It might be an issue with definitions. The way the API works is that it evaluates six facets as part of conscientiousness.
Achievement striving
Cautiousness
Dutifulness
Orderliness
Self-discipline
Self-efficacy
Conscientiousness is defined as follows: "High scores on conscientiousness include a strong ability to regulate and control ones behavior. Individuals possessing this trait tend towards an achievement orientation and being organized, thorough and planful. Individuals with lower scores tend towards being more impulsive and less organized."
I too got a lower score than I expected on conscientiousness too. I received:
Conscientiousness 34%
Achievement striving 49%
Cautiousness 93%
Dutifulness 10%
Orderliness 15%
Self-discipline 7%
Self-efficacy 48%
Looking at one of the items - Achievement Striving - I feel like my score should be much higher because of how I would judge achievement. What does achievement mean though? Here are two related concepts from Clifton Strengths Finder:
Achiever - Simply defined, a person with the StrengthsFinder theme of Achiever is known for having a great stamina for hard work. In fact, Achievers enjoy working hard and they also gain momentum with accomplishing more and more work. Someone with the strength of Achiever has a particular motivation, drive and determination to achieve something with her time. You may recognize an Achiever because he seems to be in constant motion, or activity, or with different types of projects. Think of an Achiever as an endurance athlete when it comes to getting things done. Once an Achiever gets started, they seem to have a unique pace to getting their work done. And this pace, different with each person, can be maintained over a great deal of time. An Achiever likes to set goals, and usually creates lists of things that need to be done to accomplish these goals. Lists and goals can be made for daily activities, projects, future goals, relationships, or even for accomplishments. The Achiever list-makers are able to work productively and efficiently, anxiously or eagerly moving through the steps. Check. Check. Check. A sense of ‘celebration’ with what has been accomplished.
Significance - You want to be very significant in the eyes of other people. In the truest sense of the word you want to be recognized. You want to be heard. You want to stand out. You want to be known. In particular, you want to be known and appreciated for the unique strengths you bring. You feel a need to be admired as credible, professional, and successful. Likewise, you want to associate with others who are credible, professional, and successful. And if they aren't, you will push them to achieve until they are. Or you will move on. An independent spirit, you want your work to be a way of life rather than a job, and in that work you want to be given free rein, the leeway to do things your way. Your yearnings feel intense to you, and you honor those yearnings. And so your life is filled with goals, achievements, or qualifications that you crave. Whatever your focus -- and each person is distinct -- your Significance theme will keep pulling you upward, away from the mediocre toward the exceptional. It is the theme that keeps you reaching.
In Clifton, I'm very high on Achiever but not so high on significance. I suspect the test thinks I don't have an achievement orientation because I don't brag about achievements.
I remember taking another test a few years ago; Unfortunately the test no longer exists and I was unable to obtain the source code for it (site went down and it was lost).
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/members/highlander/albums/assessment-results/5259-5/
Those results resonated strongly with me. I do see commonality between the two results. Very high openness. I question why the assertiveness score is so low on our test vs. what one came up with. I tend to communicate in a style that is not directive because I've learned people don't like to be told what to do.