Many students know the feeling of the pit in their stomach as the teacher walks around the room saying, “One more minute.” I know this experience very well. Timed tests are a standard part of many curricula, but aside from the stressful aspect, it can cause students to end up guessing answers or not finishing problems due to a lack of time.
The objective of school should not be to complete things quickly, it should be to learn. There have been countless times where I’ve found myself unable to demonstrate the hard work I’ve put into studying due to certain time constraints. As a student who cares deeply about my education, it can become frustrating when I often feel unable to perform my best because I am unable to process the problem in time. From what I’ve seen, Archer effectively provides neurodivergent students with extra time accommodations — every test I have taken here has included additional time for students who need it. But as someone who does not have these accommodations — and feels as though it can take me longer to process certain questions — I still struggle to represent what I am confident I know.
Especially in elementary and middle school, I used to compare myself to the other students — wondering how they could finish their tests twice as fast and still receive the same score as me. Now, as upperclassmen prepare to take the SAT or ACT, many take courses to help them master certain skills like effective time management for each question. Having to practice answering questions quickly instead of learning the subject matter itself is ridiculous. Not to mention, this puts students who can afford private tutors at a clear advantage. Standardized tests are meant to show colleges what you know, but in reality, they often measure how quickly you can read, process and solve problems. This should not represent how smart students are or how good of an education they’ve received.
Having tests with short time constraints, especially multiple choice assessments, can encourage students to use rote memorization to prepare, instead of truly learning and understanding the concepts. According to Varthana, conceptual learning — prioritizing true understanding rather than pure memorization — helps students gain a deeper understanding of a subject. This way, the information can be retained long term instead of forgetting it once recall is no longer needed.
The same goes for timed in-class writing assignments which often require students to write an essay answering a prompt given day-of within 40-60 minutes. For me, not being able to look back on my work and assess my understanding of the topic can result in my writing lacking nuance and clarity.
Of course, it’s not feasible for teachers to allow students to take their assessments for hours, and I understand that teachers need to move on to different material. However, I suggest that specific time requirements be less harsh when the remainder of class time is silent, independent work.
It’s not the test itself that can be problematic, it’s the unnecessary time restriction. It forces students to hand in work they are not confident in, even if they know all the material like the back of their hand. As a society, it’s time we move on and focus on what is truly important for the future of our generation — learning.
