Maximizing SAT/ACT Score Gains: A Strategic Approach to Reviewing Mistakes

When you’ve been preparing relentlessly for the SAT, sit down for a practice test, and then face the reality of all the questions you missed—what do you do next? While banging your head against a wall isn’t going to help, there are better strategies you can employ. This article provides tips for dealing with missed questions on the SAT, with specific strategies tailored for students scoring in the 500–700 range on the SAT (or 21–31 on the ACT).

These strategies apply to both the SAT and the ACT, but for simplicity, I’ll primarily refer to the SAT throughout the guide.

Rethinking Your Reaction to Mistakes

Missing questions on a practice test can be anywhere from a minor frustration to a full-on meltdown. Finding out that you’ve gotten something wrong can trigger several reactions, including:

Impulse 1: Focusing only on the questions you got right, and ignoring the ones you got wrong (not very helpful).

Impulse 2: Blaming your mistakes on “careless errors” and brushing them off (again, not helpful).

Impulse 3: Dwell on the fact that you missed questions and spiral into self-criticism (common among perfectionists, but still... not helpful).

In reality, reviewing the questions you missed is one of the most crucial parts of preparing for the test. As an article on LSAT prep puts it, “Reviewing pretests is when you switch from just practicing to actually teaching yourself."

Strategy: Assess Your Confidence Level for Each Question

It’s not enough to simply review missed questions—you need to do it in a strategic way. A great method is to go through the questions you missed and categorize them.

Often, you can group them into three general categories:

- Skipped (questions you didn't attempt or guessed randomly)

- Guessed (questions you answered by eliminating some options)

- Knew (questions you thought you had nailed but still got wrong)

By looking at how many questions fall into each category, you can identify patterns that can guide your studying. For example, if most of the missed questions were ones you skipped, that might mean you need to slow down and avoid rushing through questions. Alternatively, if you guessed on a lot of questions, it could signal that you need to practice more strategies for eliminating incorrect answers.

Once you’ve categorized the missed questions, review all the questions you guessed on, including the ones you got right. Compare them to the ones you guessed wrong. Did you get some right purely by luck, or was it a result of using the process of elimination effectively? What was different about your approach to the questions you guessed correctly versus the ones you got wrong?

Strategy: Understand the Reason Behind Each Mistake

When reviewing missed questions, don’t just think, “I got this one wrong.” This vague thinking won’t help you pinpoint where you’re really going wrong. Instead, categorize your mistakes for the underlying reasons you missed them.

In my experience, nearly all mistakes can be grouped into four categories:

- Time Issue: You ran out of time.

- Question Comprehension Issue: The question was tricky, unclear, or you misunderstood what it was asking.

- Procedural/Content Issue: You didn’t know how to solve the problem or didn’t understand the material.

- Careless Error: Often referred to as “silly mistakes,” these are the frustrating ones you know you could have avoided.

I’ll dive deeper into each of these and provide tailored strategies for students scoring around the 500/21 level versus the 700/31 level.

Mistake Type 1: Time Crunch

These are questions you missed because you ran out of time. This usually happens with skipped questions or those that were guessed incorrectly due to time pressure.

How many of your missed questions fall into this “time crunch” category? If a significant portion of your errors stem from not having enough time to answer, it might be a sign that you’re struggling with time management.

Do You Struggle with Time Management?

One way to assess if time management is an issue is by taking a timed practice test under realistic conditions. As you go through it, if you run out of time, continue answering the remaining questions, but mark the ones where you needed extra time. Afterward, review these questions and sort them into the other three categories (comprehension, procedural/content, and careless errors).

Look at how many questions you got right with the extra time compared to the ones you answered correctly during the full time limit. If there’s a significant difference—more than 50 points in any section of the SAT, or more than 4 points in any section of the ACT—it’s clear that time management is holding you back.

