<p>It really amazes me how so many people on here seem to think that nobody has an excuse to not be good at something. Taking a test is not just about answering questions. It's about reading well, time managing, handling stress, all within a time limit (usually). If someone, due to stress, nerves, or whatever, cannot perform one of those abilities well...the entire test taking process becomes a lot harder.</p>
<p>And no, I don't think doing poorly or having a difficult time on a test is a reflection of lack of intelligence. To think that, to me, seems pretty ignorant. Intelligence cannot be measured by some standardized test that pays no attention to the individual actually taking it.</p>
<p>I think everyone has had at least one "off test day" in their life. It happens. Unfortunately, it just happens to some students more than others.</p>
<p>Standardized tests strongly favor those who are confident and know how to take them.</p>
<p>Many of my peers are really REALLY smart, but don't do well on standardized test because they overthink things and end up either getting them wrong, not finishing, or getting discouraged during the test, leading to even more problems. </p>
<p>It's condescending, elitist, and a little ignorant not to recognize the differences in peoples personalities that account for their testing results.</p>
<p>^ i agree. everyone gets nervous before he/she takes a test even i do but i hate those people who think they are smart and make up excuses to try to belie their low aptitude.</p>
<p>also if you get so nervous before taking a test that you start to actually begin to overthink, analyze, wet your pants, barf, poop, etc then you should get checked up.</p>
<p>I guess to really answer the question, yes I believe that "poor test takers by nature" exist. But no, I don't believe for one bit that it is a valid excuse.</p>
<p>"I only got a 2100 because I'm a bad test taker."</p>
<p>No, you got a 2100 because you earned a 2100 on the test day.</p>
<p>It's like Jason Giambi was lighting it up during batting practice but sucks during the game only to say "I am just not that good under pressure"</p>
<p>seriously, even when you get to college you're gonna be taking tests on a regular basis. so why don't those people call themselves "unsuitable for college"?</p>
<p>There is a distinction between a good test taker and a bad one. I don't see how it's simply just about being a good question answerer as some of you say. I know from taking the SATs and AP exams, there are certain techniques that help your score a ton and don't reflect on how well you know the material but instead shows good test taking skills. There can be 2 people equally as smart taking the same test but still ending up with a gap in their scores. One might not have been efficient by lingering onto questions for too long. Another is great at eliminating answers. One might not be as comfortable guessing because of a penalty. Another is more aggressive. One might know to go to an easy section first. Another might fail to notice that groups of question are in chronological order which could help eliminate certain answers. Another might know how to effectively read passages better. The list goes on and on.</p>
<p>I'm a terrible multiple-choice test taker. I don't really care if you guys believe me or not (this is just a forum online). However, whenever I take any kind of multiple choice test (see: scantron), I typically get C's.</p>
<p>On essay or short answer tests, I ace them. Luckily, I haven't had a class that has the entire grade based on multiple choice tests, so I've been able to pull of decent grades, because my other assignments balance out the tests.</p>
<p>
[quote]
seriously, even when you get to college you're gonna be taking tests on a regular basis. so why don't those people call themselves "unsuitable for college"?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Because some of them have documented learning disabilities and need accommodations such as a quieter room or time-and-a-half to demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter, which is the point. </p>
<p>Colleges are more than happy to accept and accommodate these simple needs because the students' apps demonstrate other attributes, including a brilliant mind that functions just fine when not under time pressure.</p>
<p>Post-college, some careers are better than others for people who work around this particular kettle of issues, so don't worry, they won't be taking anything away from you by existing.</p>
<p>Multiple choice tests mess me up bigtime, because before college in the Irish educational system they are virtually unused. I'm horrible at MCQ tests of any kind, particularly those with negative marking.</p>
<p>I took the SAT about 10 years ago at age 14 for CTY entry, got 1330 on the old SAT then, I can see how it would get annoying because I tend to find most standardised verbal reasoning tests to be very flaky.</p>
<p>lol, very few people on these boards can claim to be "good test takers" because most people here prep, and have knowledge of the sat/act in advance and actually study for school (i know its "cool" to deny that on here, though).</p>
<p>i would disagree with the claim that people who say they are poor test takers are liars. i am a very bad test taker. this confused me at first because i would know the material yet i would do horribly on test. this usually happened on big tests like ap test, finals, act, or test that I knew i needed to do well on for a grade. I worked with a teacher i had over the summer with because he noticed that i would struggle with that. i would do incrediably well on homework, would be the first to work out problems on the board in class, and usually helped other students figure out the problem but i would still do bad on test. </p>
<p>now i would agree that a lot of people lie and say they are bad test takers but there are people who are like this!</p>
<p>A friend of mine has that. Despite doing well GPA/SAT, friend broke down during a standardized test in tears after realizing she screwed up a question.</p>
<p>^thats beyond a bad test taker. is she going to cry every time something doesn't go her away? how is she going to perform in real life situations if she breaks down after missing a single question? poor test takers are bad performers. its like me saying "Yeah I have the potential because during training I can do all that I am supposed to but I just do bad when I am under pressure". lame.</p>
<p>no, what's lame is dissing others on a forum when you truly don't understand the situation.
I am a bad test taker as I said above. I do poorly on multiple choice tests (C's), but I know the material. I'm not bad under pressure, because I do fine on timed essays, and I also do well on oral tests (i had a professor give me the option of making up a test from when i was sick of him asking me questions about the material and having me explain my answers to him). I do fine under pressure, i test poorly. who are you to tell me otherwise?
this isn't an excuse. i'm not mentioning on my college apps... because i will have the same problem in college. i don't want sympathy, because this is just a stupid online forum, however, you need to realize that there are people that have problems with it, and people that don't take tests well aren't "lame."</p>
<p>it is lame because test-taking is a skill and if you are not good at it then you are just not good at it, no other excuse. damn man, i have all that it takes to become a pro nba basketball player ; i am tall, strong, fast, can dribble and shoot well but gosh darnit, i just suck when it's gametime. i am just a bad when it comes down to gametime. that's it.</p>