Wow, thank you for your reply.
But I still don't understand the significance of it. I'm just not a test taker. I wouldn't say I have test anxiety because I'm find with other tests. But the SAT I felt a lot of pressure because of my school and the hype about how "important" they are. Knowing each section is timed also puts a lot of pressure on me and I freak out. I feel rushed and then I lose focus. I'm also wondering if they are an indication of your success in college. Will I only be a C (average) student in college just because my SAT and ACT scores were in the average range? Even though I'm extremely motivated and a very hard worker? That aspect doesn't make sense to me when I hear that these stupid tests are a good indicator of how I will perform in college. While you say that school doesn't measure one's intelligence, neither does the SAT/ACT. How is it that some people who take it can do really well the first time but worse the second? What exactly does that prove? That you got dumber the second time you took it?
At my school, our homework 99% of the time is to study. We don't get much written homework and in most classes we don't get any written homework at all. Our grade in each class depends on 2 or 3 big exams each quarter. I don't get by getting straight A's by doing homework and attending class. I have to study and know the material, just as I would in a college class.
I was one of those idiots enrolled in an SAT class and I do have to agree that it was not effective one bit. Both the test and the class were a huge waste of money for me.
haha, this made me laugh but is so true.
In regards to homework/attendance composing a major part of someone's grade, I was talking in general, especially pertaining to the public school system (which I had to put up with for 12 years). I am assuming you go to a private school, since there is no way the state would approve of such a format for a class--in pretty much all public school classes, there has to be a more or less varied distribution of points for a grade to be made up [i.e. 70% homework, 5%attendance, 35% tests and/or quizzes]. Variance in format does, of course, exist--but not to a degree where your grade would be determined by two or three assignments/tests. This is mainly the reason why most people do extremely well in public school, only to find they completely fall flat during college, even though it's all the same mindless regurgitation. The reason public schools do not follow "higher education" formats is because, if the passing/failing of classes consisted on only two or three assignments, most kids [especially in lower grades] would fail miserably, and the state schools would lose funding. If, under the current circumstances, the public school system is suffering from under-performance, imagine how bad it would be if we were to switch to the "college" way of doing things!
With that said, no, the SAT does not measure one's intelligence. Before the SAT was changed from 1600 to 2400 format, it was an accurate indicator of intelligence and was taken as the equivalent of an I.Q. test. Nowadays, however, it no longer retains any such value. In its modern format, the SAT is a watered-down version of itself, measuring adequate performance rather than outright proficiency. In other words, it measures more-or-less what you should ideally be halfway decent at doing before you consider college. However, it is not unheard of that people who do well in the SATs do poorly in college, and vice versa. There are people who have better GPAs than I do, who did piss poorly on the SATs, and this is due to the fact that they're more docile than I.
I take responsibility and acknowledge my actions--if I don't like a class, I'm known to be a rare presence. Most professors do not mind this if done smartly, however, some of them will greatly emphasize attendance, such as my old geography professor, who greatly deducted points from people's grades due to attendance even if their work was, education system wise, up to par/ beyond that which the other people write (A and B work). Other professors value consistency more than attendance, which means your grade will be largely held up by a million pointless assignments which consist of pointing out the obvious facts in readings and answering a pre-determined set of questions without putting any original input/doing anything other than regurgitating the text from the readings/notes from the lectures. I did not do all of them. Some profs. take great offence to that, while others are just as fed up with the system as you, and are therefore more sympathetic to your mini-rebellions.
There is a rare breed of prof. however. The kind of people who compose this breed actually do give a shit about quality of work rather than completion of work/general attendance to class. They're the kind who give you 2 or 3 assignments, essays usually, as these permit more freedom of thought. These essays are generally very flexible in regards to theme. Sometimes, you're even permitted to select the topic. These are the classes I got straight A's in.
What does this tell you? The SAT is not the lone set-in-stone indicator of your performance in college. There are far more important variants which most students overlook, such as getting to know an individual professor, and, more importantly, getting to know their tactics/preferences/approach to things. Examine the things they emphasize importance in [i.e. essays, homework, attendance, tests] and exploit these ruthlessly. Talk to them often, so as to maximize your influence in their sphere of existence. In the best case scenario, you'll not only have a professor, but a valuable friend with great knowledge. In the worst case, you'll have someone who is willing to help you out in his class. Either way, it doesn't hurt to approach them. Make friends with the most awful ones, too. The popular ones will be used to being approached and therefore desensitized to the effect your presence will have. The unpopular ones, on the other hand, are probably questioning their life choices and craving reassurance of their competence from someone, and would be willing to share their much overlooked and valuable knowledge, not only in regards to their class, but to the college system as a whole, in exchange for such validation. Establish strong connections, especially if you want to go to grad school. These professors are also bound to give you the most stellar recommendations. Engrave yourself in the memory of someone important--that person [or people] will be far more useful in the long run, especially in regards to internship opportunities/recommendations to employers [if you're lucky enough to find a job offering within your major only] or grad schools than some idiot frat boy who's probably going to end up on welfare anyway.
Don't be afraid to ask for extensions/accommodations either, especially if you suffer from test anxiety, as it appears you do from what you've told me regarding your SAT experience. These don't make you any less of a person. If anything, they're bound to grant you more prominence in the eye of the professor/academic support staff, as you're taking care of the issue before it arises, unlike the hordes of students who come begging for help/a second chance/extension when it is entirely too late. Most profs. understand shit happens, and the academic staff will most likely be willing to grant you the necessary accommodations, especially pertaining to such common problems as test anxiety.
The whole trick to succeeding in college is learning to manipulate and exploit the system for all it's worth. In fact, I daresay that's the whole point of life.