For more on why time management is crucial, check out our article on achieving a perfect score on the SAT. If you're looking for tips on how to improve time management, particularly for the Reading and Writing sections, check out our resources on mastering SAT Reading and Writing without running out of time.

You might also notice patterns in the types of questions you ran out of time on. Are they similar in nature? If you identify recurring issues, that’s your cue to target specific skills. If the mistakes don’t seem connected, you could be spending too much time on certain questions—perhaps you need to improve your pacing by following some of our suggested actions to boost your fluency.

Actions for a 500/21 Scorer:

If you’re scoring around a 500 on the SAT or a 21 on the ACT, it’s crucial to monitor your time carefully during the test. This will help you avoid getting stuck on any one question and running out of time. Here’s a general breakdown of how much time you have for each question:

SAT Time Breakdown:

- Reading: 65 minutes for 52 questions (1:15 per question).

- Writing and Language: 35 minutes for 44 questions (about 48 seconds per question).

- Math: 80 minutes for 58 questions (about 1:22 per question).

ACT Time Breakdown:

- English: 45 minutes for 75 questions (36 seconds per question).

- Math: 60 minutes for 60 questions (1 minute per question).

- Reading: 35 minutes for 40 questions (52 seconds per question).

- Science: 35 minutes for 40 questions (52 seconds per question).

You can work out the math yourself for practice if you’d like, or check out our expert guides on SAT and ACT timing for more detailed information.

Do You Find That You Always Run Out of Time?

If you’re consistently running out of time and scoring around the 500/21 range, there are a few key things you can do:

Practice Strategic Guessing: If you find yourself running out of time on multiple questions, don’t leave any blanks! On both the SAT and ACT, there’s no penalty for guessing. For multiple-choice questions, random guessing gives you a 25% chance of getting the right answer (since only one option is correct). Make sure to guess on any question you can't answer fully, and you'll increase your chances of scoring higher.

Familiarize Yourself with the Digital SAT Format: The new digital SAT is adaptive, meaning the difficulty of the second module changes based on your performance in the first module. This new format means harder questions carry more weight in your overall score. In Math, for example, the hardest questions are often found at the end of each module. In Reading and Writing, knowing how the questions are grouped into content categories can help you locate the most challenging ones.

Improving Your Time Management

To test whether time management is truly an issue for you, try taking a timed practice test under as realistic conditions as possible. If you run out of time to answer all the questions, continue answering the ones you have time for, but mark which questions you needed extra time on. Afterward, categorize those questions based on why you missed them (e.g., comprehension issue, careless mistake, or time pressure).

Focusing on the Digital SAT’s Adaptive Format

The digital SAT breaks each section into two modules, with questions in Module 2 being more difficult based on your performance in Module 1. Here’s how to approach this:

- Math: The hardest questions in each module are typically at the end. So, focus on answering the questions in the first part of the module more quickly, leaving the tougher ones for the end if you have time to go back.

- Reading and Writing: The questions are grouped into content categories (e.g., Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas). Within each category, questions get progressively harder. Knowing this can help you identify where the toughest questions will be in each module.

The key takeaway for improving your score, especially on the digital SAT, is to get better at answering the hardest questions. These are the ones that will have the greatest impact on your score.

How to Tackle Difficult Questions in Reading and Writing

Read the Question First: When dealing with a passage-based question, always read the question before reading the passage. This will help you identify the key information you need to focus on while reading.

Skim the Passage: On your first read-through, skim the passage rather than reading it in detail. Often, not all lines of the passage will be relevant to the question being asked, so there's no need to waste time reading everything carefully.

If You Can’t Answer in 30 Seconds, Guess: If you’re stuck on a question for more than 30 seconds, don’t spend too much time agonizing over it. Make an educated guess (often “B” works well for random guesses), and move on. With no penalty for incorrect answers, this strategy can increase your chances of getting it right by about 25%.

Practice Makes Perfect: The more practice questions you do, the faster and more accurate you’ll become. Take full-length practice tests under timed conditions to simulate the real test experience.

