Ashley Morgan scored an 82% on the U.S. citizenship test. While this score is passing, she believes she should have scored higher given her background in history classes in high school and lessons from her retired history teacher grandfather. The 82% score motivated her to want to become more educated about the U.S. governmental system. She also notes that the average score of 68% for Americans on the test suggests U.S. citizens do not know much about their own country and should expect to score higher, rather than using the test as a benchmark for what is required to become a citizen.

1. Ashley Morgan
3/31/14
Citizenship Test
1. What grade did you get?
I scored 82% on the citizenship test.
2. Why do you think you got that grade other than just the amount of questions you got
right?
An 82% receives a passing status on the citizenship test. Throughout high school I had
multiple history classes such as AP US history and AP US government; therefore, I have
had the chance to learn about America’s history and their government. I passed both of
these tests which shows that I should have received higher than an 82%. Also, my
grandfather is a retired history teacher and is very knowledgeable about the US
government system and has taught me a lot.
3. What does it mean to you that you got that grade?
As someone who has been living in the country their entire life, I believe that I should be
able to get most of the answers correct on a test that we are asking potential citizens to
take. I feel that I do not understand enough about America’s governmental system and I
should become more educated.
4. What does it say about Americans as you learned the nation's average grade on this test
(68)?
Americans expect people who are trying to obtain citizenship to be knowledgeable about
the US; however, they don’t even know much about their country. Americans should be
able to score much higher than 68% on a test that they are asking people who are trying
to become citizens. They are basically saying take this test in order to become a citizen
that most Americans can barely pass. Americans should be more interested in learning
about their country’s history and governmental system and should expect to do better
than a 68%. The reasons for this low percentage is not due to the difficulty of the test, but
most likely to the lack of education and desire to be informed about America’s history.