At the university level students are skilled at taking tests. Test Taking is an ability distinct from actual knowledge, which is not to say that knowledge is unimportant to success on a well-constructed exam. There is a strategic component to right questions" Is there a correction [on multiple choice questions] for guessing?" "Should I write a literal answer, or should I extrapolate?" "Do you want all possible solutions or just the most obvious one?" Skilled test-takers pace themselves intelligently, quickly identifying the most time-consuming questions, making sure that they leave them for last, scoring as many points as they can on questions that could be quickly answered.
Is there a course where students are taught how to take tests? Don't need one. It's natural selection.
Why natural selection? Student admissions at the university are extremely competitive. Students are products of an educational system in which those who are proficient at test-taking are moved towards the honors tracks in middle school and high school. Once there, they can earn the best grades only by excellent exam work---test-taking again. If that were not enough, nearly all students take a nationwide aptitude test as the capstone of their preparations. Students who are not proficient at test-taking are gradually weeded out. By the time students reach the university classroom, only the adept test-takers are left. It works automatically, just like natural selection.
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