Standardized Tests Should be Eliminated

For many years, standardized testing has been used to reflect and demonstrate a student's academic performance and educational status. These tests are no longer accurate or relevant in society today for many reasons. We can not deny that these tests may serve some purpose, but they should not be one of the key resources when used to give out acceptance, scholarship, or academic judgments. Standardized tests are some of the most easily influenced by outside factors. The website, soeonline.american.edu, gives the main reason as the unknown. Each test is different, and you can never be too sure what to expect. It is hard to prepare for what you do not know. There are general books, problems, and tips that can be used to prepare, but there is almost no confidence when it comes to the actual test. Another reason is these tests are extremely long. According to opencolleges.edu, the average student’s attention span on a test is 10-15 minutes of intense focus, but this can increase when a student knows the information and can confidently answer the material. Tests like the ACT and SAT last for over 4 hours sometimes. This is an insane amount of time to ask students to sit and focus. Many questions on the ACT and SAT are not black and white and require much focus and thought. Another huge outside factor that piggybacks on not knowing the material is stress. These tests are some of the biggest sources of stress for students, especially since so many of them determine what college and scholarships they receive. They have such a huge impact on the student’s future. This stress can impact a student negatively. It can take away focus and motivation at school. In some cases, students worry and focus on standardized tests so much, they do less at school and their grades are negatively impacted. These tests do not even accurately measure a person’s capability as a student or intellectual individually. There is so much more to a student’s brain and success in school than what is reflected through these tests. According to the University of Chicago, Kallie Clark, Ph.D., School of Social Service Administration, found that ¨High-school GPAs might be stronger indicators of college readiness because they measure a wider variety of skills—including effort over an entire semester in many different types of classes, and demonstration of academic skills through multiple formats. On the other hand, standardized tests measure a smaller set of skills, and students can prepare for these tests in narrow ways that may not translate into better prepared to succeed in college¨ We cannot determine that the smartest students can take a standardized test in a good manner. However, we can determine that GPA is a culmination of every subject, every class, and overall the best way to determine the intelligence of a person. There is a clear difference between testing all aspects of academics throughout multiple years and having a student take a test only focusing on four aspects of education in a certain time span. Eliminating the ACT and SAT as primary resources when testing college readiness will alleviate the stress on students, maintain a positive outlook on school, and cause colleges to look deeper into a student's academic success than a standardized test. 

You bring up the point that standardized tests are no longer accurate, what evidence provides that they are no longer accurate? And what do you mean by "accurate"? According to an article from fordhaminstitute.org, standardized tests are graded by a machine or blind reviewer. This takes away any discrimination or bias that would take away the accuracy in grading. They are also the same globally, so it is fair and there is no unequal playing field among the test takers. These assessments are used as a scale to measure everyone equally. Additionally, in an article from nytimes.com, ACT and SAT scores provide an opportunity for low income students to get admitted into schools that they would not be able to get into. With the removal of standardized tests, it would eliminate these opportunities for a numerous number of students. Another reason why schools still need standardized testing is because it offers an evaluation on how different teachers and schools perform. The website ulethbridge.ca suggests that standardized tests are the best way to check how accountable schools and teachers are. They help people determine what areas have the best education systems and help people decide if the education they are paying for is worth the money. 
You also claim that standardized tests should be abolished because they are difficult to prepare for because you do not know what is on the test. If everyone knew exactly what to prepare for, then there would be no scale or comparison of where you are in the real world. The scores would be higher and closer together and colleges would not be able to compare students to other students. I think we can both agree that there needs to be a bar in order to progress in the future. Without this bar, there are no standards for these students. This is also shown in an article from nytimes.com, where the University of California found that ACT and SAT scores better predict college success than GPA. The standard to do well on these tests sets a bar to succeed that translates into college success. This contradicts with a statement made in your argument that GPA is a better indicator of college readiness than standardized tests. The University of California suggests that the ACT and SAT are better indicators because GPA is based off of how difficult the teacher and education system is in different areas.You bring up the solution of using GPA as a gauge to determine where students to go, but aren’t standardized tests given throughout all the different subjects to accumulate our GPA? The definition of a standardized test, is any test in which the same test is given in the same manner to all test takers, and graded in the same manner for everyone. So yes, standardized tests make up our GPA, and yet you argue we should just use GPA to determine where a student belongs. Even though standardized tests are the building blocks of one's GPA.

In this debate, the term accurate is used to show the discrepancy between a standardized test and a student's ability to perform well in schools. It has nothing to do with the integrity of the grading system. It is not about the test itself, but what the test is used for. There is no way one test can accurately measure someone's intelligence, capabilities, or academic prowess. Yet, so much of their future resides on the ACT or SAT. These tests force students to recall information they have learned over four years of school or never seen before. It is very quick-paced and can cause immense amounts of stress. This is the key difference between a school test and a standardized test. In school, they are taught, given free materials to review, and a specific time and subject to test over. Teachers know exactly what to teach, and students know exactly how to prepare. If they study or do naturally well, this is a far better judge than an obscure standardized test. On top of that, is it fair to pressure students that they reflect their teachers? According to direct.mit.edu, students are overwhelmingly stressed about standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT because they are constantly being pressured by teachers. These tests bring enough stress already. There is no reason students should feel responsible for their teachers on top of their college education. 

