that scenario, guess away! Remember, on the GRE, there are no point deductions for incorrect answers. However, you have no hope of gaining points if you leave the question blank. So, leaving questions unanswered means you are potentially leaving points on the table.
Thus, when you have questions left at the end of a section but little time to answer them, random guessing is a smart move.
TTP PRO TIP:
Leaving questions unanswered means you are potentially leaving points on the table.
The Verdict: Guessing Is an Important Part of GRE Test-Taking Strategy
Taking educated or random guesses is common on the GRE. So, don’t hide from the fact that you’ll probably need to guess sometimes. Rather, develop a sound strategy, so you know when you should and should not be guessing. For instance, having a handle on your weak and strong areas is an important part of your guessing strategy; you should generally avoid guessing on questions from your strong areas. Furthermore, learn to be OK with guessing on questions that you “know” you should be correctly answering. This attitude will help you keep things moving when you don’t have the time to keep working on a question.
With these strategies in place, along with a solid study plan, there is no reason why you can’t hit your GRE score goal on test day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are You Penalized for Guessing on the GRE?
There is no penalty for guessing on the GRE. Your verbal and quant scores are determined based on the number of questions you correctly answered. Thus, you should never leave a question unanswered, even if you have had to randomly guess on it.
How Many Questions Can You Guess on and Still Get a Good GRE Score?
There are too many factors bearing on this issue to give a definitive answer. Your best strategy is to be so well-prepared that guessing plays an insignificant role during your exam!
What’s Next?
Smart test-takers have many tools in their arsenal, including the knowledge of when and how to use guessing to their advantage. However, nothing beats having a strong foundation in all quant and verbal topics, so that guessing is a minimal part of test day.
To get that strong foundation, you may want to read this article about maximizing your learning and retention while studying for the GRE.
