My Testing Philosophy

I just finished in about 40 minutes my first test for my New Testament Intro class. Dr. Thompson's tests have a reputation for being hard, and I suppose that the reputation is well deserved. The essays that he chose were not any of the potential topics that he indicated in class. Pretty hard to study if you have no indication of what is going to be on the test. It didn't hurt that one of the essays was about the Hasmonean and Greco-Roman background of the New Testament, and that I have a test this afternoon in a class called "Backgrounds of the New Testament." It's nice when there's overlap like that. I think I did fairly well. I guess we'll find out next week...
Many of my classmates, and Dr. Thompson, were amazed that I finished so quickly. My philosophy of test taking is this: either you know the answer or you don't, and either way, it doesn't take long to write it down. I hated the typing class that I took in high school, but I have to admit that knowing how to type has come in handy. Those of you who have known me since high school know that I always finished my tests quickly. Oh, sometimes there would be the hopeless guy who would turn in a half blank test sheet before me, but most of the time I finished in the top 5% in terms of finishing order. It's not really a race, or about finishing fast. Like I said, I either know it or don't, and it doesn't take that long. I have historically managed to come up with good grades in spite of the appearance that I rush through tests. Again, I guess we'll find out next week if history will repeat itself once more in my favor.