Exams have become an unavoidable part of education. Whether they’re at school, university, or other professional qualifications, exams give students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.
However, it’s important to remember that a perfect score is not always necessary, or even desirable. In some cases, 100% may not be an achievable goal, and that’s okay. Who are these exams for - the student or the professor grading them?
There’s something to be said for striving for excellence and aiming for a perfect score. However, sometimes this pressure of aiming for perfection can be crippling and disabling. It’s important to recognize that if a student does their very best, but falls short of a perfect score, it doesn’t mean that their efforts weren’t worthwhile.
The truth is, there’s more to education than just acing every exam. What matters is that the student has learned and grown, and they can use what they’ve learned to apply it to the real world. Questions on an exam can’t possibly cover all the theoretical and practical skills needed in life.
Exams should evaluate student’s levels of knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply concepts. If a learner is able to do this but there’s a mistake or two on a multiple-choice answer sheet, this doesn’t take away from their successful passing of the exam.
Perfectionism can also be counterproductive as it’s often linked to anxiety and depression which not only has a detrimental effect on academic performance but also on general life skills and wellbeing.
This is why it’s important that students understand the difference between striving for excellence and unhealthy perfectionism. It’s about understanding that getting the best results possible is great, but it doesn’t have to mean getting perfect scores on tests.
By shifting their attention away from exams, students can focus more on their overall learning journey. Instead of focusing solely on grades, they can focus on building meaningful connections and relationships, exploring interests, learning more, and aiming to achieve their personal goals.
Knowing that a 100% isn’t always necessary can also enable students to become more resilient and better able to cope with failure or disappointment. It’s important for students to understand that mistakes are part of learning and perfection is rarely achievable.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that exams are just one part of a student’s education. There is much more to learning than just exams and getting a perfect score should not be the ultimate goal. Perfectionism can be debilitating and unrealistic, and it’s important to take a broader perspective and keep striving for excellence in all aspects of life.
