Because most counselors have experienced a significant amount of success, they often have difficulty understanding the impact of test scores on persons who do not perform well. Counselor educators must develop experiential awareness in an area normally outside the realm of their students. To provide such an experience, 25 counselor trainees took an intelligence test, the Otis Quick-Scoring Mental Ability Test: Gamma Test: Form Fm. All were given bogus results indicating they had the lowest IQ score in the class. The students were hurt, embarrassed and devalued, and experienced great relief upon learning that the experience was a hoax. The cognitive dissonance of receiving a score inconsistent with their self-image produced psychological discomfort and also a feeling of empathy for those who truly fail. Counselor educators who replicate this activity will need to exercise the emotional sensitivity to their students that they wish to develop in their students. (JAC)