How Does Standardized Testing Affect College Students

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Imagine you have been studying for the big test constantly for the past month. The day of the test has finally arrived. You're anxiously awaiting for the teacher to say “you may begin”. You quickly open the test booklet and look at the first problem. Your heart starts racing. Your stomach drops to the floor. Your mind starts wandering. You're unable to focus as you scan the remaining problems of the test. Has this ever happened to you? Standardized testing affects many students throughout the course of their lives. According to American Test Anxieties Association, it was reported that 16-20% of students suffer from test anxiety and another 18% suffer from a moderately-high form of anxiety. Therefore, an estimated 38% of students have suffered …show more content…

Assessments including the SAT and ACT are advertised as the ultimate indicator of the success of an individual. Therefore, the obsession over these high-risk tests has led many people to believe that the scores are used as the sole factor of college admission. This is not the case. An estimated 800 out of 3,000 four-year colleges and universities make submission of SAT and ACT scores optional. Some universities include, New York University, Washington University, University of Texas, and University of California- Los Angeles. Many universities do not require test scores because they do not reveal a student’s intelligence or predict their success in college. The universities realize that student’s suffer from test anxiety which affects their performance on standardized tests. Therefore, colleges use the student’s gpa as a more prominent factor in the admission process. GPA provides a better understanding since it is cultivated over four years and reveals their attitude towards the importance of education. Standardized tests just reiterates how well a student can memorize a set of information. Standardized tests just shows how well they can study a set of information. Standardized tests is solely an assessment based on