If I don't know an answer on the GMAT, should I guess?

Answer 1

Since your GMAT score is based on how many questions you answer, the best option is to make an educated guess on every question. This is partly to maximize your score and also to avoid getting stuck on a question so you don't answer the other questions. However, it depends on whether you're in a quantitative or verbal section. For verbal, it's better to put a good answer for some and leave the others blank if it means getting the ones you answer right. For quantitative, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference either way for your score. If you're trying to get a top score, it's best to answer the quantitative questions with your best guess. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Yes, you are technically required to guess as you can not skip a question. The goal is to identify whether you can truly answer the question in a time efficient manner (under 2 minutes on average). If you know it is a question that you are unable to answer, your goal should be to make a reasonable/educated guess based upon the answer choices and move on as quickly as possible. This will enable you to minimize the amount of time "wasted" on the question while also "gain" additional time to dedicate to questions that you have a higher likelihood of getting correct.