INTOTHEBEST's Blog

by Richard Westerlund

Hey Madison I’m sorry to hear about your scores, but I know your true abilities and that sometimes tests can cause some anxiety. You know with as smart as you are I know you’ll find your love in life and maybe this college wasn’t meant to be, because someone has bigger and better things for you. I know you can do anything you put your mind to, and maybe it’s not what your mind was supposed to be set on.
Love ya and hang in there the best things comes to those with faith.

by Ann Verma

Madison, I do not think that you should give up on your self. You are an excellent student, your grades prove that, you are a very eloquent writer, and you have goals for your life that I believe you can achieve. One way to see this situation is as an opportunity to reroute your technique for these types of tests. A new and creative way to study for these new types of tests may improve your score. Another approach is to attend training seminars that can better prepare you for these tests. Keep trying and working hard, you will achieve!

by Robert Kalaskowski

Dear Madison,
Legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said “The Greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.”
Doubting the power of your mind after some frivolous test is absurd. You are still an individual destined for great things: the only way that fact would change is if you admit defeat to these silly, often inaccurate, assessments. The power to achieve incredible things lies within…you do yourself and the world a tremendous disservice by locking that power away.
I beg you not to lose your ambition. Tests are not infallible, but knowledge is.
Sincerely,
Rob

by Brandy Liebig

My dearest friend Madison I understand that you are upset because you did not receive the score you intended on an IQ test. That is okay to feel like you are feeling, however you are not going to feel like this forever. Let’s look at this situation closely. You and I both know that this test is something that you have taken only once. One day of 365 days that are in a year you invested into this test. Now just think of the rest of the 364 days that are left in the year and all that you have acheived academically to be where you are today. Think of how consistent you are with your grades. You receive them on a regular basis and every teacher has different standards that you have to adapt to and meet in order to receive the high grade that I know you work hard for. I know you have never settled for anything less, and I know you have had your “off” days where you got that B which isn’t what you were going for but you never gave up and you kept on doing what you knew you were capable of doing. You are a very ambitious person and have never allowed anything to “fog” your vision of your goals you have set in mind. Imagine if you had given up on dificculties the very first time things did not go as you had expected. Shall we think back to Kindergarten when you attempted to learn your abc’s? It wasn’t easy as most things are not. What if you had given up then? You were just a child but at the time whether you realized it or not,the task was a stepping-stone to get to where you are today. It taught you to perservere and never give up on yourself. Imagine if Einstein had given up and lost confidence in himself. We would not be here with all of our great technology if he had let one disappointment ruin his life. Sometimes things do not work out the way we would like, but never underestimate the acheivements you have already done. Someone once told me that “what we have not acheived is what we have not attempted.” Don’t give up on yourself because I know that I haven’t and your family will always be there for you too.

by Evan Pierce

Madison,
You shouldn’t be discouraged by your test scores. I know from experience: tests mean nothing in college. I scored a 1400 on my SATs- everyone from home thought I was a star. Even I thought I was a star. I soon learned that once at school, test scores mean nothing. After a couple bad semesters, I learned that the only way to succeed in college is to work hard and keep trying. Professors knows that students that work hard will succeed, and you will too if you stick with it and keep good grades.
Good luck,
Evan

by Nicholas Saadipur

Dear Madison,

I know you’re feeling discouraged with the results of your tests. I know it is hard when things don’t turn out the way we plan them. I just wanted to let you know, as a good friend who knows more about you than the computer that graded your tests, you are one of the most intelligent, ambitious people I have ever known. Regardless of what standardized tests say, they don’t know how dedicated you are to the things you do. Always keep your goals and dreams ahead of you and I have no doubt you will fulfill them.

by Chandrika Bender

Madison,

I know how discouraging you feel right now, but you must remember that those low scores that you got are only numbers. Two test scores will never define who you are and don’t reflect all that you have done. Always remember that you are in complete control of your destiny. You are a strong, intelligent women and you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. Keep your spirits high and never give up. You are worth it.

by Daniel Tidwell

When I took the SAT, I was upset by the results. I thought I had done all I could to get a good score, but when it came down to it, I was not going to get the scholarships I wanted. I knew it wasn’t that I wasn’t smart; I just didn’t know where to look for help. It wasn’t how smart I was that helped me do better the next time, it was the confidence I had from working hard and finding the right help. If you try hard and look for good help, there’s nothing you cannot do.

