|
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How complicated is the strategy ?
A: It's quite simple. Anyone can learn it very easily. A student doesn't necessarily need to understand why it works in order to use it effectively.
Q: How long does it take to learn?
A: It only takes a few minutes to learn. However, like any other skill, SMART-GUESS™ing takes practice to perfect. An hour or two of practice with the specially designed answer sheets would make most students very proficient
Q: How long does it take to apply during an exam?
A: A student who has become proficient at SMART-GUESS™ing could apply it on a real exam in about 3 to 4 minutes total, with any particular section requiring anywhere from 15 to 60 seconds, depending on the length of the section and number of questions requiring guesses.
Q: My instructor has been teaching me how to eliminate certain answer choices. Will this strategy conflict with what I'm already doing?
A: No. SMART-GUESS™ing only comes into play after the student has eliminated from consideration whatever answer choices he or she believes is incorrect. It is then used in lieu of random guessing to determine an answer choice from the remaining selections.
Q: Can I still use it if I'm running out of time?
A: Yes, there are some variations of the strategy which can be applied even more quickly, although with a slight give-up in expected point gain.
Q: I scored 1400 on my last SAT. Will it help me?
A: Yes. Extensive tests have shown that the benefits of SMART-GUESS™ing are remarkably consistent across a wide range of scores. A 1400 student should only expect a slightly smaller benefit from SMART-GUESS™ing than an 1100 student.
Q: How do I know it will work on future exams?
A: We don't know that with certainty, but it is highly probable since it has worked well on all 30 past exams 'retaken', which spanned over an eight year period. Part of the reason the strategy has worked so well is because it has multiple components, and thus is diversified. Hence, the non-random elements to the answer keys would have to change fairly dramatically for the strategy to be rendered ineffective.
Q: What will I receive when I order SMART-GUESS™?
A: The student will receive a package that includes: 1) a brief introduction, 2) a detailed step-by-step explanation of the SMART-GUESS™ Strategy, 3) examples illustrating it's application on a hypothetical exam, 4) a breakdown of the strategy by each of its components, so the student can consider variations in the event of time shortage, 5) a discussion of practical issues and helpful hints, and 6) several specially created practice examples to allow the student to practice and perfect his or her new skill.
|