Are you a good test-taker?

[TexasTriathlete]

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I've been spending some time on the 40-year-old virgin board (i.e., pre-allo), and I see people complaining about doing poorly because, even though they know the material, they claim to be poor test-takers.

My first thought is: horse****. If you really know the material, how could you possibly be unable to apply what you know on a test?

My next thought is: do people really just freeze up because they're taking a test? I could maybe see this happening on something like the MCAT, where the pressure is really on, and you're just in there for what seems like an eternity. I was nervous when the MCAT started, and then I eased into it after about 30 minutes. Then, by the time the bio section rolled around, I felt like I was on the last couple miles of a marathon, and I couldn't think to save my life. I still pulled out a good score, but not quite what I was hoping for (I guess most people would have liked to have done better than they did though; we all have that one practice test that we just blew away).

If I am well-prepared for an exam, I will own it. If you get a test, and you know the answer to the first couple questions, beyond any doubt, it is really easy to get rolling and gain some confidence for the rest of the exam.

What is test anxiety? Is this where you freak out during a test for no reason? Or is it where you freak out during a test because you didn't take care of your **** when you were preparing for the test? Anyone?

 

[sexyman]

I buy the "poor test taker" excuse for MCAT where it is (in my opinion) heavily a critical thinking exam. Also the fact that they are timed (not enough time in my opinion lol) doesnt help with the test anxiety.

However- in undergrad most exams are not critical thinking exams. So I think they are full of it. They are just making excuses.

 

[Doc11Hopeful]

I'm not sure about everyone else or if there is a proper definition of test anxiety but for me it was all about lack of time, lack of confidence, and nerves.

Time: I would look at a clock and see 20 minutes left (which is a good amount of time but to me during a test it wasn't for some reason) and freak out. I would be so scared about time that I would rush through and not think about things.

Confidence: I could always narrow it down and you can be damn sure I would pick the wrong one. I would think that even though I studied something remarkably similar to the question, I probably studied it wrong and misunderstood.

Nerves: I could not relax. The two factors above worked together to send me into a frenzy. Plus, I would think over and over about how important this test was to my grade, my life, my happiness, my soul, etc etc.

All this is in the past tense because I went to a school counselor about my test-taking abilities. I seriously thought she was going to be full of ***t and going to a counselor to learn how to take tests was dumb but it worked. I learned how to control my mind and let what I already knew come out on paper. It was never because of laziness or not knowing the material but I would go in and sabotage myself mentally. That is just my experience with it though.

 

[Doc11Hopeful]

However- in undergrad most exams are not critical thinking exams. So I think they are full of it. They are just making excuses.

Honestly, I used it as an excuse for a while. I would say 'Oh I just don't test well'. Then I realized I sounded like a douche bag so I decided to do something about it.

 

[LauraDO]

I have two re-occuring problems on tests

a) I second guess myself, I will put the right answer the first time and then when I'm going over the answers I start to over thinking things and inevitably change right answers to wrong ones. This is the most frustrating habit possible and I honesty lose sleep at night being angry at myself for doing this

b) If the test is long I lose focus, I guess you could say I have a short test endurance thershold. It is odd I have enough focus to run 20 miles straight on a treadmill staring at a wall but about 45 mins into a test my mind starts to wander and a little part of me stops caring and just wants to be done

I'm not a terrible test taker, I'm still able to pull off fairly ok grades, but i do know the material better than I show my knowledge on tests because of the two above reasons

 

[Powdermonkey]

I'm with you Texas, I've never really had that problem. I am usually the first one done on most of my tests, and I usually do pretty well. I dont like to go back over my tests because I always find myself changing the correct answers to wrong ones on questions I'm not sure about. I spent four years of engineering school learning how to think critically and analyze not only what the problem was asking, but to be able to pull of the necessary information out of a very vague situation. I think that helped me on the MCAT, especially since I hadnt finished all of my science courses. I've never really gotten test anxiety people, but then again I dont get excited about much. Maybe its just their type A personalities....

