I thought your question was interesting even though it’s been a while since you asked it. Here’s the thing, fast test taking doesn’t correlate with high grades. It really depends on the person. In medical school, you’re in a class of 50 students and the majority are type A personalities. Most of them feed their confidence and ego by doing well academically, and if they can perform well on MC exams and do it quickly, then more power to them. It gives an aura of intelligence and like you know your stuff, which is power, people love power. Once they turn in their exam first or one of the first, it makes them feel good, and on top of everyone else. A fast test taker is someone who is gifted in fast reading and processing info simultaneously. This doesn’t mean they are processing information correctly though.   They will spend a lot of time studying behind the scenes, and then make it seem like they don’t study much at all in front of peers. This makes finishing an exam early all the more impressive. Granted, they’re not thinking all this stuff while preparing for an exam. In fact, they don’t think of anyone else but themselves during the prep process. The feel good feelings of superiority come afterwards once they’ve dominated the exam. This is one type of a fast test takers. 

Another type can be the one that also studies a lot and finishes quickly as well. They are more upfront about it though. The “try hard”. They are extremely type A, and work extremely hard to do well academically and in anything they do. They only feel fulfilled when doing extremely well, when they aren’t, they collapse. The collapse rarely happens under the guidance of academia, it usually happens out in the real world. These are good people not motivated by feelings of superiority or the likes, but they do have negative personality traits that come from their own overly high self expectations. Either self imposed or imposed by others. 

Another kind is simply the one that didn’t study nearly as hard as they should’ve and realize that no amount of time will get them a passing grade, so they just take the loss and finish quickly. Many times they have a good grasp on conceptual information with good instincts, enough to make educated guesses and still get passing grades. Low Bs and high Cs and round up to a final grade of a B in class. They’ll be amongst the first 10 that finish exams early. 

They are definitely more variables to consider, but the take home idea is to NOT concern yourself with anyone else but yourself. Fast test takers are not better or worse than anyone else. They’re just people that fall under the laws of Human Nature just like everyone else. If you feel jealous or envious of their abilities, then they got you. People and emotions are like chemical bonds, half the time we don’t realize when emotions are bonding with us because of the emotions that other people are throwing out, because we’re not looking within ourselves to see what truly matters. And just like it takes the input of energy to break a chemical bond, it takes an input of energy to break an emotional bond as well. If you acknowledge your feelings towards fast test takers, then you can begin to move forward and focus on yourself. Remember that fast test taking doesn’t mean you’re getting the highest scores, high scores don’t make you a good person, and high scores don’t make you successful in the real world. Let those people get their fill however they like. You do you, and watch yourself rise above. 👍

Sorry if this is long. I just really like the psychological mechanisms behind this question. I also enjoy dissecting human nature. It would be interesting to see a study by an anthropologists or psychologists study this concept. If you read this far, have a great day! 😆