by Deborah Bersaglia

Madison,
Standardized tests do not measure the ability or intelligence of a person. You’ve proved that you’re an intelligent girl. Some people don’t take tests well and you cannot decide your success on a few standardized test scores. You have a bright future ahead of you and I refuse to let you get down on yourself. Your ambition has been an inspiration to me, so you can’t give up now. Always believe in yourself and remember; The sky’s the limit; if you set your sights that low. Keep your head up and know that I’m here for you.
Sincerely,
Deborah

by Michael Lippert

I would first talk to Madison, regarding the results of the low IQ score and ask if the results for Madison had a true and real effect on how he/she is able to compete in an academic environment. I would then challenge him/her to get past the low score. His/Her obvious academic achievements are more than enough to build on. I would then encourage him/her to continue to maintain those high standards and look for opportunities to bring those talents to focus on any task that he/she wanted to undertake.

by Brian Baghai

Madison, the first thing you should know is that IQ and admissions tests don’t necessarily reflect how intelligent you are. Tests make some people nervous and so they don’t perform up to their potential. Besides, never let someone else or some test tell you how smart you are. Not even me. You should believe in yourself and never let anything stop you from doing what you want to do in life. I know you; you’re a very capable person and whatever your goal is in life, you should work hard to achieve it, even if it means taking a different path than the one you intended.

by Kerri Graham

Madison,
Sometimes in life we are tested, and I don’t mean like the tests you are so bummed out about. Maybe the real test is how you overcome this experience. You have a choice to grow from this experience and use it to your advantage. Life is a roller coaster and there are going to be times when we all feel down. But remember from the fire rises the phoenix. Don’t let those test scores get you down, the world needs minds like yours to make it a better place.
Your friend,
Kerri

by Jana Pajic

Oh Madison, you silly bean. I know you’re a night owl. The reason you did poorly on your test is because you stayed up all night long studying to vent your test anxiety instead of resting your brain to prepare for your admissions test! You are so extremely intelligent, I know this for a fact and I know you do too. Take a deep breath, and admit how intelligent and self-confident you are. Visualize walking up the stairs to your dorm room at your dream college we’ve talked about so many times. NEXT TIME AROUND, sleep at least 10 hours, eat a great breakfast and leave for the test early so you won’t be in a rush. Rely on your instincts and your gut feeling for every test answer and walk in that testing center like you own that test. I know you are fully capable of getting a great score on this test. I beleive in you.

by Kate Paullin

Test scores are numbers. They mean nothing. They cannot judge potential. My SAT score said that I should have a C average in college. But instead I have an A average. It proved nothing besides the fact that I do not test well.

No test can guarantee what your future holds for you. People with low scores could go on to be the next Einstein. In fact, Einstein failed math, but look at what he still accomplished! All that matters is that you believe in your self. You do not need a test to tell you how intelligent you are.

by Erin Browning

Madison,
I know that you’re discouraged because of your recent test scores. I want you to know that everything will work out exactly as it should, and that you will achieve all that you have hoped to achieve.
The power, strength, intelligence, and worth of a person are not measured in tests and numbers. You have achieved greatness already, and proven in the process that you are an individual; you are your own person. You are not the “standard,” or the “average,” you are above and beyond. Know and trust yourself, and the rest will fall in place.

by Valarie Justice

Madison, despite of the low scores that you made on your test you are still somebody. The day of the test could have been just a bad day for you. The Madsion that I know would not allow this get to her/him. You can take these test over and prove to those that you a smart intelligent person. I would die to have the brains and skills that you have. Whatever you do, do not stop being you. Take the test over and you give it all that you got. You have taught to never give up and never give in. I am telling you in words of encourgement to not give up and don’t stop trying. You are somebody and with faith you will get through what you are going through. Just remember to put your best foot foward and you will be very successful.

by Beth Bogaert

Madison, a score on a test is simply a number that can be improved upon. You have the intelligence and the drive to be successful and now all you need is the support of a friend and confidence in yourself. I have supplied half of that equation and now I encourage you to be the other half, the better half. I believe you are a capable and engaging young women and know that as long as you keep trying, you can achieve any goal you put your mind to.

by Billie Cotton

Madison,
I hope you don’t let these low scores deter you from the great potential that you and I know you are capable of. Test scores can be misleading. A much better picture of success is your cumulative scores of the past several years. Your strengths are there. It is possible you tested on a day you weren’t feeling at your best. Everyone suffers from those once in a while. If you can believe in yourself even after a poor test, you will overcome this setback. If you give up on yourself, your doubts will multiply. So don’t give up.

by Nick Stephens

Madison, as important as the SAT and IQ scores are made out to be, you simply cannot put a number on an individual’s experience or education level. The tests are not designed for individuals, they are designed for populations. Don’t feel down about low scores because in the real world, employers won’t look at a score or a GPA to make a decision, but rather your experience and commitment to the job. And you can’t put a number on that.

by Angela Webb

Madison,
Don’t let your low test scores get you down. You’re an amazing student and you can’t let a low test score keep you from reaching your potential. Its kind of like that driving test that almost everyone fails the first time. If they fail, they have the option of taking the test over to receive that driver’s license that they have spent their whole 16 years of life waiting for. The other option is to give up and never get something that was so easy to obtain if they would just try. Keep on ‘driving’ and you’ll reach your destination.

