Forum: Rants
Topic: Standardized Tests
started by: Chrissy
Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 18 2000,19:21
Ugh!
As if I don't have enough on my mind already.
I just took a four hour standarized test to get into Law School(LSAT anyone?) and now I have to sit around and wait for the results. How stupid is this?
I have a 3.5 GPA so much on a resume it doesn't even fit - 3 letters of recommendation and an outstanding work ethic and STILL I have to take this friggin test. Who was the fucking sadistic bastard who invented these standarize tests? Its been shown that taking them only shows how well you are going to do on THAT test- not over all- not in college- not in law school- med school- grad school NOTHING...THEY ARE POINTLESS!!!!!!
Anyone else feel the same way or am I the only raging looney?
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"The causes we know everything about depend on the causes we know nothing about, which depend on the causes we know absolutely nothing about."- Tom Stoppard
Posted by AnimalPrime on Jun. 18 2000,22:39
Dont worry your not the only raging looney! Detnet is compleatly made up of raging loonies! You are 1337 you should have figured that out by now!------------------
Where is that tubby bitch??
Posted by Hellraiser on Jun. 18 2000,22:52
We're all insane, but at least we aren't crazy... or are we? I guess I need to review for office so I can find some gym food to throw at the moon for Christmas.Seriously though, that's what this forum is for: raging against things that bother us. I hate those standardized tests as well. ------------------
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Posted by Kayy on Jun. 18 2000,23:07
Yeah yeah, all fair and well, they do suck, but if you dont do them, you dont get on the course in the first place, and it's the same if you dont pass, you dont get on the course.Stop whining about it if you know you have aced it, just sit back and relax, have fun. I mean, the only reason you should have for complaining about it is if you got stuck and ran out of time or so, it's pointless complaining if you know you have/are gonna pass with flying colours. It's kinda like me in a way, I used to whine and bitch about having to do so much work in class, so much so that I eventually stopped doing it. I never wrote a page in my last 2 years of high-school, I still aced all the tests and got the highest grades in my school. Now if I hadnt done the work and I hadnt taken the tests, I wouldnt have gotten grades would I? no, I wouldnt. Dont bitch, just get on with it. The sooner it's out of the way, the sooner you can get on with the important stuff. ------------------
When darkness calls and the pain and suffering begin again, you can guarantee that I shall be the instigator.
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Kevin "Kayy" Beadle, The Proprietor and Innovator of Kayyos-Vx WebDesigns.
Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 18 2000,23:29
The point is...I DONT know how I did on this test. And Im a poor test taker overall....the thing is...I could have a really good GPA etc but that test score means more to the Law school admissions offices then anything else. Right now I think if Im lucky I will get a 151 out of 180 (thats average) which is ok but I would have liked to have gone to a top tier school and because of one stupid retarded test I CAN'T. Just that the test is so POINTLESS... because I am a really good student...thats all Im saying------------------
"The causes we know everything about depend on the causes we know nothing about, which depend on the causes we know absolutely nothing about."- Tom Stoppard
Posted by Hellraiser on Jun. 19 2000,00:01
I am a horrible test taker myself, especially timed tests. I can't help spending more time worrying about how much time is left than actually doing the test, though I have gotten better over the years. Case and point: all the SAT pretests I took I got between 1560 and 1600 on, but the actual test I got only 1480 even though I know I am capable of more than that. But then the pretests were done at home, and the actual test was done in a classroom, and since I had been home schooled for that year I was a little uncomfortable with over 50 students in the same room taking the test with me.I think they ought to put more emphasis on how well you do your regular course work than a two hour test, because the course work is a much better example of your actual skills and how well you will perform in the future IMHO. ------------------
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Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 19 2000,01:53
Yeah...this test was six sections 35 mins for each ..26 questions in each section...sections were
Logic
Analytical and
Reading Comprehension
to do those things in 35 mins is like trying to kill yourself with a blunt knife...PURE FUCKING TORTUREHey Hell can I ask ya...how old are ya? ------------------
"The causes we know everything about depend on the causes we know nothing about, which depend on the causes we know absolutely nothing about."- Tom Stoppard
Posted by Sithiee on Jun. 19 2000,08:32
standardized tests are dumb, my state (virginia) is implementing Standards of Learning Tests (SOL) thats sposed to be able to tell whether students know the work. every single test is innaccurate, either too hard, or too easy. for the 11th grade english SOL, there were 25 people out of like 500 who didnt pass...and when you consider how many people are new to the country this year (probably at least like 30) and how many people speak english well at all (like 4/5), and how dumb the teachers are (very dumb) obviously this test isnt very accurate. SATs mean jack shit, theres this guy i know who i did better on in the MATH SATs, and yet i know hes better than math then me...standardized tests suck.
Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 19 2000,13:39
I say we boycott them from now on. I mean if I thought I could get away with not taking this stupid exam I would. The way I see it is that law school is a choice anyway (much like college) they shouldn't make us run through hoops just to go. My ablities should be based on what I've done in school not what I got on some biased standardized test that was invented by the law school admissions council so they wouldn't have to actually TALK to students....
There is WAY too much emphasis on these tests and not enough on what I actually know. They say the the LSAT is the hardest post graduate exam because there is nothing on it that you have learned in college. (Unlike the GMAT and MCATs where at least you are in the field of Business or Bio which is tested) and unless you've majored in philosophy (or taken logic for shits and giggles) the chances of you being aware of the logic the test uses is really rare. I don't know I just think admissions people are lazy and because of that laziness I HAVE TO SUFFER. bastards
rant rant rant
Posted by Wolfguard on Jun. 19 2000,14:21
I have always hated those tests. First im dislexic so all the little check boxes just run together anyway. This also makes spelling a pain in the ass. What i see and what the rest of the world sees are 2 very differnt things. Second thing is sitting for 25 out of 35 min because IM DONE. If im done let me go or deal with my snoring. I can tell time and i know when to come back for the next part of the test.Ah...but that was years ago... one last thing. I think the world has enough lawyers already. ------------------
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Posted by Firefox on Jun. 19 2000,15:37
Yeah. That's a good thing about Canadian University programs... no __AT tests to take. I think. Maybe there are for post graduate programs... I'm not really sure... Our final diploma exams are still standardized, but it's provincially standardized (they vary a bit from province to province).
Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 19 2000,18:10
Im not one of those kinds of people who wants to be a lawyer for the money part of it (hard to believe?) Im actually more interested in learning law- I doubt I'll practice much it's just such a run around with these friggin tests- Im starting to get disillusioned
Posted by Sithiee on Jun. 19 2000,21:40
thats the kinda lawyer my dad is, hes a lawyer that works for the govt and makes jack shit. where most lawyers are making enough that every family member could own a luxury car, we barley have enough for the 2 cars we have. i think all lawyers should be greedy enough to get payed 6 figure salaries.
Posted by fendi on Jun. 19 2000,23:32
This is not about a standardized test unless you take end-of-course exams as such.What I loved about one of the modules that I took at uni is that the exam at the end consisted only of 25\% of total marks. And the questions that was asked was so general that all those ppl who went for memorising the course material wasted their time. It helps when the lecturer doesn't really believe in exams as a true indicator of knowledge  (He was a guest lecturer and only set the test because it was a requirement) A sucky thing tho is that the group project was worth 45\% and I was stuck with a sucky group and despite the fact that we got all 45\% of the project, they still didn't pass the course. (the remaining 30\% being kick ass assignments) It was the best course I've ever done. I wish courses were the same in marking scheme. But I don't have to worry about all that now. BWAHAhahahahah. Just employee reviews *gulp*
Posted by Hellraiser on Jun. 20 2000,00:43
One of my best friends is a lawyer, one of the sharpest people I know, I think he's probably even smarter than I am. One of my favorite pasttimes is to get into a debate with him, and he helps me a great deal with some of my schoolwork. The only areas that I can always beat him are computers and science.  But then, he is 30 something years old and a lawyer.It's a good field to get into if you want to match wits with other intelligent people. Good lawyers are very nice people to be around, unless they are prosecuting you . Best of luck Chrissy, I'm sure you'll do great at whatever you chose to do with your life. ------------------
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Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 20 2000,01:34
Thanks Hell...
