Mission Accomplished!
I have been less than prolific in this space lately due to my job switch. The insurance world isn’t really completely and totally overwhelming, but it does have its requirements. I had to sit through 40 hours worth of licensing classes in order to sit for an exam. Then I had to face taking a test for the first time since 2001. You forget about how used to testing you were at one time when it has been forever and a day since your last meaningful scholastic test.
So, I have been studying my butt off for the last two weeks in order to take my 150 question exam in order to prove myself worthy of having an insurance license to sell property and casualty insurance. Well, I am worthy. I needed a 70% to pass the test, and I smashed it by 8 percentage points. OK, well I didn’t smash it, but I was able to keep myself from over thinking questions to the point that I would have failed it.
I have to say that I am still quite disappointed with the state of multiple choice tests after my experience today. It seems like the writers of these questions aren’t so much testing you on the material as they are testing your ability to read questions so well that you can split hairs with the wording as they try and trick you into putting the wrong answer down. I understand that you want to make sure that people understand the material, but there is no reason to get too tricky with the questions.
By taking advantage of people’s test-taking inabilities, you aren’t testing people on their knowledge of the material, as much as you are trying to fill your failure quota. Plus, it isn’t like this is med school. Insurance is kind of important, but it isn’t exactly a court of law.
Anyway, I am happy it is over. And I am happy that I will have some more time back on my hands.
Bill Said,
June 22, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Congratulations!
Jen's mom Said,
June 22, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Congratuations, Mr. Property and Casualty! Good work!!! But, speaking as a person who was just plain very good at taking tests (as opposed to actually knowing the material or getting very good grades), don’t be too harsh on the writers of the questions. Had they not pursued their “pickayune” wording, sly people like me would never have gotten ahead in the world.