Thread: Should I be worried?

Hello I'm a freshman in highschool. I am in all advanced softmore classes, and next semester I will be in junior classes. Today we had a junior test that mixed trig, algebra, and geometry. Other freshman in my school got 5s wich is pretty good. Me, on the other hand got a 2... Wich isn't good at all. I am really upset at myself because I am already teaching my self calculus and am the only freshman to do chemistry... So I know I can do better than that! Is this something to be worried about? If it helps I panicked during the test, and the previous class I spent the entire time testing.

I know this isn't what people typically ask.

Everyone flunks the odd test here and there so don't beat yourself up over it(*). The key question is how much does the test matter? What I mean by this is what is the impact will the result of this one test have on your future academic career? If it was a test to determine whether you are put into a gifted or normal class, it would be moderately important and you may be concerned. If it was a final exam that determines your grade, maybe a bit more concerned. If it was a test just to assess your progress I wouldn't be too concerned, the test has served it's purpose and given you a heads up on an area you need to work at (even if it is only working at not panicking).

* For example in my first year at university I failed Physical Chemistry (embarassingly as it is now my area of research expertise). I was basically over confident and got a shock. My tutor gave me a industrial strength bollocking and a make-up test saying get a 1st class score or you are gone. The test served it's purpose BIG wake up call, got the first and never looked back.

I may have been a little over-confident in my abilities, I don't think it affects my grade... However I am scared this will go in my highschool record. I want to get into a good college and be a theoretical physicist, if this is in there I'm scared this could affect the college I get into.

I don't know much about the US system and what goes on your record and how much of an effect that record has so I can't help you there although I would be very surprised if one test in freshman year would have any impact at all. Here in the UK it would have no effect, the things that count are the final grades for your courses, your application form and your performance at interview, no reference to school records at all.

If you are really worried discuss it with your teacher but I honestly think you have nothing much to worry about unless you make a habit of it.

Ok thank you for the advice... I just don't want my future college to look at this and affect Webster they choose between me or someone else.

I strongly advise you to thoroughly look over the exam and try to understand why you got so many incorrect answers. Was it sloppiness, or did you encounter material you were not familiar with, or something else? Since you are a freshman, you need to know what went wrong so you can correct it before taking more tests.

"Understanding the psychology of teacher and how he/she thinks about students" will help you. In future attempt your paper in a way teacher expects from you.
It always helped me. And with less efforts I got always good marks. (with minimal exceptions)

You should be able to program the awnsers to most of the questions if need be. That might help you learn. most of your time is spent doing homework questions which you may or may not be able to do. But as I see you can spend your entire life drawing imaginary lines or you can do something that you actually give a damn about.

Talk to your teachers for they can help you better than anyone here.

Originally Posted by fiveworlds

You should be able to program the awnsers to most of the questions if need be. That might help you learn. most of your time is spent doing homework questions which you may or may not be able to do. But as I see you can spend your entire life drawing imaginary lines or you can do something that you actually give a damn about.

How does this address the subject of the OP? It is at best irrelevant, you have been asked repeatedly to stay out of the hard science areas (in fact Lynx Fox threatened to ban you if you persisted) for offering irrelevant, confusing or just plain wrong advice, please do so.

Originally Posted by sir ir r aj

"Understanding the psychology of teacher and how he/she thinks about students" will help you. In future attempt your paper in a way teacher expects from you.
It always helped me. And with less efforts I got always good marks. (with minimal exceptions)

Generally poor advise. The focus should be on the materials not what the teacher thinks of the student.

I wouldn't worry too much about one test event either. On the other hand don't be in a rush to learn calculus if you are still missing some of the fundamental skills. Talk to your teacher to sort out where you need to focus. Math, more than most other topics, builds on itself.

This thread is more about education than math...moved.

Originally Posted by Lynx_Fox

Originally Posted by sir ir r aj

"Understanding the psychology of teacher and how he/she thinks about students" will help you. In future attempt your paper in a way teacher expects from you.
It always helped me. And with less efforts I got always good marks. (with minimal exceptions)

Generally poor advise. The focus should be on the materials not what the teacher thinks of the student.