by Amanda Workman

Madison,
I know you are discouraged but I want to say that a person is so much more than their standardized test scores. The tests aren’t created to tell you how smart you are. They were created as a general margin, not a declarative ultimatum of who you are. You clearly have amazing potential and work ethic as you have shown through your grades at school and your writing. I see a spirit and a fire in you that no test could ever capture. Don’t lose your passion or your vision because the world would be losing a spectacular mind.

by Jennifer Hood

I WOULD TELL MADISON THAT IN ORDER FOR HER TO SUCCEED ANYWHERE IN LIFE THAT SHE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BELIEVE IN HERSELF. SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SHE CAN TRULY COUNT ON TO GET HER WHERE SHE WANTS TO GO IN LIFE. SHE HAS TO KEEP UP HER CONFIDENCE THAT SHE WILL ACHIEVE ALL THAT SHE SETS OUT TO DO. SHE CAN’T LET THIS LITTLE SETBACK OF HAVING A LOW IQ SCORE AND LOW COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONVINCE HER THAT SHE ISN’T GOING TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. SHE JUST HAS TO BELIEVE THAT SHE IS NUMBER ONE.

by Fahad Hirani

Madison,
Keep your confidence level high, because I have kept mine high. To me, college admission test scores are the only way colleges have discovered to determine one’s standings, but in my opinion they have failed. Their tactics of trickery and limited timing do not provide true insight into an individual’s intellectual ability. Many people, including you and me are intelligent and have great potential, but we are just not good at standardized tests. You need to have the right mindset because if you do not, your self-esteem will stay low and you will not be successful in the future.

by Heather Anderson

Madison,
Test scores on college admissions exams and having a low IQ do not necessarily mean that you are not intelligent. There are many people out in the world that when faced with a test, don’t do well. They have test anxiety and this causes their brains to freeze or go blank. If they could show their intelligence or knowledge in a different way, instead of a test situation, the results would show that person is actually quite smart. There have been many great people in the history books that would have tested with low IQ or do poorly on tests, but actually were quite brilliant.

by Cassandra Gardner

February 5, 2004

Dear Madison,

I heard about your troubles with the IQ test, trust me, there are many solutions. First of all you are extremely intelligent which your grades and extraordinary writing skills show. To ensure a better score you need to relax, study with a friend or group of friends and save the day before the test for relaxing. You just need to work on your test taking skills. Good luck! Keep trying.
Take care,

Cassie

by Jessica Kampmann

Who has ever proven that standardized tests show how smart a person is or predict how successful they will be? No one has! In the real world, you do not take tests to prove your worth. Your actions prove your worth, and your actions have clearly proven your worth so far. So do not let some old white guys, who made up a stupid test tell you if you will make it or not.

by Danielle Cheatam

Everyone does not do well on tests then ask her to take the test over to see if the environment affected her ability to perform well on the test. If Madison is discouraged about college I would inform her that everyone that attends a college or university does not necessarily do well on standardized tests, it is not statistically possible. The best way to boost confidence is to focus attention on other issues. I am sure that Madison has done very well in other areas and I would inform her of all her previous accomplishments. Just encouragement is needed.

by Frank Chang

Spud Webb was five-foot, seven inches tall. He wanted to play basketball. The scouts deemed him too small. Rather than quitting, Spud practiced harder. He refused to believe the scouts. He ended up winning the slam dunk contest.

Are you going to be like Spud Webb, and attack the world like you always have, or disappear quietly, just because some test said you weren’t as intellectually equipped as others? Why do you let anything question your potential, when throughout your life, you have blown teachers and students away with your high grades and your ability to write?

by Terri Lakowski

One test does not define who you are or take away from the years of hard work and successes that you’ve had. Do not let one test make you doubt your abilities and what you know that you can do. You are smart and you have done well in school. Do not question that-even for a second. You can be successful at whatever you put your mind to. Let these results be an encouragement and a challenge—to see what you can truly accomplish when you put your mind to it.

by Stacey Eller

Dear Madison: I am sorry you feel badly about your recent exams. I can imagine that it is difficult for somebody with your intellect to have received scores that are lower than you deserve. I know you are very smart, look at your grades! The grades that you have earned are something you should be really proud of.
It is impossible for people to know everything about a lot of subjects. These standardized tests don’t take into account your personal areas of strength. We all have different interests, and we all have subjects that we are stronger in than others. I hope that just because these particular tests didn’t go as planned, that you will let your ambitious self shine through. You are very intellectual Madison, I know that you can get right back up and try again.
Good Luck!

by Nicole Reko

Madison:
Relax! IQ tests are outdated anyway. As for the admission test, I know college is a big deal to you, so you were probably just nervous. I’m sure you can take the test again. I know some places to get help with “test anxiety,” even if you’ve only had it this one time. We’ll study some, and then try again. No big deal. You have great things ahead of you! Don’t let this get you down.

