Weird, I'm 26 and in college math was all about 'how you got there'. Our tests were like essays, a single problem in either paragraph form or formula form, and several pages to write down how you achieved your goal. Following proper procedure was rewarded, even if the answer is wrong.

In high school, however, my school implemented a 'pass the test first' policy. We learned what the Regents (spelling on this) exam would have and learned only that. Still, most of my teachers always graded the procedure and not the answers (in fact, my teachers suggested we look at the answers afterwards to compare if our answer is right).