<p>@pmian57
tests measure a certain kind of intelligence, and in a society where credentials are everything, the ability to score high on the SAT is definitely indicative of the kind of intelligence that people value.</p>
<p>as to “How does someone claiming that they are a bad test taker take " away the pride of the people who actually do well on the SAT.”?"</p>
<p>i’ve actually heard comments like this more times than i’d care to count. something along the lines of “you’re just naturally a better test taker than me, that’s why you did better,” or “of course you did well; you didn’t have to work for it.” it does kind of suck, because it implies that i don’t earn my score. i earned it and worked for it, but maybe not in the same way - my hobbies and interests helped me out with the SAT enough that i didn’t really have to study. i knew the math from classes in school, and i’ve always been an avid reader and writer. i feel like there are very few people that can score 2300+ without having interests outside of academics that pertain to the skills that the SAT tests.</p>
<p>if you just study for the SAT by taking test after test, you reach a threshold that you can’t cross where your scores max out. </p>
<p>…but that’s not the same as someone being a “bad test taker.” it’s that they aren’t capable of thinking critically on the same level as their peers that score significantly higher than them. and that’s really no fault of their own, because if you don’t have parents that push you to develop analytical & critical thinking skills in your formative years, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever acquire them.</p>
<p>which is why i feel like people have developed this stereotype of a “bad test taker” so that they can claim that their SAT score isn’t indicative of how smart they are. cus it sucks to admit that maybe you are lacking in certain regards. that’s not to say there aren’t people that struggle with testing anxiety - but i don’t think everyone who writes off their SAT score as not being their fault because they’re a “bad test taker” truly suffers from it.</p>
<p>i’ll probably get hate for posting this but idk, this is what i know from personal experience.</p>
<p>[e] to clarify: i’m not saying anyone with below a 2300 is stupid or anything like that. i think anything above an 1800 is pretty awesome, haha.</p>