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Arguments Against Standardized Testing

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I was ready when I had to take a four-hour exam ACT on a Saturday morning, and yet I was already filled with anxiety. I was thoroughly filling out my test sheet on time and answering most of the question that I might guess correctly. Afterward, I was exhausted and anxious to see if I made a score that I could be proud to put on a college application. Now, why are these universities are still obsessed with putting standardized testing on their applications? Although standardized testing may be beneficial in some cases, they are not a good, trustworthy indicator of intelligence, and it should not be a factor that matters in a college application. High school students are usually intimidated to send their test results because these quantitative …show more content…

It can also compare student knowledge and aptitude. Student’s scores are not usually the only deciding factor for getting in, but they are important to some colleges. The National Association for College Admission Counseling found that “larger institutions tend to consider more intently, while small exclusive schools are likely to place equal importance on all aspects of the student’s application, including the scores”( Peterson 2013). Universities also believe that the standardized test can also predict how well the student will succeed in college during their freshman year. The reason-standardized tests that still work today is because they are the most easiest and quickest ways for colleges to review student academic skills since they have to look at various candidates. Yet, what is the point of students filling out the academic awards, club activities, and essays section in the application if universities are mainly focusing on standardized tests or the GPA? Colleges should not determine a student’s success with a number score. There are many flaws when it comes standardized testing, which show that they do not accurately measure students’ …show more content…

Having test optional colleges may motivate students into applying to colleges especially for those low-income, minorities, and first-generation students. This could even help colleges create a more diverse campus. When there is a test optional on the applications, the applicant’s the transcript, recommendations, and essays will gain extra time for the college admission board to review. College Board, an organization that offers SATs, disagree with test-optional colleges because the SAT and ACT is a quick way to predict how well students will succeed during the first year of college. However lately, colleges believe classroom performance is a better and a more important way to predict student’s academic success. According to Charles Rooney, applicants with a lower score, who applied to a test-optional college, have done well in classroom performance after being admitted. It should not matter what the student score on the standardized test to predict if they could accomplish during their first year. The only important thing that college should concentrate on is the student willing being consistent with their work throughout their first

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1398 Words | 6 Pages

Justin Peligri, in his article, “No, the SAT Is Not Required. More Colleges Join Test-Optional Train,” published in USA Today on July 7, 2014, writes that students spend great deals of time studying for what many believe is the most important test of their life, the SAT. The SAT test is a standardized test used by colleges in the college admissions process. Students are overly stressed for the SAT, hurting their health and wellbeing, even though the usefulness of this test is questionable. In nearly all colleges across the country, SAT scores are a major part of the admissions process, but the major flaws of this test are going unacknowledged by these schools, therefore keeping many qualified students out of colleges, and all but destroying

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1860 Words | 8 Pages

Should SAT scores play a bigger part than high school GPA in admission to a college? Since the early 1900s, the SAT test has been administered each year to high school students in the United States of America (College board 1). The SAT is a standardized test based on a students’ proficiency in math, reading and writing. In recent years questions has been raised about whether or not the SAT test can be used to measure any high school students’ skills.

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1432 Words | 6 Pages

Who is... That Girl?! (cue theme song) The 1950’s and 1960’s was an amazing time for television, kids would rush home to watch their favorite adventure show, women would pause their chores briefly to watch the drama unfold on their preferred soap opera, and men would come home after a long day of work, plop their butts down on their couch, and watch sports recaps and news shows for hours on end.

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1304 Words | 6 Pages

Although the College Board believes the SAT is a good predictor of academic success, this method of testing should be optional for students, as high school GPAs are better reflections on a student’s work ethics and future success in

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729 Words | 3 Pages

GPA’s a better representation on a student’s performance in school. A student’s high school grade point average is the reflection of a student’s academic performance through their four years (Sheffer, 2014). When colleges look at someone’s ACT or SAT score they only see how well the student is in a limited time frame. Many colleges and Universities do take GPA into consideration, but ACT and SAT scores seem to be more important. Colleges and Universities should focus more on a student’s grade point average for a better representation of the student’s

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1776 Words | 8 Pages

No, the purpose of improving college admissions is twofold: to give less weight to a broken system that doesn’t accurately assess students’ abilities, and also to find top-notch students regardless of their test scores - particularly among the demographics that are put at the biggest disadvantage in standardized tests. Shifting the focus away from test scores helps level the playing field for lower-income and minority students by forcing colleges to look at less biased factors. As Geiser et al. argue (2007), standardized test scores correlate strongly with income level, whereas GPAs do not; thus, GPA is a far more equitable approach toward measuring success.