Final Thoughts on Improving Your Score

For a 500/21 scorer, the best way to improve your score is to practice effective time management and familiarize yourself with the format of the test—especially the digital SAT’s adaptive nature. Focus on answering the harder questions in each section and speeding up your reading and decision-making. Over time, with enough practice, you’ll start to find yourself more confident in managing the clock and improving your accuracy.

Actions for a 700/31 Scorer:

If you're already in the 700/31 range, time management is likely not the main issue, so your next step is to increase your speed either for specific types of questions or overall. Just like practicing lay-up drills in basketball or repeating scales on a musical instrument, you need to train your mind to work faster and more efficiently.

Take the example from my own experience when learning piano scales during my Master's program. I began by assessing my natural pace—about 1 note every 4-5 seconds. Then, I calculated the gap between that pace and the target (1 note per second). From there, I set incremental goals to gradually reach my target speed, which helped me stay on track and focus my practice effectively.

A similar approach works for test prep. For each section of the SAT or ACT, calculate your time per question and set goals to speed up. For example, in ACT Math, where you have 60 minutes for 60 questions, this means you should aim for an average of 1 minute per question. However, questions towards the end of the section will likely take longer, so you could break it down into:

30 seconds per question for the first 20 questions

1 minute per question for questions 21-40

1.5 minutes per question for questions 41-60

During the test, if you’re spending more time than your target, skip the question. Don't get bogged down by one tough question. At your level, every point counts, and each question is worth the same, so it’s more efficient to move on and maximize your chances of answering other questions correctly.

Mistake Type 2: Question Comprehension

A common pitfall, especially for higher-scoring students, is misinterpreting the question due to rushing through it. Even though the SAT questions have one unambiguous correct answer, they often trick you with tricky phrasing or misleading details. This is especially dangerous for fast readers, who may skim the question and focus on the wrong aspect.

Here’s a personal example of how quickly reading a question can lead to errors:

Mistake: The first time I looked at a math question, I misread it and solved it for p instead of 3p + 2, which changed everything.

The key is always double-checking what the question is actually asking before you look at the answer choices. Often, the SAT will provide several answer choices that seem plausible if you've misread the question in a certain way.

Actions for a 500/21 Scorer:

If you're scoring around 500/21, you can improve your comprehension by writing out the information in simpler terms. Let’s take a sample math question to demonstrate:

Now, write out the information given in the question separately, on your physical piece of scratch paper or by using the annotation tool in the testing software (available only in the SAT Bluebook software):

It might seem redundant, but writing out the information separately not only gets it into your brain, but also prevents you from grabbing the wrong number or unit of measure when you go to plug it into your equation or answer. If you're concerned that writing everything out will take too much time, underlining or highlighting the relevant information in the question can also be useful. The annotation tool in the SAT Bluebook software gives you both of these options, and the digital ACT test software allows for highlighting.

Example (underlining mine):

Actions for a 700/31 Scorer:

If you're scoring in the 700/31 range, you’ve likely mastered the basics, but one key area where high scorers often falter is misreading questions. Here’s the catch: even if you double-check your answer process, if you misread the question the first time, you won’t catch your mistake on a second or third pass. This is why it’s crucial to slow down and really read the question the first time. Make sure you fully understand what the question is asking before you dive into the answer choices.

For example, many students make the mistake of rushing through the question and getting it wrong because they misinterpret a small detail, like the wording of a math formula or the direction in a reading comprehension question. Re-reading the question after you've thought about it gives you a chance to correct any initial misreadings and ensure you’re on the right track before selecting an answer.

Mistake Type 3: Procedural/Content Issue

Another potential mistake for higher scorers involves procedural or content issues. These are typically questions where you either don’t know the correct approach to solve the problem or you’re missing key content knowledge (like a grammar rule or math formula). For example, if you get tripped up on questions like:

- Inference questions in Reading, where you need to draw conclusions based on the passage rather than finding direct facts.