by Megan O’Toole

Madison,
I know you are feeling discouraged and hopeless right now. But honestly standardized testing scores don’t always prove how intelligent you are but more important how much hard work you put into your studies. You have strived for all your grades and it has paid off in the end. But a test you took in one day does not prove years of hard work and accomplishments. You might have been nervous taking the tests, maybe you had a bad night the night before, maybe you are just not the best at standardized testing. I know I have never been able to take those test, but I had the grades to back me up, just like you do. So try not stress out, that’s not what all colleges look for, they look at high school grades and extracurricular activities and community service. If you want to do better at those tests maybe try getting a tutor to help you to succeed on the next test and and that will get you your confidence back. Try not to worry, I know you can do it. Everything will work out.

by Angela Adams:

Madison,

I know you’re feeling down about your test scores, but don’t stress out about it. Remember that book I gave you to read, The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas J. Stanley? And remember the statistics it gave? It clearly stated that high IQ and test scores were not a major factor in the success of most millionaires today. Other things are more important, such as confidence, charisma, good character, and ambition. I already know that you have these tools and many more to still be very successful in life. You just have to believe that for yourself.

Your friend,

Angie

by Lynn Mason

Madison,
One of the best things to remember in this life is that some people do not test well. We are all different in how we learn and how we test on what we have learned. Please do not be discouraged, you are a smart, and ambitious person who has already proven that you know your stuff. The high grades were not a fluke you got those because you earned them. Tests are not the final indicator of how well you do in life and how well you will do in school. Do not give up, keep going after what you want and put that bright confident shinning light back in your soul because you can do it.
Lynn

by Erika Wenstrom

Dear Madison,
I thought you were a smart girl, but apparently I was wrong. I could send you all of
the studies documented over the years which have shown that IQ tests are nonsense, but that
would be missing the point. You don’t need yet another “expert” to confirm your intelligence,
but you do seem to need someone to remind you of what that stupid test missed. Your
excellence cannot be measured by a number, only by what you DO with your life. Trust yourself.
Yesterday, you knew you were a bright girl. Nothing has changed today, except your opinion of
yourself.

Love, Erika

by Rosanna diPietro

Madison, you may be feeling insecure and inadequate by those low scores you recently received, but all your previous high grades are telling me differently. I know you have the potential to increase your scores. All you need to do is take control of your emotions and future. You can have whatever you want in life, if you don’t back down when the obstacles in your path arise. Don’t become frustrated and dwell on those scores that don’t reflect you true potential. Keep a clear head, and focus on your future. Believe in yourself and your potential.

by Lindsey Yarbrough

Dear Madison,
You can’t give up on success because of a couple bad test scores. If life were summed up by a couple tests that we take we would all be failures. IQ tests are not for everyone and really don’t represent most people’s actual intelligence, I know for a fact that you are smart enough to be successful in whatever it is you want to do. As for your low placement score, retake your test! Study harder and get a better score. You can truly do anything you put your mind to no matter what others say or think.

by Eamonn Foster

Hey Madi!
The most amazing thing just happened today! You know Deirdre, our ten-month old baby? Well, she’s been trying to walk for weeks now, and with every feeble attempt she has fallen. We’ve picked her up every time and dried many tears, but today it all paid off: she took her first steps, all the way into my arms. I knew that she could do it, and I know that you can do it. Your grades are outstanding, your knowledge – vast. So, don’t let this fall get you down, because just like Deirdre you will walk on you own.

by Teo Jurdana

My friend,
Wise men have offered the counsel “know thyself.” That is my advice to you. Up to now, you have always done well at all you have undertaken. What I hear now about your test scores is simply an isolated instance in a lifetime of achievement.

You know who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing. A test measures performance, not potential. The true measure of your capabilities is not your performance on one test, but how you lift yourself up from disappointment, using it as a springboard to propel you to continued success.

by Venessa Guzman

Dear Madison,
The fear of failure has bitten at the heals of some of the most successful men/women in history. However, it is this fear of failure that motivated them to aim higher and resist the temptation to withdraw from the steep climb to the top. We all have obstacles and it is in overcoming them that we realize our humanity. Don’t give up, for it is through fortitude, prudence and hope that we reach our goals.
Sincerely,
Venessa Guzman

by Jennifer Stange

Staying committed to your goals and dreams doesn’t guarantee you’ll have an easy road, but you’ll be working toward something important with every step you take in that direction. Life is a challenge and if the road you are taking was easy, then everyone would be doing it. The path you’ve chosen is a life of education and a future of doing what it is you want to do. Don’t let anything get in the way of your dreams. The challenge is what drives you. In the end, you’ll be proud of yourself because of what you accomplished and overcame!