Myth- "Only good test takers pass their ASE tests"

Today this is a myth, true in some cases 35 years ago. As a general statement even then I would put it in the myth catagory. There are cases on both tails of the bell curve where very good technicians can’t pass a test if their life depended on it and some who hold master certification who’ couldn’t fix a “soup sandwich“ with written instructions I say myth when the exceptions are filterd out

I agree with you there, I know great techs that have failed the ASE tests, but at times due to the wording, because they make it plenty obvious they know what they are doing. But i have yet to meet a master tech that couldn't fix a ham sandwich. Mind you, I've never taken anything other than the computer based testing. So I am assuming that it was easier to maybe cheat with paper testing. But

Not so much cheating, although I’m sure it happened. Their just was not as much that you needed to know 20-30-35 years ago to prove competency. A solid service writer could pass the tests and achieve master certification as long as they could read and write well. Didn’t mean you could fix anything. Good techs proved their self in the shop. Best of the best did both

I have been honored to have asked to participant in the question development workshop for ASE. I was humbled to be in the company of some of our industry's top talented professionals. I was amazed by all that went into the test question formulation. There is a methodology or science involved in formulating the questions indeed! Many of the questions that I wrote were struck down for bias or

Eric, First, thank you for volunteering to make the testing better. It was not a paid position, correct? Secondly, like you I feel ASE Testing doesn't do enough to establish the value of technician certification in the public's eye. There may be a few trains-of-thought as to WHY, in the decades of (NI)ASE's existence, it has failed so miserably. For instance, is it because ASE knows the

I am one of those "good" test takers. I have the ability to read and comprehend at a high speed. As far as testing goes if you understand the basics of the test you're taking it should be a fairly simple thing to pass. There is no trick question it is a matter of comprehension and reading the question as it is written. Some say there are more than one answer that is correct, I believe that is a

My College record speaks for itself. Most tests I take do not end well for me. I first took the ASE tests in the 90s. I passed my Master Certification in my first round of paper and pencil tests. I was scared to death. I had no prepping or study guides. I had no idea what it would be like. My passing of the ASE tests had everything to do with my experience as a technician. Over the last few

I also hear that anyone can pass an ASE if they are good at studying. I don't understand why people view studying as a bad thing. When you study, you learn. I believe that most mechanics can pass the ASE if they study. But the question is, what does that say about the mechanics who can't pass the ASEs?

Not everyone has learned to read, write and do math at the same level. Not everyone has been taught critical reasoning skills. I am very fortunate to have parents that were school teachers. Although I grew up in a rural area, I believe the schools were pretty good. This is not the case for many. Some just got by and got out of High School. Some schools lack the resources to properly educate