<p>My DD is a great student but in exams she always leaves unanswered questions because she runs out of time. So of course she gets a lower score than what is correct reflection of her abilities. She says she needs time to answer questions and if she writes faster she will make mistakes. What advice would you give her?</p>
<p>Are these multiple choice tests, free response short answers, math problems in what subject? And is she in college/high school?</p>
<p>Sorry I should have added this info: She is a freshman in high school. The exams are for her core subjects: algebra, science, etc and I think they are mostly short answer written questions (not MCQs). </p>
<p>She obviously needs to learn to answer faster, but how can one learn that?</p>
<p>Is it possible she has a learning disability? My D has one, and while she is quite brilliant, part of her disability is slow processing speed in math. Don’t get me wrong, she is very good at math (taking AP Calc BC this year and getting an A). But she needs extra time on tests, and gets it as an accomodation for her disability. That may not be an issue for your D, just saying it is one possibility.</p>
<p>I was going to suggest that-- it is never too late to consider the possibility of learning disabilities, and some really smart, hard-working people I know have learned to work with them and ask for what they need to be successful.</p>
<p>Additionally, if they are core mathy/sciencey subjects that are short answers, the questions are probably one of two types: details or conceptual. If they are detailed questions, it might be that your D is not studying the way she has been in the past (they are asking for x, y, and z, which might be different than the a, b, and c stressed in class). While she can probably get there with a little bit of time, it might be that the details the teacher is pulling from are from the book or other sources that your D might not be spending as much time on (or the reverse: your D is studying mainly from the book as opposed to information in class). It may be that with familiarity of the wording/vocabulary (knowing the concept can be different from knowing exactly how it may be asked), that may help.</p>
<p>If the questions are conceptual, it may be that your D doesn’t understand (conceptually) what is going on. It’s not that your D doesn’t ‘get’ it, it’s just that in math and science, there can be a large gap in going through class and being able to get the answer as opposed to being able to explain why, which can be helped by reading explanations and even having her ‘teach’ you the concept.</p>
<p>Even if the answer is none of these, instead of just saying things like ‘study more,’ I would encourage you and your D to look through all of her old tests and identify the kinds of questions she takes longer on, or if there are types of questions she finds easier than others. I would then have your D ask the teachers, “I’m having trouble with x types of questions. Do you have any hints on how to better prepare for them?” You may be able to find a pattern on what types of questions give her trouble (or if they are all in the middle of the exam or something).</p>
<p>Ninth grade is actually often the year when learning disabilities are identified. Kids hit the wall given the additional complexity and higher expectations, when they have been able to skate by on their smarts in middle school.</p>