It's a common assumption that majoring in education is easy. The harsh truth is that most of us have to take standardized tests to make sure that we're up to par to actually teach in a classroom. In Massachusetts, education majors take a series of tests that can only properly be described as hell on earth. The Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure that you take vary depending on what type of education you major in, but honestly, they're all pretty awful.
1. When you read the list of MTELs you have to pass to graduate in your major.
Maybe I can just change my major to business or psychology or pretty much anything else.
2. When you go to register and see just how much the test costs.
How on earth can they justify charging $155 for this one test?!
3. You submit the payment information and wonder if this is how the Pearson company is actually using your hard earned money.
They're the ones who make your textbooks and study materials and they overcharge for testing so they must be rolling in money.
4. You've registered to test but now it's time to actually start preparing.
Somehow, the studying process might actually be the worst part.
5. You buy study books and print out practice tests and read them all until the letters and numbers start to blur together.
You might have read the same paragraph four times by accident because the exhaustion became too real.
6. At some point in your studying, you probably have a moment where you consider just winging it.
You then realize that is a really stupid idea.
7. You begin freaking out because you've heard the horror stories of people failing the test nine times.
Taking and failing the test that many times costs at least $1000 and there's no way you can possibly afford that.
8. All of a sudden it's the day of your MTEL and you're trying to calm yourself down.
You've spent days, weeks, or months preparing for this. You can't let nerves get the best of you.
9. At the testing center, they process you more thoroughly than TSA; they scan your palm, make you pat yourself down, check behind your ears, and even examine your glasses if you wear them.
At least buy me dinner first...
10. You finally sit down to take the test you've been preparing for.
The next few hours will either be great or terrible.
11. The test is finally over, and it's out of your hands.
I find the best post-test pick me up is some take out followed by a really long nap.
12. Now you just have four weeks to worry about your results.
It can take up to a month to get your results back. It's torture.
13. When you get your results back, you have one of two reactions.
This.
Or this.
I sincerely hope we can all be like Andy Dwyer when we see our results. Good luck everyone.