I just gotta suck it up and pray I did well. I guess since Im not planning on getting *paid* then I shouldnt really care where I go. The test just makes me pissy along with other shit. LOL
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"The causes we know everything about depend on the causes we know nothing about, which depend on the causes we know absolutely nothing about."- Tom Stoppard
Posted by Sithiee on Jun. 20 2000,08:14
you should care where you go, especially if its not for the money. i plan on majoring in comp sci, but im not doing it for the money (i consider it an added bonus), because its not for the money, im trying to get into carnegie mellon (i know i have no chance, but im gonna try anyway) so i can be really good.
Posted by nautilus on Jun. 20 2000,13:38
Back home in Louisiana where I grew up, graduating seniors in public schools are required to take an exit exam. I'm not sure how, but every year there are cases of students with 3.5+ GPA's who can't pass the exit exam. I mean, I understand that some people aren't good with standardized tests, but with all the chances they are given, I don't see how someone with a 3.5 GPA can fail the exit exam unless their GPA was a farce.
Posted by Nero on Jun. 20 2000,22:17
i'm in the midwest and i want to go to uni in the midwest (ut austin) so i get to do the act. it has four parts: reading, english (aren't those about the same?), math, and *science reasoning*. science reasoning is the biggest bunch of bullshit i've ever seen. i've taken everything 'cept biology that's offered in my school yet none of it did me any good. i'm a decent test taker so i did ok on it, but i have friends that can clean up in chem and physics that totally bombed that section and it brought their scores down two or more points. a 29 is nice but a 30 means you get an extra 3 from the state for college. it pisses me off that people who deserve and need the money don't get it because of bullshit. no, i'm not talking about me. i got a 33(which i used to think was good), but i have friends that got raped on it and i'm pissed for them.------------------
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Posted by Bozeman on Jun. 21 2000,14:56
Standardized tests are pretty much meaningless when applying for college. I got a 32 overall on the ACT, and The University of Michigan turned me down. (after making me wait for 5 months) Your G.P.A. is all that matters. (and mine sucks, I admit it)
Posted by Bozeman on Jun. 21 2000,15:21
G.P.A. is all that matters to colleges. I got a 32 on the ACT and U of M still said no. (after 5 months) G.P.A. is a lie anyway, because some people take easy classes. We should have weighted grades, where harder (AP or college level) classes are given 5 pts for an A instead of 4, 4 for a B and so on. This could not possibly hurt anyone, and lam0rs who take remedial math or reading lab to boost their G.P.A.'s would not get bonus points.
Posted by Chrissy on Jun. 21 2000,20:41
Most schools do weighting grading just for that reason. I know my high school did it but that was ages ago.
I don't know Im sure that colleges, law schools, med schools etc could come up with a better way to pick students rather then some standardize tests...I dont know thats just me------------------
"The causes we know everything about depend on the causes we know nothing about, which depend on the causes we know absolutely nothing about."- Tom Stoppard
Posted by kuros- on Jun. 22 2000,08:50
despite all these tests, my college places more emphasis on effort rather than acheivement which totallly sux.My the past 5 semesters, my report has read Chronic underachiever but has potential with a mark of E1, E for effort, 1 for marks. Now isn't that worse, I put make no effort but get A grades. Shouldn't we be all be striving to get an E1 instead of an A1.
Posted by masher on Jun. 22 2000,09:17
What is a GPA?Over in Oz, all you need to get into uni is you highschool exam results. If they're high enough, you're in. I think that they're in the process of changing the entry requirements for medicine, law, dentistry..... The powers that be want to include an interview as art of the selection process. That changes if you're a mature age student, which I'm not, so I don't know the particulars. ------------------
vegemite rocks!!! Remember, its all your fault. [This message has been edited by masher (edited June 22, 2000).]
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