This Article from "unsheeple.com" Proves It. Schools Should be Emphasizing Reading Comprehension.

If you have a student entering college, find out if personality tests will be given to your student in their freshman year. One personality test, StrengthsQuest, is used on more than 600 college campuses and this is from its website:

More than 850,000 students have used StrengthsQuest to gain insights into how to use their talents to achieve academic success, to explore careers, and in leadership development.

If this is to be a required practice on college campuses (which might in and of itself violate privacy laws), it should be a required assignment to also read this article from unsheeple.com (you will understand the delicious irony of the name of this blog and the resulting comments as you keep reading) on the StrenthsQuest test. The blogger explains the test was not contained in the book and would have to be purchased from the Gallup organization which owns StrengthsQuest:

I really enjoyed this book and didn’t hesitate to buy it because I loved the first book co-authored by Marcus Buckingham called First, Break All the Rules. The one thing that really disappointed me though was that the Strengths Finder test can only be taken once. That meant that since the person who originally bought the book took the test, I could not take the same test! Half of the book requires that the reader take the test. Nowhere does it say, “Warning, this book is completely useless unless you take the test. Do not buy this used!” No, I found out half way through the book. To the authors and publishers of this book, STOP being so greedy. People will pay to take the test, but don’t make them purchase the entire book!


The post goes on to list the leadership traits you might possess and how you can evaluate yourself without paying for a new test from the company by self-reporting:

I am not sure whether the Strengths Finder Test would yield better results than self-reporting. I don’t know, I am not a professional. But based on common sense, it seems like any relatively intelligent person could figure out which talent themes they associate with most.


Note the title of the blog "Free Strengths Finder Test...Kind of (Self-Reporting)". Based on the readers' comments, it is apparent many of them saw the first four words in the title and started salivating. It's Free Stuff! The second half of the title was lost on them, and they couldn't wait to receive something free. The irony is lost on some of them as other more astute readers (those who bothered to read the entire article) tried to set them straight in a humorous manner:

PAUL on June 15th, 2009 12:30 pm

Wow, seems like a select few are actually reading the article you posted.

Okay, for everyone looking for a free code, please allow me to assist you.

Just copy the link below and paste it into your browser, then fill out the form and be sure to enter the promotional code: [b]IMS-0PHU-K1N6-R3TAR939 [/b] into the free code form at the address below:

http://www.gallup.com/press/contactUs.aspx

and a reader response?

KoKo on June 18th, 2009 1:18 pm

@PAUL
Jim at Gallup Client Support said he was not familiar with the promo you posted.

Where did you hear/see about the promo you posted? Are you sure it’s valid? Where’s the proof that you didn’t make it up?

And another reader tries to make it as simple as possible for those who can't be bothered to take the time to read and comprehend what they read:

Angela on June 18th, 2009 8:14 pm

LOL @PAUL.

For those of you asking for a free code, why not take the time to read the article? He’s not giving ANY free codes away. He wasn’t even able to take the test due to the fact that he purchased the book used.

C’mon people…

The blogger believes "reasonably intelligent people" could figure out their traits on their own without paying for the test. This blog and reader reaction illustrates basic reading comprehension and attention to detail are a crucial puzzle piece in being reasonably intelligent. Maybe that's why colleges feel the need to give these tests for their students. Can they figure out anything on their own?

(Be sure to read the comments from crabitha. She has additional leadership traits based on the comments. This is one of the funniest and creative threads I've seen in quite some time).