 

[Darktide]

Texas--- I've used the same Excuse you just mentioned a few Times... until i realized that i was not a bad Test taker, but a bad Test READER---


That's what i honestly think the other People are having Problems with; they know the Material, but don't read the Question...

My Friend said it best when he said, "Answer the Question, and only the Question" it doesn't matter what you know if you're not answering the Question... =)

glück

 

[SmallTownEMT]

I don't freak out before or during a test. Generally I'm prepared enough to do well, and if I get a question I don't know I usually think back to something I heard in lecture if I just give myself some time. And when I did realize I was bombing a test I would tell myself it's not the end of the world.

There's no point in anxiety. That's energy that can be used to really think about the question, or to make up something that sounds good for an answer if you really don't know it. Panic doesn't help anything.

 

[saylorsdad]

As an educator for 5 years now I can say I have seen a few students with test anxiety. Most students who claim test anxiety are trying to cover up the fact they crammed last night and didn't learn a darn thing. Most students "including myself at times" fail to study in the days or weeks leading up to a test and rely on cramming.

 

[BlueCow]

I've been spending some time on the 40-year-old virgin board (i.e., pre-allo), and I see people complaining about doing poorly because, even though they know the material, they claim to be poor test-takers.

My first thought is: horse****. If you really know the material, how could you possibly be unable to apply what you know on a test?

My next thought is: do people really just freeze up because they're taking a test? I could maybe see this happening on something like the MCAT, where the pressure is really on, and you're just in there for what seems like an eternity. I was nervous when the MCAT started, and then I eased into it after about 30 minutes. Then, by the time the bio section rolled around, I felt like I was on the last couple miles of a marathon, and I couldn't think to save my life. I still pulled out a good score, but not quite what I was hoping for (I guess most people would have liked to have done better than they did though; we all have that one practice test that we just blew away).

If I am well-prepared for an exam, I will own it. If you get a test, and you know the answer to the first couple questions, beyond any doubt, it is really easy to get rolling and gain some confidence for the rest of the exam.

What is test anxiety? Is this where you freak out during a test for no reason? Or is it where you freak out during a test because you didn't take care of your **** when you were preparing for the test? Anyone?

I can assure you that test taking is a skill. Some people are just good at it and some people are not.

 

[saylorsdad]

I agree that test taking is a skill and some people no matter how much they study will have trouble with some tests. However the skill can be enhanced by working with the teacher/instructor to enhance the important things.

 

[SmallTownEMT]

I agree that test-taking can be a skill. I ran with an EMT that had the hardest time getting through the state's written exam for his certification. He was a smart guy who always knew his stuff in class and aced the practical portion of the exam. He just had problems once he picked up the pencil.

I also agree with the whole cramming issue. My classmates would regularly stay up all night studying the day before an exam and then try to take it. I'll admit I'm guilty of cramming too, but I always made sure to get a good night's sleep before a test.

 

[DocRawk]

Meh...I write it off as people cramming. And I would also agree with read the dang question...I've had to many people use that excuse after I knew that they hadn't slept the night before cause they just started studying at 9pm. It's equally funny/annoying when those people write off the people who take care of their crap and do well as "good test takers." More like GOOD STUDENT. If test taking is a skill, then learn it...just like any other skill.

 

[Beau Geste]

If I am well-prepared for an exam, I will own it. If you get a test, and you know the answer to the first couple questions, beyond any doubt, it is really easy to get rolling and gain some confidence for the rest of the exam.

What is test anxiety? Is this where you freak out during a test for no reason? Or is it where you freak out during a test because you didn't take care of your **** when you were preparing for the test? Anyone?

Ditto!

As far as test anxiety, it happens, and can happen even if you're prepared. But med students especially need to learn how to deal with it. Operating on your patient is the biggest test ever and if you fail, well, it's a lot worse than having to retake a test.