- Trigonometry questions in Math, where you’re asked to apply specific formulas or rules you may have forgotten or misunderstood.

In these cases, there are two main issues to address:

- Do you struggle with the procedure for answering certain question types? (e.g., How do I approach an inference question?)

- Do you lack content knowledge (e.g., Do I remember the trigonometric identities needed for this question?)

Actions for Everyone:

Whether you're scoring a 500 or a 700, procedural or content issues can impact your performance, but here’s what you can do about them:

Step 1: Find a reliable source of lesson material.

For content issues (like grammar rules, formulas, or specific test content), check your class notes, textbooks, or trusted test prep books. If you’re working on math, a full SAT prep book or program like PrepScholar can provide targeted lessons to help fill in the gaps.

For procedural issues (like understanding how to answer specific question types), look up strategies and techniques from prep books or websites that focus on test-taking strategies, such as how to approach reading comprehension questions, math problem-solving strategies, or grammar rules for writing.

Step 2: Practice, practice, practice.

The best way to improve is through repetition. Just like playing piano scales or doing basketball drills, answering questions over and over helps you build muscle memory. Focus on the question types that trip you up most often and practice those until you can confidently tackle them without hesitation.

Don’t just focus on the questions you get wrong—review the correct ones as well to ensure you’ve mastered the underlying concept. Repetition will help cement the correct strategies and methods for answering different question types.

If you follow these two steps, you’ll be prepared for any question that comes your way on test day. You'll also build up the confidence to tackle previously difficult or confusing questions, whether it’s tricky grammar or tricky math formulas.

Bonus: Keep It Fun and Avoid Annoying Siblings

Drilling questions at home is a lot less annoying than practicing those endless piano arpeggios for both you and your family! So, as you drill your practice tests, just remember: the more you practice, the easier it will get, and you might just avoid driving your siblings crazy in the process.

Mistake Type 4: Careless Error

Ah, the careless error, my personal favorite type of mistake. It seems harmless enough at first, but it can have a devastating impact on your score.

Let me share a story: During my junior year of high school, when I was sleep-deprived, I had an unforgettable moment on a calculus test. In the midst of my exhaustion, I somehow managed to add 2 + 2 and get options A) 8 and B) 2 as possible answers. This happened multiple times on the same test. While sleep deprivation was partly to blame, it wasn’t the sole culprit—rushing through questions played a huge role.

The truth is, when you’re under pressure on a timed test, it’s easy to get caught up in speed and make silly errors. But ultimately, rushing can be counterproductive if you don’t have strategies in place to double-check your work.

Common Careless Errors

Here are some of the most common careless errors I’ve seen across different subjects:

- Reading: Skimming the question too quickly and missing important words like “except.” In practice tests, I’ve often wasted time trying to pick the right answer when they all seemed correct—only to realize the question was asking for the incorrect one.

- Math: Solving for the wrong value is an easy mistake to make, especially when you’re racing against the clock. It's incredibly frustrating to get to the end of a math problem, think you're done, and then realize you solved the wrong value entirely.

- Writing and Language: Quickly selecting "NO CHANGE" when you're unsure. It's tempting to choose "No Change" when a sentence looks okay, but you need to ensure all three other choices are eliminated first. Don’t just pick it because it looks fine at first glance.

Actions for a 500/21 Scorer:

If you're scoring around 500/21, it’s crucial to reflect on why you made those careless mistakes. Were you feeling rushed? Did you actually run out of time? What can you do differently next time to avoid repeating the same errors?

Here are some tips:

Pause for a second before moving to the next question. Even if you feel pressed for time, taking just a moment to double-check your work can prevent a careless error from costing you valuable points.

Review top SAT test day tips for managing time effectively. Even when you’re rushing, having a strategy to stay calm and check your work is key.

