Whether the ACT and SAT, the two most prominent standardized tests, really matter is a heavily debated topic in today's society. It is believed these tests can get people ready to go to college but researchers have proven otherwise. Throughout the years, it has been proven that in the small amount of four hours these tests do not show the true potential these students have and do not make an impact on getting them ready for their future. The origin of the tests is outdated, beginning in 1930, almost a hundred years ago, does not even have the same meaning as it does in the current time. This test was first thought as a scholarship test only for ivy league schools. The students who took this test would receive scholarships basing solely off their scoring, the higher their score the larger amount of money they receive, and the lower the student’s score the lower amount of money they receive. Other non-prominent schools viewed the success of these ivy league schools to be based on the standardized testing, thus they adopted it in hopes of becoming more prominent. Other lower-class schools adopting the ACT and SAT test did not give all students the ability to get into college. They did not use the test as a means to earn a scholarship but as a requirement for the application. Now that even the lower class colleges set minimums, many people were unable to get into college, because they could not meet the required test score. The testing was not used to give a scholarship at this
Throughout high school and college we will go through a vast amount of testing but why? Testing is used to show a person’s amount of knowledge on a particular subject. Usually it’s for one specific subject and not a majority of them, the standardized tests include all testable subjects as in English, math, science, writing, and reading. However, before we can all begin our college careers we have to take one of two tests, the ACT or the SAT. These two tests determine the college you get into, the amount of scholarships you will receive, and even whether or not your will be accepted into any college.
This first reason that colleges should stop using the ACT/SAT is that some people are simply not skilled in taking standardized tests. Cecelia Simon confirms that “Some students really struggle with standardized testing, and their scores don’t reflect their abilities.” (Simon). As simple of a problem as this sounds, there are logical reasons behind poor test taking. One of the main reasons exists when test takers are busy and have other things on their minds causing them to become distracted. For example, if James has a chapter test in his precalculus class the day after he plans on taking the ACT, he is going to be distracted while taking his ACT. Since he was distracted, his score will not be accurate in relation to his
Three times a year, hours spent testing, and for what? Standardized Tests. Some school staff members, or family, believe that Standardized Tests can increase the students’ educations. Students can say otherwise. Personally, I have come to the conclusion that Standardized Tests can be substandard for students. The evidence supporting this claim is that the tests can cause stress in young children, it’s overall expensive, and it takes away teaching time. I hope from reading this essay you will also believe Standardized Tests should be cut from schools programs.
Yes i do feel as if the school is wasting their time on standardized testing because as a kid i want learning to be fun not always having to worry about a test every moment. I would like to be taught for different reasons in stead of being always being taught for test and the future, i know when i get older i'll probably would understand a little bit more but till than i want schools to realize that kids don't want to know that we are only being taught for standardized testing and teacher are very strict about the testing i'm not trying to tell any one how to work their classes but sometimes they have to understand its not all about test and teacher why some kids don't like to work .
More than a million high school students take the SAT and ACT, the two most nationally recognized college admission tests in the United States (Evans). The SAT started as a scholarship
Standardized Testing is any form of a test that is scored in a standard manner which makes it easier to compare the relative performance of students. The different types of standardized tests included the SAT, which is the scholastic assessment test which is given out by the college board, and the ACT which is American College for Testing and is administered by the national admissions test (Lieberman). These types of tests help colleges pick which students to accept and which students to deny. As useful as they seem, they aren’t all that easy to do. A huge load of time and intense studying that causes a huge amount of stress is put into these standardized tests. Students are constantly being tested and have to take trail tests to see if they
The two common college admissions exams in the United States are the Standard Achievement Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT). They are nationally standardized tests used for college admissions (“Socio-Economic Bias in SAT and ACT May Be Leading to Scoring Disparities”). Most colleges require either the SAT or the ACT for admission (“SAT Officials Hope to Score Points on Eliminating Bias”).
Have you ever wondered why, throughout the course of your educational career, you have to take so many standardized tests and why they determine how smart you are or if you will make it in life? For most people the SATs and the ACTs are the most important and stressful tests that they will ever take. For most colleges these scores determine whether or not you get into their college or whether you are even considered for a spot at a college or university. Here are some facts regarding the SATs and the ACTs.
Advocating is a necessity that can help make people aware of the injustices with these tests and help recommend better and fairer evaluation tools. Advocating for the removal of college entrance exams also needs to be increased as well. Currently, there are over 800 colleges that are SAT/ACT optional. The research has shown that these schools still admit the same level of quality students and that their graduation rates have remained the same since they have dropped the SAT/ACT requirement. The statistics from these colleges need to be disseminated
High schools require their students to take college entrance exams such as the ACT or the SAT, and “one goal of these policies [is] to increase college enrollment based on the belief that requiring students to take these exams would make students more likely to consider college as a viable option” (Klasik). Based on their ACT or SAT score students can be offered scholarships from colleges around the nation, which could hopefully be a way to motivate students to do well on these standardized test. However, “college entrance exams such as the ACT or SAT are required or recommended for admission to nearly all of the nations 4-year colleges and universities and are likewise used in the admissions process at many 2-year colleges” (Klasik). So, high schools that require their students to take the ACT or SAT are doing their students a huge favor by helping the gain more college options and opportunities for scholarships. There are several questions college think about before accepting students into their school. One of those questions being “how can we identify the students most likely to succeed” (Moore 106)? Colleges look at incoming students current GPA, class rank, and testing scores, which both provide insight as to how the student may perform academically. According to a study on “…how students’ ACT Aptitude Ratings [AAR] are associated with their subsequent
Have you ever thought about what college you want to go to after high school? In order to get into that college, you must be accepted. Colleges look for a numerous amount of criteria in order for you to get accepted, and one of those things colleges look for is your standardized test score. The standardized test is a test administered and scored in a consistent, or “standard”, way (edglossary.org). Seeing that you must get a high enough score on the test in order for your dream college to accept you, the tests are difficult, but are very worth it at the end. Colleges have been accepting students into their school with standardized test scores for more than 50 years, and with that being said, it has seemed to work pretty well (content.time.com). In the end, standardized test scores show that you deserve to go to that college, and is also a way of showing that you’ve worked hard for so long to accomplish something huge.
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.
This talks about how colleges have been looking teat scores more and more over the years. Tests like the SAT give colleges a way to evaluate students easier. Students should not overlook the SAT or ACT if they want to get a scholarship to a good school.
Tomorrow was the big day. The day that every student despised, but came every year. The problem that transcends national borders: standardized testing. Before I knew it, it was the final week, and time was running out. In my case, the Connecticut state test, the CMT, was in just two days. More than nervousness, there was a cloud of confusion surrounding this test for us students. Some said that preparation and study are necessary for this test, while most thought just the opposite. Some people were even saying that the scores for these tests somehow will affect our progress in school. Looking back, I don’t remember the test being all that hard, but it didn’t make sense to me. How could this one test, filled with questions that require shallow thinking and zero creativity, show the state the performance of my hard-working teachers, or the individuality and strengths of each student? Or on a larger scale, every student in the entire state?
What’s your ACT score? Students are branded with their ACT and SAT scores in society. Today’s education is heavily leaning on standardized tests. An average students takes over one hundred standardized tests in his or her school years. Standardized tests are used to measure and test the knowledge of students in a particular subject in a quick and easy way. These tests are also used to see the extend and skill of students for qualifications of certain colleges and scholarships. Some of these standardized tests include the ACT and the SAT. But do these test fully measure the strength of knowledge these students have practiced for their whole lives? Standardized testing does not allow students to fully and completely show their strength in education and instead results in breaking down students mentally and physically.