Not much time this morning, but first things first:
The Sandwich - smokey turkey and mozzarella with a lemon dill sauce served on a jalapeno cheese roll. Yeah. From a place called Pearl Street Station. Go there. Now.
So I took an exam on Saturday, an exam that I've spent a good portion of the last several months studying for. I'm getting my teaching license in the state of Texas and this was the content exam to teach middle school and high school English. I worked on practice tests, read over all of the material I was given. Felt pretty good going in. Did all of the things you are supposed to do to relax. Took Friday off, had a really nice, relaxing evening. Slept well. Got to the testing center early.
And then promptly bombed the exam.
Now, before you think this is just paranoia, let me tell you why its not. I'm not one of those people who walk out of every test thinking I've failed. I don't. I generally have a good feeling coming out of most exams and I'm happy to tell you I did well when you are whining about how awful you did. That's how I roll.
But a large portion of this exam consisted of things I wasn't prepared to answer, things that I did not prepare for. So, yeah. I'm not optimistic. Not the end of the world, but not a whole lot of fun either. I can take it again soon, to the tune of another $150.
So tell us about a time you completely wiped out on a test or exam.
Jeff
I thought *failing* the teaching test meant you're more than qualified to teach...in Texas. Congrats!
Posted by: N | April 19, 2010 at 08:10 AM
Um. College entrance exam; perfect score on the language portion, bombed the math portion. Due to dyslexia, which for some reason screws with my numerical abilities but doesn't interfere with reading/writing. (I can write like a maniac, but don't ask me to balance a checkbook.)
Posted by: Charlene Teglia | April 19, 2010 at 08:26 AM
I didn't think I'd get into a decent college with the crappy SAT scores I had. Fortunately, Roanoke College wasn't putting that much weight on SATs when I applied. I've always had problems with multiple choice tests. Give me an essay, and I'm fine.
Posted by: Karen Olson | April 19, 2010 at 08:52 AM
I'm going to cheat, hee hee, and say I've watched my college-bound daughter study for the ACT in the last two weeks, she took it last year and did well, but she retook it hoping for a higher score -- and as I watched her study and heard about the online "practice" exams she took over and over, I was very very happy that test taking was in my past.
Posted by: Lori Armstrong | April 19, 2010 at 09:47 AM
I took the SAT 4 years out of high school when I was in the Army. What little I knew about algebra as a senior had evaporated as a GI. I did not do well. Fortunately, WVU accepted me anyway.
And the last test I failed involved my annual physical. So there's that.
I hope you're wrong and you passed, or I hope Neil's right and you're good to go in the Lone Star state.
After all, it was one of your more progressive governors who rejected Spanish classes saying that if English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for Texas children.
Posted by: David Terrenoire | April 19, 2010 at 10:04 AM
First of all Jeff-hope you did better than you think, but I've been there.
Hematology class. Even though nearly every vet office now has machines that read blood samples we still have to learn how to read films and what all the anomalies mean, etc, etc...
That class made me cry multiple times a week, and I got more than one 'D' a week, which at my school is not passing. Somehow I managed a 'B' but ended up taking a leave of absence-oh my god the stress of that class...
Posted by: norby | April 19, 2010 at 01:04 PM
My college professor for Shakespeare was a cold s-o-b. Shortly before the end of the term, my father almost died and needed immediate open-heart surgery. I was a mess. I applied for an Incomplete to give me additional time to finish my big term paper. The prof gave no indication of having a problem with this plan.
I walked in to take the final exam and as I sat down with my blue book to start writing, the professor reminded me that my paper was late. I reminded him about my father's illness and the Incomplete. He replied, "I'm not in the practice of handing out Incompletes to anyone who asks."
Totally demoralized me right then and there and rendered me useless for the exam.
I had to retake the #@&*@%$ class, which I aced next time around.
Posted by: Mary Stella | April 19, 2010 at 01:08 PM
I studied for a solid week for a medical microbiology test... and when I got the test it looked like a foreign language. My instructor graded it in front of me because it was a make-up exam. 56 percent. FAIL.
Posted by: Lauren Armstrong | April 19, 2010 at 06:16 PM
I stayed up all night studying for an abnormal psych test in college -- and this was a class I LOVED. I was positive I aced it, only to find out I'd gotten a C, which hurt all the more because my genius roommate, who had studied with me, got an A.
Posted by: AlisonGaylin | April 20, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Hope you did well, Shelby. Especially if it means I can now make even more fun of you for having to put up with the same crap I get week-in and week-out in this profession. I'm getting ready to take the assessments part of my National Boards in about two weeks, so I hope that won't be my "I fail" test story...we could really use the pay bump NBPTS would bring.
Posted by: Jake Nantz | April 20, 2010 at 01:43 PM
How's it going now? I hope you're not ringing the same bell this year. It is a lot of pressure, since you'll be handling the leaders of tomorrow. Best of luck, and prepare for the worst!
Posted by: Aurora Orsini | July 01, 2011 at 08:07 AM