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1241 Words | 5 Pages

SATS and ACTS have been used for numerous years as a way to gauge a student’s academic success while in college. Students have the choice which test they would prefer to take and most colleges do not prefer one test over the other. There are a few key differences between the SAT and ACT, which may make one test more suitable than the other for those taking the tests. Many studies have proven that the SAT and ACT are not the best judge of future success, and that colleges should focus their applications more on past grades and accomplishments to decide which students should be accepted to their university. SATs and ACTs are not an effective measure of college readiness and future academic success.

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1026 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the college admission process, one indicator of admittance stands above all, the SAT. The SAT stands for the Scholastic Achievement Test, which serves as the standard of assessment for colleges throughout the United States. Known for its pervasiveness, the SAT provides a comparative standard for students’ abilities. Although the SAT provides such a benefit, the SAT unexpectedly poses as a problem for college admission officers throughout the nation due to its inherent negative aspects, which stir a controversy among the nation. The question arises, should we keep using the SAT for admitting students into college?

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1749 Words | 7 Pages

Introduction Standardized tests may be used for a wide variety of educational purposes. For example, they may be used to determine a young child’s readiness for kindergarten, identify students who need special-education services or specialized academic support, place students in different academic programs or course levels, or award diplomas and other educational certificates. Thesis Statement Standardized tests should not be eliminated completely, but should rather be evaluated in addition to other factors such as grades, extracurricular activities, and volunteer hours. This would take pressure off of students during standardized tests, allow colleges to see how well-rounded the students are, and give students who are better in other areas

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1562 Words | 7 Pages

Should colleges put less emphasis on standardized tests? Standardized testing is something that all high school students rave about and is a hot topic among many members of the College Admission Boards and critics alike. Standardized testing has been in use since the mid 1800’s, and colleges continue to accept thousands of high-school students into their schools based on their standardized testing scores(Pro/Con). Some think the emphasis on SAT scores is the correct approach for admission processes with a view that standardized aptitude test results and their relative scoring provide an insight into the relative knowledge and/or skills of a student.

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895 Words | 4 Pages

Standardized tests are very common in today’s modern society. They are used as a tool to measure a person’s performance and indicate how their estimated performance will be in a college class. Every year hundreds of students take the ACT or SAT in order to get accepted into their college of choice and to receive scholarships, but they fail to see the problems with these standardized tests. As more and more people take these tests, the national average score falls causing doubt in the extremely important system. This is leading people to question whether or not the ACT and SATs are accomplishing what they were created to do.

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501 Words | 3 Pages

Even though standardized tests have their flaws, they are an element of the college application process for a reason. The ACT and SAT do offer insight into a student’s abilities and give a general overview of their potential. Such tests should remain part of the college admission process, but should not be placed above elements such as grade point average, leadership positions, and community service.

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686 Words | 3 Pages

Standardized test scores should not be on college applications because standardized testing is biased, standardized testing adds stress to a student's daily life, standardized testing avoids the assessment of a very important skill. Standardized testing is biased to many diverse groups. Cost of testing effects who will be able to apply for certain colleges(eCampusTours). Families with limited income are not able to pay testing fees.

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560 Words | 3 Pages

A 2009 study of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders showed that kids are more anxious for standardized tests than for classroom tests. In the same study, 11% of those students reported severe psychological and physiological symptoms tied to the assessments. Some kids won’t even get out of the car in the morning or go to school during testing time because it brings them so much anxiety. Besides the anxiety aspect, standardized testing can majorly affect kids’ long term achievement, and their self

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980 Words | 4 Pages

These factors demonstrate that this source of testing is not an accurate representation of a student’s intellectual ability; therefore, students pursuit for higher education should not be dictated by one test. Ultimately, standardized tests, such as the ACT, should not control a student’s ability to pursue higher education. Even though institutions view these test scores to decide a student’s eligibility, the ACT does not determine how a student will succeed in a college or university. Nevertheless, while students are required to take these test to graduate high school, institutions should consider more than test scores and not let the ACT be the determining factor in a student’s true ability.

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