To the People Who Have Trouble Testing in School

You are absolutely not alone. It’s tough, isn’t it? Thinking you know the information, then drawing a complete blank as soon as you read the first question, hearing people complain about getting B ‘s,  and putting in the effort and not getting the end result you were hoping for. All hope seems to be lost because of how test-oriented our educational system is.

I can totally relate to you. It has been a problem of mine my entire academic career. It has always been something I struggled with, and as a junior in high school, it is absolutely terrifying. When I hear, “Wow! 11th grade is the most important year, right?” or “This year is your last shot! You need to keep your GPA up now before it’s too late!” or something along those lines, it just frustrates me even more. Just because it is junior year, does not mean my testing abilities will magically get better. I have tried everything and nothing seems to work.  I have always been studious and one to care about my grades, but you wouldn’t believe me if you saw some of the grades I get on tests.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t fail my classes, I just don’t do as well as my peers because of my absolute inability to spit back any information on those Scantron® forms. The classes I do well in aren’t necessarily the ones I like the best, they are the ones that give points for various other aspects, like projects, homework and participation. Unfortunately, there are certain classes I take that solely rely on test scores, and those are my WORST NIGHTMARE.

Another thing you are probably worried about, as am I, is the SAT/ACT. Yup, the assessments that are supposedly ‘testing how much information you know’ and ‘predicting how well you will do in college.’ If you ask me, I think that standardized tests are a complete waste of time. How is a 4 hour test supposed to measure one’s intelligence as a whole and predict their future success rate? For the average high school student, these tests are stressful and a hassle, but for the kids who can’t test well in general, forget about it. I sometimes feel completely screwed.

However, it is important to know that you are not your GPA, and you are not your SAT/ACT scores.  As crazy as it sounds, grades are not the most important thing in the world, and you will get into college despite your testing disadvantage. This is my advice to stay positive:

1. Remember that you are intelligent no matter what your GPA is. NEVER call yourself dumb. There are many types of intelligence, and test taking does not define any of them. Having street-smarts is just as important.
2. Find your passion outside of the classroom. Extra curricular activities are just as, or in some cases, more important than grades. Spend time doing things you love to do and improve your skills.
3. Take projects and homework seriously. I know that this is a boring one but projects and homework are really important, especially if you can’t test well. Plus, if your teacher sees you putting in effort, they will give you more of a break in the end. Try your best.
4. Talk to your teachers/school counselor. This can be tricky, but talking to my teachers and my guidance counselor about my testing problems has been so helpful to me. If your teacher knows you have testing problems, but also knows you are a hard-worker, they may write you an incredible recommendation.
5. Know the testing system won’t last forever. In 5 years, do you really think you’re going to remember that math test you failed? Odds are you won’t.

So, there you go. I know exactly what you’re going through and it really sucks, but there are alternate paths you can take to try and defy our test-centric education system. You have to be a bit creative and work hard, but I promise you can do it, just don’t give up.