Your argument that these tests judge and evaluate teachers and school districts is correct. If anything, this should be the only reason these tests are used, but even then there are flaws. We have already covered one of those flaws, but there are many. First off, soeonline.american.edu indicates the amount of stress these tests place on teachers. There can be severe backlash from the administration if scores are low. But how is this the teachers' fault? They have no control over how much a student prepares, pays attention, or scores. Especially since many of the factors stated in the previous round can affect a score at actual testing time. If the teacher spends all the class time “teaching to the test” there is no room for a broader and more relevant curriculum. “Students’ increasing test anxiety means the tests don’t show us what students are capable of or what they know. Standardized tests are most often multiple choice. This format doesn’t encourage students to think about what the answer to a question is…Students are unable to generate a response; all they can do is recognize one by picking it out of four or five answers provided by someone else. They can’t even explain their reasons for choosing the answer they did…In short, standardized tests don’t motivate our students to think critically but rather to memorize and recite answers(atpe.org)." These tests should not be used to indicate college readiness or demonstrate accurate academic performance. Especially because the more time and effort someone puts into the test, oftentimes, the better the score. 

You mention standardized tests are taken by lower-income students as an aid for getting into college, yet to take these tests they must pay a large amount of money. While some colleges offer money for the ACT and SAT scores, more and more universities are not requiring these tests, therefore do not give out money for scores. Lower-income students are more likely to attend college with funding based on their grades according to The New York Times. Some students may have a lower ACT or SAT score but may have a high GPA. This GPA could earn them thousands of dollars in financial aid. Elaine M. Allensworth, Ph.D., Lewis-Sebring Director of the University of Chicago Consortium, stated, “Grade point averages (GPA) are a 5 times stronger indicator of college success than standardized tests, according to a study of 55,084 Chicago public school students. GPAs measure a very wide variety of skills and behaviors that are needed for success in college, where students will encounter widely varying content and expectations. In contrast, standardized tests measure only a small set of the skills that students need to succeed in college, and students can prepare for these tests in narrow ways that may not translate into better preparation to succeed in college(news.uchicago.edu)."

On top of that, Penn State Education states that "studies show states spend over $1.7 billion every year on standardized testing." Penn State explains that Americans are the ones paying taxes on these standardized tests. Their money should be used for schools that need aide for textbooks and to expand or build new schools as class sizes increase. We pay billions of dollars combined for what? For students to spend hours on end and for parents to spend hundreds of dollars for one kid on a test? 

Standardized testing is unfair because, many times, the more you pay the better you will do. Yes, there are cases where someone gets a good score without any practice, but many parents will pay a lot of money so their student can improve their scores. In reality, the test is determined by how much money and time you have to put into it. On the website prepscholar.com, there is evidence of this because it is written, “Generally speaking, you can expect to spend somewhere between $50 and $2,000 on ACT prep, depending on which options you choose. It can even be upwards of $10,000.” There are kids who deserve just as many opportunities to succeed, but they can not pay for that kind of preparation. Students are left behind because they do not have money to spend on practices and tutors. These students most likely need those scholarships the most.

Grade point average is an accumulation over four years. These grades are guided by teachers who know what to teach, and students know what to study. It is important to keep this GPA up, which is why students stress about it. Why add stress from the ACT and SAT? Many times now, colleges aren’t even accepting these scores for admittance or scholarships. CBSnews.com states, “A growing number of U.S. colleges and universities are abandoning ACT and SAT scores as part of their admissions process. The so-called test-blind movement has gathered steam this year amid widespread cancellations of the standardized tests because of COVID-19.” They also bring up the point of blind testing. Yes, you can prepare for these tests, but that requires money. Do you know the problems that will appear? No. To an extent, you know the general topics, but it’s always a surprise when you open that booklet. Prep classes and teachers can only teach so much. That’s where teaching to the test plays a big role in success. Rarely will a student do well with zero preparation before the test, even if they are a good student. The time limit, length, and difficulty of questions will throw even the best student off. A good score requires research, time, and yes, money.

Many people take standardized tests multiple times, so the cost adds up. Along with this, students take courses and forms of practice tests to prepare them for tests like the SAT and the ACT. Also, the average college tuition is $30,000(educationdata.org). The colleges that require high standardized scores, cost more. Also, to go along the lines of taking the test multiple times, students memorize how the test works, not the material specifically. Therefore, they can memorize how the test is structured causing them to be able to do better each time. Costs for standardized tests are not just for the test itself. The taxes that are paid for education are going towards standardized tests and making those available. This costs more money than just the $63 you said people are paying. All of these combined cause people to end up paying hundreds to thousands of dollars each, which some cannot afford.  

When one is applying for scholarships, big or small, most require an essay. This is because essays give the college a look at the creative and academic style of the students. “Majority of scholarship providers require students to write an essay as a way to learn more about the applicant,” says scholarshipowl.com. “Whether it's for college admissions or scholarship money, chances are you will have to write at least one application essay”(scholarships.com). In order to have an excellent essay, the student must be personal and creative. Their ACT and SAT scores will not allow them to be creative and think things through as an essay will. If the scores were enough, essays wouldn’t be necessary. 

The ACT and SAT are not relevant as society and education progress. They do not accurately represent academic ability or educational levels. