Is Standardized Testing A Reliable Measure For College? Essay

Not only can ACT score make or break your admission but it also impact the amount of scholarship being received. According to Peterson’s staff on its website perterson.com states, “Test scores are just one of a number of factors that are taken into account when you apply to college. That being said, schools wouldn 't ask to see them if they didn 't matter. Put some time into getting ready because they will have an impact on the admissions decision”! With looking at standardized test score colleges can not see how well rounded the student is so they must look at other aspects. Another major area that is critical to college applications is an individual’s grade point average (G.P.A.). A G.P.A. is number representing an average of the accumulated grades an individual acquires over time. A G.P.A let’s colleges know that the student was or was not committed to their school work. It also shows the challenging classes and how well a student performed in the harder classes. Not only do college care about academics they also want to make sure individuals maintain a balance of academics and extracurricular activities. Colleges think that it is important that students show they can focus on multiple things at once and help the college add more diverse groups and clubs to its campus. College look at so many college applications a year they must set a guideline to what makes people automatically accepted and what disqualifies

Standardized testing has been ruling over the lives of students, making or breaking them in their education without fair judgement. Tests like the SAT and the ACT count for way too much when applying to colleges, which in turn limits the student 's capabilities to thrive in an environment that would benefit them. There are many problems within a standardized test that deems them to be unreliable as a true test of knowledge. Although designed to test groups of students on intelligence, standardized testing neglects to fairly acknowledge the abilities of each unique student which reflect their true capabilities.

In 2011, Jen Wang was finishing up her freshman year at Connecticut College. As a young girl growing up in New Jersey, Jen took her first SAT when she was in the sixth grade, long before other students her age would even start to think about college. Jen said that test preparations for standardized tests, like the SAT, took up most of her free time that could have been used to do other things (Billy). The SAT’s early intent was to open doors of higher education to students without traditional credentials, but now this test is held at high esteem, the biggest indicator of college success (Mulugetta). Although standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT are used to “level the playing field” for students across the country, these tests add little

Misinformation, false and inaccurate information, can not only affect one’s bias but future poor decisions about consequential matters. Many of today’s spread of misinformation derives not only from the reader’s interpretation of the given bias and rhetoric within the sources, but the afterward outspread of this information. In the case of standardized testing, media often portrays it as an unnecessary and overwhelming tool used to equally assess the student population in core subjects. But, the media never shines the light on those who rely on the tests to excel in their classes. In “SAT Scores Helps Colleges Make Better Decisions, Gaston Caperton of the U.S. News and Report argues that SATs indeed gives colleges administrators a fair field

Standardized tests are a requirement for students to pass in order to graduate high school and attend college. The hope behind standardized tests is that they cover a number of rudimentary concepts and processes, and reflect what students have learned in their classes under a strict evaluation scale. However, in reality, standardized testing is offering very finite and ineffective learning skills, which don’t prepare students for college. The result: high dropout rates and high remedial enrollment in colleges. These tests aren’t effective enough for students entering college, and consequently, have a negative impact on learning. Although standardized testing is woven into public schools, the tests do not demonstrate a student’s true learning, do not prepare them for college, and are racially biased. The content of these exams needs to be changed so that they cover important subject material, such as reading, writing, and mathematics, in a proper manner that is geared to level students with college curriculum. This way, students can truly be ready for college, the dropout rate can lower exponentially, and students can ensure success in college to make an impression in the most crucial years of their education.

The issue with the SAT test is a dilemma when it comes to certain subgroups in this country, even though it seems to maintain its effectiveness for others depending upon race, ethnicity, and gender. Colleges and universities administrators, testing agencies and psychometricians should reassess the use of the SAT’s as the only means of admissions and develop new criteria for admissions for higher education.

That time when students must begin applying for university is quickly approaching. Many students are preparing to take standardized tests such as the SAT in order to get accepted into the university of their dreams. However, standardized tests such as the SAT do not properly assess the level of knowledge of students since equality is not the same as justice. Factors such as personal weaknesses and biological effects may not have been considered when standardized tests such as these were written or when it was decided that the SAT would be a major factor in being accepted into a university. Therefore, one's SAT scores should not be the most, or an, important factor in determining one's acceptance into university.

Should one's college acceptance be based greatly on their standardized college admission test scores? Though these tests are a way of measuring an individual’s knowledge to then compare the student’s score to all of the other applicant’s scores, there are many downsides of making the submission of the SAT or ACT test scores a requirement when applying to colleges. This paper focuses on both the disadvantages and advantages of making standardized college admission test scores mandatory as well as the value and history behind these tests. While some may not want to recognize the problem behind making these tests mandatory, it is safe to say that it is not going to go away, especially with many colleges slowly jumping on the bandwagon and making the submission of standardized test scores optional.

As a new school year is approaching many high school students will be applying to colleges, while others wait anxiously for a decision to be made from their college choice. Those who are applying will be gathering very important information, including their ACT and SAT scores to turn into their admission counselors. Today most colleges require students to submit one or both of these scores as a part of their college application. Students and parents have long debated the reasons of why this is necessary, and if really makes a difference in a decision. Student often complain it doesn’t show their true strengths, weaknesses, and abilities because it’s one test. Many students also say their test taking skills aren’t the best, and this isn’t the

Increasing diversity in college enrollment has been a top task for universities for over fifty years. Despite the targets for diversification, a wide margin exists between the number of affluent white students and minority students enrolled in universities. One of the criteria for admission to many colleges is a standardized admission test. Those of higher socioeconomic background tend to score higher on standardized tests—of various categories: namely, SAT (referred to as “Scholastic Aptitude Test” or “Scholastic Assessment Test”) and ACT (originally “American College Testing”) for the purpose of college admission—than those from a lower socioeconomic status (SES). It is sometimes evident that it is concentrated to racial groups: white and

Andrew Shue once said, “Life is the most exciting opportunity we have. But we have one shot. one graduate from college once, and that 's it. one 're going out of that nest.” Majority of students want to attend college but are hesitant. How can they get graduate from college that one time if they are never given the opportunity. Prohibited, whether because of grades or the cost, they still have an obstacle that stops them from attending. Some feel that students were not able to attend college because of ACT and SAT scores. Colleges are considering changing the college admission requirement. This means not looking at standardized test scores. Studies show that the test is biased towards a specific demographic group and race. Requirements for college admission should be used fair to everyone and at the same level of education. Although the ACT and SAT have been used to determine if majority of students get accepted into college, but because it shows that test are bias towards a certain demographic group it’s being considered that they should be discontinued.

when looking into the issue of whether standardized testing is a fair assessment of one 's overall knowledge or achievement in one 's educational career, one ought ask whether the use of standardized testing for the assessment of a future college student 's mental capabilities the ideal form of showing a student 's true potential in both academic and real life settings? One should also question whether standardized testing has grounds to determine whether a person is qualified for higher educational opportunities.

No matter an individual’s confidence or intelligence, all tests create amounts of anxiety and stress. In most students’ or previous students’ academic careers, an exam has stressed them out. But, are these tests without any reasoning? Do these tests prove a student’s true intelligence? Are they valuable to students further into their lives? Standardized tests are a widely debated topic globally, whether or not the use is beneficial, or really useless to students. Using standardized test results to determine a student’s future may not be a comprehensive indicator of a student’s full potential for success.

Bracey stated that the, “SAT scores had been falling for fourteen years” (Bracey 47). He also stated that, “While the developers of the SAT still called their test a ‘mere supplement,’ the public now saw it as the platinum rod for measuring school performance. And that performance was getting worse” (Bracey 47). Somehow over time, a student’s SAT score developed into an extremely significant number which seemed to become the overall determination of a student’s intelligent. It seems harsh and unbalanced to put so much emphasis on one test. Of course, applicants are told that in combination with their SAT scores; their grades and outside activities are taken into consideration for college admittance. But the truth is these SAT scores still remain a huge factor for college applicants. Studies have shown that a high SAT score does not guarantee high grades in college however the politics behind these tests are stronger than the public’s opinion in order to get these tests repealed. Standardized tests do not lead the student to come into contact with the subject at hand or the experience related to it. They also do not show the overall picture of an individual or what he or she can contribute while attending college.

After surveying 70,000 community-college students, 40 percent of the students reported they were placed into remedial classes due to their college placement scores but received an A average in high school (Zinshteyn). The American College Testing Program and Scholastic Assessment Test are two of these mandated college placement tests for high school students. These tests supposedly determine how successful a student will be in their future college courses; however, that concept is completely wrong. These tests do not aid in a student’s future success in college, rather they discourage students from obtaining their goals. The ACT and SAT tests are not effective because they cause test anxiety, schools do not prepare students for the contents located within these tests, and test scores do not reflect a student’s intelligence.