Throughout students’ schooling, many will encounter timed exams as a way to test their knowledge. These timed tests do more harm than good and don’t actually show what a student knows.

Speed doesn’t always equal accuracy and does not reflect a student’s capability or intelligence. Timed tests make students believe that being fast is equivalent to mastering a subject. Even the smartest of students can’t fully solve a problem in five to ten seconds.

Timed tests put major pressure on students that can induce stress and anxiety, while also hindering students’ success.

In a personal survey conducted on social media, students agreed that timed tests do not benefit them. One student said, “[timed tests] give me anxiety, and I feel like I mess up more on the questions because I’m more focused on how much time I have left.” Another student said, “It rushes our thinking process and gets our stress levels higher.”

Not only does this inflict unnecessary pressure on students, but it also does not accurately represent test scores. According to Kellogg, Hopko, and Ashcraft, all authors of various books, timed math performance is often worse than untimed math.

There is no scientific evidence proving that students perform better or even develop a growth mindset while exposed to pressure.

By removing timed tests and giving students the time they need without making them try and race the clock, students of all strengths have the ability to thrive and succeed. Administrators need to strive to make school a place where students have the opportunity to be the best they can be, and removing timed tests would help achieve that.