Actions for a 700/31 Scorer:

If you’re already scoring in the 700/31 range, the key here is leaving time to go back and double-check your work, not just in terms of checking your answers, but also by reworking questions you were unsure about. Even the most seasoned test-taker can make careless errors if they don’t leave time to pause and reflect.

PrepScholar’s co-founder, Allen Cheng, suggests leaving yourself at least 5 minutes at the end of the test to go back over your answers and fix any careless mistakes. This will give you the breathing room you need to make sure you’re confident in every answer.

Even the highest scorers make mistakes, but if you’re intentional about reviewing your answers—especially when you’re unsure—you’ll minimize the risk of careless errors and maximize your score.

Whether you’re a 500/21 scorer or a 700/31 scorer, slow down, double-check your answers, and take the time to rework any tricky problems. Small adjustments like these can make a huge difference in your score!

How to Streamline Future Review

You’ve learned about the common mistakes you’ve been making when reviewing missed questions, and now it’s time to figure out how to make your future review process more efficient and effective. Here are some final tips to help you take your review sessions to the next level:

#1: Mark Uncertain Questions for Later Review

When reviewing your practice tests, make sure you mark the questions you're unsure about. Aim for questions that you feel you have a 3/4 or less chance of getting correct. This is an essential part of your review process.

For pencil-and-paper tests: Circle the question numbers lightly during your first pass through the test. Then, on your second pass, circle them more heavily if you're still unsure. This helps you visually track the questions you need to revisit.

For digital tests (SAT or ACT): Use the Mark for Review tool (SAT) or the Flag for Review tool (ACT). These allow you to easily identify questions that you find tricky and need to revisit later.

By doing this, you’ll ensure that you're revisiting the questions you’re not confident about—whether you got them right or wrong. It’s essential to spend time reviewing what you’re unsure of, as this builds confidence for the next time you face a similar question.

#2: Drill, Drill, Drill

It’s true—practice doesn’t make perfect, but it does make a significant difference in how efficiently you can tackle the types of questions that usually trip you up. Consider this a direct analogy to drilling a tooth with a cavity—the more you focus on a problem, the more familiar and routine it becomes.

Strategize your practice: Instead of just randomly practicing questions, target the specific areas where you struggle the most. This focused drilling helps you get closer to mastering those tricky concepts. (I also stand by my clever wordplay on this one, by the way. )

#3: Space Out Your Re-attempts

When you re-do missed questions, don’t just jump back into them right away. It’s more effective to let some time pass—usually a day is good, but anywhere between a few hours to a week can also work, depending on your personal learning style. This way, you’re reviewing the question fresh, and you're less likely to be influenced by your initial thinking.

Why this works: Taking breaks between attempts helps your brain consolidate the information, allowing you to spot patterns and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

#4: Keep a Record of Your Mistakes

Keeping a notebook or digital document of questions you got wrong can be a game-changer. Organize it by subject (e.g., Math, Reading, Writing and Language for SAT; English, Math, Reading, and Science for ACT) and question subtype (e.g., "big picture vs. detail questions in Reading").

For each question, note:

Why did you miss it (Was it a time issue, comprehension problem, or content gap?)

How you plan to fix it in the future (e.g., "Practice this specific question type more," or "Review algebraic formulas").

This habit of tracking and reflecting on your mistakes not only helps you stay organized, but it also ensures that you actively plan your next steps toward improvement.

The Power of Learning From Mistakes

Ultimately, reviewing missed questions is a critical part of effective test prep. “Learning from your mistakes” is not just a motivational saying—it’s the key to breaking through your current score ceiling and improving your performance.

The trick is to identify where you’re going wrong, and then practice those same types of questions repeatedly until they feel second nature. The more you drill those areas, the more likely you are to see improvement.

By following these steps, you’ll streamline your review process and develop a targeted approach to improving your score. Consistency and smart practice are your best friends here, so make sure you stick with these strategies and keep building on your progress.

Good luck with your prep, and keep grinding! You've got this!