Mistake from my side. Thank you for pointing this out.
I always searched the short cuts in my student life.

Originally Posted by Lynx_Fox

Originally Posted by sir ir r aj

"Understanding the psychology of teacher and how he/she thinks about students" will help you. In future attempt your paper in a way teacher expects from you. It always helped me. And with less efforts I got always good marks. (with minimal exceptions)

Generally poor advise. The focus should be on the materials not what the teacher thinks of the student. I wouldn't worry too much about one test event either. On the other hand don't be in a rush to learn calculus if you are still missing some of the fundamental skills. Talk to your teacher to sort out where you need to focus. Math, more than most other topics, builds on itself.This thread is more about education than math...moved.

I know the stuff it's just the test itself it was timed 1:00 per question I panicked and did bad (I didn't realize it was timed until it was half over) my concern is If it goes on my records... So the question is should I worry about this when I'm applying to my future college... And thanks for the advice anyways!

I think it will have no effect whatsoever. Having been on selection panels (for PhD students not undergrads but the point is the same) how much time do you think we spend reading the past record of an applicant? It is nowhere near enough time to read and take in the result of every test you have ever taken. We skim and read the character references and look at the results of exams that actually matter, even if this result goes on your record (which it probably won't) unless you make a habit of failing tests it will be lost in the noise. You are worrying about nothing.

HA! I wish I only failed one test my freshman year! The most important thing here is to (1) Stop worrying, this test score won't make/break your life aspirations. (2) Find what you did wrong, practice it until you can get it right. (3) Enjoy your years of highschool, they've been the best years of my life.

Originally Posted by Physicsforall

my concern is If it goes on my records... So the question is should I worry about this when I'm applying to my future college... And thanks for the advice anyways!

No. Don't worry. NO individual tests go on your record. Final classroom grades go on your record. so if you end up with an "A" for the class nobody will know that you bombed a test, they will just know you received an A for the class.

All you need to worry about when applying to colleges is, is "what do your 2nd and 4th quarter grades look like?" (1st and 3rd quarter grades aren't even part of your record) and even then it's not very likely that you'll have to worry about that, because they're are going to see your GPA before they even look at your record. If your GPA isn't up to snuff there will be no reason to even look what classes you took and your grade in them. BTW just a little more stress for you. Colleges want to see that you are involved. outstanding grades rarely cut it anymore. they want to see that you're part of the pep club, physics team, or participated in cross country or something. Get a social life to go along with that math brain of yours, you don't have to like it but your college resume needs it. (although, I'm not sure if Cal Tech or MIT care about the social aspect or not, but I can tell you state and private schools do.)

RELAX! nobody gives a damn about one test given in class. colleges barely care about the SAT anymore, let alone one teacher created test.
Just as others have stated, don't make a habit of it 'cause your over-all grades for second and fourth quarter ARE part of your record and those 2nd and 4th quarters are used to establish your overall High School GPA.

Unwind! have some lemonade!

You have received some sound advice. The primary answer to your question is: you don't need to worry about the long term effects of the test.

Here is another piece of advice. Although your interest is in maths, you will benefit from writing correct English. Your spelling is dreadful. Work on that too.

Originally Posted by John Galt

Although your interest is in maths, you will benefit from writing correct English. Your spelling is dreadful. Work on that too.

I didn't want to say anything

but when he/she said he/she was in advanced classes I first thought, "not English you're not," unless they have changed the spelling of "sophomore" along with a variety of other words. I understand and am guilty of lazy grammar and punctuation, but there is certainly a line.

My first thought was that some of the "unusual" spellings may be down to "predictive text" issues. If I post from my phone without due care and attention some of the words that appear bear little relation to what I thought I typed...