 

[t-funk]

Meh...I write it off as people cramming. And I would also agree with read the dang question...I've had to many people use that excuse after I knew that they hadn't slept the night before cause they just started studying at 9pm. It's equally funny/annoying when those people write off the people who take care of their crap and do well as "good test takers." More like GOOD STUDENT. If test taking is a skill, then learn it...just like any other skill.

I tend to agree with you on this one. I have never missed a question or a set of questions on a test and written it off as being a 'bad test taker'. I always think, 'Well I guess I should have studied more of _____ or less of ____ ' or 'I should have focused more of my energy on learning _____.' You have 12 years of learning how to take tests in grade school and high school and should be well practiced by college. However, I do understand there are some people out there with learning disabilities who need more time or special circumstances. I'm not saying that someone who does poorly on tests necessarily knows less than someone else who did better, they most likely didn't study enough or as much as the person who did better and it's not really fair to just assume the person who did better was just a 'good test taker'.

 

[DocRawk]

I've been spending some time on the 40-year-old virgin board (i.e., pre-allo)

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

 

[doinmybest5840]

I'm with you on this. The only time I have "test anxiety" is when I know I'm not fully prepared and I start to think of how terrible I'll do because I didn't study enough, etc. Luckily I learned my lesson freshman year, but it still had a negative effect on my application. 🙁 Back to the topic at hand, though, I don't understand this "test anxiety" either. I got a bit nervous for the MCAT, but nothing terrible. Right before it started I was more dreading having to bubble in a zillion answers (I took the last paper exam) than the exam itself. Although I was pretty happy with my score (especially that 12 in PS! Impressed myself there lol), I wish I had done better, but there's nothing to be done now.

I think people who freak out in exams are either unprepared or don't make good choices. By good choices I mean taking the time to read the entire question rather than skimming to save time, or second-guessing oneself into oblivion, etc. Here's an idea for chronic second-guessers: if you seem to always change your answers from the correct answer to a wrong one, stop looking at them and stick with your instincts. I rarely, if ever, go over my answers to make sure they're right. I do make sure the answers I circled in multiple choice exams match what I filled in on scantrons, but beyond that, I only go over a select few questions that I had trouble answering. Otherwise I tend to change answers and lose points.

 

[MsGujilicious]

I guess it depends on the person.. Someone said this already, but it depends on how well a person can take pressure to take the test under timed conditions, or how confident they are about the test, the stress of needing a good grade on the test, etc..

Using a personal example... I would always freak out when I found out that a test is timed.. I'd look at the clock over and over again, and with each minute that passed by, I would freak out even more.. Once I started to panic, each question would take longer than it should because half of me is trying to pay attention to the problem, and the other half is screaming the time..

Stressing out about grades for that particular class can freak someone out, too. Say the grade for that class is based off 3 exams, and you only did OK on the first 2. The pressure to do very good on the 3rd is very high so that you don't ruin your GPA with a C on your transcript... it just freaks some people out, and they can't put their all into the test because there is a tiny voice screaming, "you have to do good!!! you'll die if you don't! oh crap I don't know how to do this one!" 🙄

I also think that this freaking out has to do with not being confident enough.. through the middle of the test you just start to think that you're failing the test as you go... That can be a problem as well... because even if you know your stuff, that sort of thinking can ruin any chance of getting a good grade on the test. How do I know this? Because every test that I've gotten a bad grade on when i paniced, i always went back to the professor to work out the problems I missed, and I would always do them correctly at that time... which shows that I know the material, but I just freaked myself out during the exam for no reason..

Now, i know I'm a crammer, and that's what my problem is. And I know that I need to study regularly so that I know my material well enough and come up with answers right away without panicing.. I also know that the MCAT is a timed test... So, I'm working on it 🙂 And I am getting better with studying, and we'll see if it shows on the next test 😎