By Emma Ratz

I still have nightmares about index cards. Blue ink, lined paper, that smell of the library, and the terrifying silence of the classroom. I remember sitting in the back row tapping my pencil, repeating Photosynthesis…… Mitochondria……..active transport….. Like a magic spell. I wasn’t studying biology; I was studying the shape and sound of the words, when the test was over I couldn’t tell you how a cell actually lived or worked, but could tell you where the answer was on page 2 of my study guide. As a student in high school and college currently, I have a lot of experience with different types of teaching styles. The current grading system is not always reliable. When you sit down to take a test does that score really reflect who you are as a student? For example, imagine you take an algebra test and get an A. 

According to the grade, that means you understand everything in the subject. But then you take a world studies test and fail. Does that suddenly mean you know nothing about that subject? Of course not. Maybe you retake the test and get an A the second time. What changed? Did you suddenly become smarter, or did you just memorize the information you expected to see on the test? This shows the problem with many tests today. They often measure how well students can memorize information for a short time rather than how well they truly understand the material. Students should NOT be tested on knowledge based entirely on unreliable memorization. By taking steps to understand your brain and how it processes information you will in turn improve retention, deepen understanding, and achieve more meaningful learning.

 Memorization isn’t mastery……..to test someone’s knowledge on a subject. You will most likely forget that topic, a lot of the important information (or the information that the teacher deems to be on the test) within a couple of days. 

Flash cards= the reputation of a word over and over……you’re not learning the meaning of the word, you’re memorizing the letters of the word and what the answer is without comprehending what it actually means….Just what it sounds like or looks like. 

Testing memory is completely different from learning information……so flash cards don’t work if you’re not processing the information to learn it, but only memorizing the letters. 

You might be wondering why should I care, I can’t control this, what impact is this having for me? Well Student Stress Levels are through the roof, according to YoungMinds,  “a mental health charity, calls regarding exam anxiety have risen from 27% in 2009 to almost 40% last year (2010). Now can you imagine how high that is today? YoungMinds released another study in 2025 early 2026 …..saying that “nearly two-thirds of the tested population of 15-to 18-year-olds surveyed said they struggled in the testing environment.” “A significant number of people reported skipping school due to exam-related anxiety, and many felt that their mental health was severely impacted by the high-stakes.” I want to take a minute to talk about retakes, I am currently on track to graduate high school with my associates degree in business at CVTC, 

I have currently taken 2 classes…that follow the CVTC guideline and policies at memorial, along with 6 more classes I have or am currently taking with real CVTC professors. There are no retakes. So how are you expected to memorize all of this information you might be asking? Well first off…..Most if not almost all of the tests that I have taken with CVTC instructors allow open notes on every test. This is one fix you have, to learn and provide information. By allowing this you write down the notes, allowing your brain to process the information, and then learn it in the long run and test and you already know it. Whereas in high school, you’re often lectured, practice/ “learn”(formitive), then test and then forget.  High school is here to set you up for college and I am arguing that high school isn’t doing this, instead is building bad habits mostly in studying and testing, stressful situations, and also is bad at measuring your level in school for colleges to view and see. Is what we’re “learning” now in high school with memorization going to help us in the future and the real world? 

Think about this for a minute……you just got out of college as a doctor. A patient came into the hospital with unusual symptoms. Instead of relying only on memorization from medical school, you check the patient’s records, look up medical databases, and review treatment guidelines before making a decision. At this moment, it’s almost like you are “taking a test”, but you are allowed to use notes and not have everything memorized, because the goal isn’t to see how much you memorized, it’s to make the best and safest decision.  If you think about it, the way that the world is set-up to learn is by actually learning and understanding the skill set and then applying that knowledge to your job/ life/etc. Not just memorizing a few letters and numbers.THAT WON’T HELP YOU in the real world.

Memorizing a definition or a formula may help a student pass a test, but it does not guarantee that the student actually understands the concept or can apply it in a real situation. True learning happens when students take that foundational knowledge and connect it to meaning, example, and real-world applications, by exploring the background behind information allows students to move from simple recall to genuine understanding. So while memorization may play a small role in learning, it should never be the final goal. The goal should be comprehension application, and the ability to use knowledge long after the test is over.

You might be thinking, “I’m just a student. I don’t control district policies, testing methods, or what goes in the gradebook. And in some ways that’s true, you can’t always change the system around you. But what you can control is how you choose to learn. Even when memorization is pushed on you, you still have the ability to go further than simply repeating information. Instead of relying on note cards or short-term memorization, you can take the next step by researching, questioning, and understanding the ideas behind what you are learning. 

For example, In a business or law class, you could memorize the letters ADA,  but that doesn’t mean much on its own. When you research the Americans with Disabilities Act, learn why it was created, what protections it provides, and how it impacts real workplaces and real people, you move beyond memorization into understanding. You begin learning the skill behind the information, how laws affect society, how policies protect individuals, and how businesses must adapt to them. 

To go back to my CVTC classes, I personally use the resources in class every week. We have a class overview, where you can find the powerpoint slide show they lecture off, text books, videos, extra articles and reading to further implement and expand your education. This is where teachers can help/ provide more information than just of what will be tested. When students take the time to explore the meaning behind what they are learning, they develop something much more valuable than a memorized answer. They develop the skill of learning itself, the ability to research, analyze information, and understand complex ideas. Those are the skills that last far beyond a test or a single class. In the real world, success rarely depends on how well you can memorize a list of facts. It depends on how well you can think, question, and apply knowledge to new situations.So even if you cannot immediately change how tests are written or how grades are recorded, you can still change how you approach learning.

 Choose curiosity over repetition. 

Choose understanding over memorization. 

Because when you truly understand something, you don’t just remember it for a week, you carry that knowledge and those skills with you for the rest of your life. Learning should not be about repeating answers, it should be about building knowledge we can use, share, and grow with for a lifetime. Because what’s the point of being here at school, if you’re not learning something?