Originally Posted by PhDemon

My first thought was that some of the "unusual" spellings may be down to "predictive text" issues. If I post from my phone without due care and attention some of the words that appear bear little relation to what I thought I typed...

but doesn't predictive text still spell things right? I thought it just uses the wrong words not misspelled words.
unless of course the phone knows it's in the hands of a high schooler and predicts they will spell stuff wrong

True, but things like "Webster" rather than "whether" in post 6 made me think it was a possibility. No-one spells that badly. Also if the predictive text doesn't recognise a word (i.e.the spelling is so badly mangled) mine sometimes adds it to it's dictionary so the next time you use a similar word it can crop up as a prediction and be inserted.

The whole permanent record thing is mostly a joke. The only permanent record in life is the criminal one.

Failing a test, Worst case scenario is top level colleges will not offer you a full paid scholarship & you would have to pay your own way.

However the whole top level college thing is a bit of a scam in itself. Its illegal for an employer to discriminate against you based on where you went to college. Some do, but it is rare.

I do not work in physics. However every job I have ever gone for do not ask you about your grades. They ask you to bring "diploma" or "certificate of graduation" Phi Beta Kappa seal & other honors on your certificate are nice to have but they do not effect employment.

Thus, do not worry. Like i said, worst scenario you wont get a free ride to MIT.

Originally Posted by GoldenRatio

The whole permanent record thing is mostly a joke. The only permanent record in life is the criminal one.

Failing a test, Worst case scenario is top level colleges will not offer you a full paid scholarship & you would have to pay your own way.

However the whole top level college thing is a bit of a scam in itself. Its illegal for an employer to discriminate against you based on where you went to college. Some do, but it is rare.

I do not work in physics. However every job I have ever gone for do not ask you about your grades. They ask you to bring "diploma" or "certificate of graduation" Phi Beta Kappa seal & other honors on your certificate are nice to have but they do not effect employment.

Thus, do not worry. Like i said, worst scenario you wont get a free ride to MIT.

MIT and the like would never know about one test. There are too many "one test" for them to go over when you consider 50 some odd classes for four years. GPA, Classes, extra curricular activities, discipline file, and maybe, absences/ Tardies (but probably not)
As far as I know, that's pretty much the order that colleges look in as well.

From an employers viewpoint consider this. Unless your subsequent scores had improved you would not be in a position as to where any of your scores mattered. I would view a old low score, followed by higher later scores as evidence that you can improve and have improved. Very positive signs. I would be marginally suspicious of someone who delivered consistently high scores. I want to hire humans, not automatons.

BTW just a little more stress for you. Colleges want to see that you are involved. outstanding grades rarely cut it anymore. they want to see that you're part of the pep club, physics team, or participated in cross country or something. Get a social life to go along with that math brain of yours, you don't have to like it but your college resume needs it. (although, I'm not sure if Cal Tech or MIT care about the social aspect or not, but I can tell you state and private schools do.)

Alright thank you! Can't say I haven't heard that before! Yes I'm in cross-country, and I'm in Track and Field. I also want to go to cal tech and I've read that they are picky so that was my concern... Thanks!

Originally Posted by Physicsforall

BTW just a little more stress for you. Colleges want to see that you are involved. outstanding grades rarely cut it anymore. they want to see that you're part of the pep club, physics team, or participated in cross country or something. Get a social life to go along with that math brain of yours, you don't have to like it but your college resume needs it. (although, I'm not sure if Cal Tech or MIT care about the social aspect or not, but I can tell you state and private schools do.)

Alright thank you! Can't say I haven't heard that before! Yes I'm in cross-country, and I'm in Track and Field. I also want to go to cal tech and I've read that they are picky so that was my concern... Thanks!

Excellent. you're on your way. try to be diverse. don't necessarily stick with cross country and track all four years and nothing else. maybe drop track and pick up the key club one year or something along those lines. as a freshman/sophomore you seem miles ahead of the pack, not just in education but goals as well. Even if you don't get into the college of your choice just keep in mind you'll still go to a college and still get a great education and be able to take care of yourself in life and probably work in your chosen field.
Good luck to you. you're off to a wonderful start.