Once you leave college, you might face the same resistance around making money ("But all I want to do is be a good person. Why should money matter?") or going to the gym ("Why can't my body just stay healthy on its own?").
When facing resistance such as this, I like to apply Wayne Dyer's precept, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." Here are some thoughts that might shift your perspective on test prep. They won't change the fact that test prep exists, but they may change the way you feel about it.
1. Life is filled with opportunities & challenges for which we prepare and that pass as quickly as they came.
The truth is, this is hardly the last time that you will invest days'-worth-of-hours into a single morning's task. There are GMATs, MCATs, LSATs, GREs... There are also pitch meetings, important presentations, campaigns, and major auditions. ...To name a few. 2. By fully accepting this challenge, you will develop skills and habits that help you beyond the test. Those major auditions might build on each other (maybe you don't land this specific role, but the casting director might call you in for a future role). Likewise, the test can also build on itself. By prepping and taking the test multiple times, each encounter becomes a learning opportunity to help you to do better next time. Furthermore, the benefits can span beyond the test. Prepping for the test can serve as a catalyst, an opportunity to raise your game, your efficiency, and your coping skills. *** I remember once when I was feeling super stressed, and I told my dad about it over the phone: "Great!" he said. "You're getting practice at dealing with stress." "I've dealt with stress before," I replied, completely skeptical that his argument held water. "This is different. This is bigger." "Great!" he insisted. "So you're getting practice at dealing with bigger stress." That moment passed for me, and this moment will pass for you. *** By accepting life as it is right now and figuring out a way to handle it in a positive manner, you will build your mettle for the next curve ball life throws you. 3. It isn't personal. There is a very rational intention behind the test. The goal is to objectively measure academic achievement. The measure should be consistent whether you attend public or private school. It should be unchanged whether you live in Alaska, Mississippi, Texas, or California. It shouldn't matter when the last time the person reading your application ate or how well-rested he or she is or whether it is sunny or rainy outside. A 32 on the ACT is still a 32. An 1800 on the SAT is still an 1800. Whether the SAT and ACT are the best measures to serve that role is an entirely separate question. There are organizations which are working to develop "better" systems. But, the fact is the SAT and ACT are currently the measures used by those schools that still require standardized tests (which is the majority of colleges). 4. You are choosing to take and prepare for the test. The SATs and ACTs aren't something that happen to you. They are something you engage with. Sure, it may not feel like that, but let's zoom out a bit. There are test-optional schools. There are students who don't prepare for the tests. You don't have to take the test anymore than you have to prepare for it. The fact that you are choosing to take and prepare for it says something about you. It says that there are schools to which you want to apply that require the test, and that attending one of those schools means more to you than not taking the test. It says that you are willing to invest time, effort, and energy into achieving maximum results and showing up as your best self. It says that you have goals, and that the SAT and ACT factor into achieving those goals. By rethinking test prep as an active choice rather than an obligation, you reclaim your power. {Tweet It} The fact is, the SAT and ACT exist. Here you are, faced with the challenge that is test prep. You have two options: bemoan its existence, or make something of it. Rather than struggle against the machine that is the college admissions process, my students and I run with it. We work to help students earn the scores that reflect them on their best day. Concurrently, we try to maximize the opportunity by learning lessons and skills that can prove useful after the test date. We lose the victim mentality and become active participants in the process because that's the only way to win. I'm currently building my team of SAT and ACT Test-Taking All Stars for the 2014-2015 testing season. If you're interested in revolutionizing the way you approach test prep through one-on-one work with me, be in touch. Now I want to hear from you: What does the "resistance voice" tell you about test prep? How have you been playing the victim? What new thoughts might you introduce to create a shift in perception? If you find this post valuable, share it with friends on Facebook and Twitter. {Tweet It} And, if you want to stay up-to-date with the latest blog posts and extra messages directly from me:
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