In 1926, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, SAT, was created and students have had to take the SAT and others like it since. When the first standardized tests, the ACT and SAT, came about they were meant to see how “smart” the students were. In the case of the ACT, students were judged on how well they remembered what they were taught. The tests are basically doing little to benefit students as they are just used to learn the scholastic knowledge. Another reason they should be done away with is because, these type of tests are not created so that all students will have a fair advantage. Even if the tests were unfair it would not be as much of a problem if the tests helped us at all. Despite the tests having been in place for over 50 years, their implementation has not increased America’s scores on an international level. But of course, some are going to disagree as people always do. Those who disagree say that the tests help to determine who will do well in college. An edited volume, Defending Standardized Testing, edited by Richard Phelps, was created on the basis that standardized tests have benefits for students and teachers. However, the research states that …show more content…
The SAT and ACT serve a purpose for the colleges, still not the students, they base students acceptance on the scores made. Biases can be devastating for students who do not fall in the privileged category as it is less likely they will be accepted into colleges. The privileged category leans mainly towards white males in higher social classes. The organization Fairtest gives examples on the ACT such as, “Biased format: Research shows that a fast-paced, multiple-choice format favors males over females. Guessing, a risk males are more likely to take, is rewarded. Since multiple-choice items do not allow for shades of meaning they work against the most typical female thinking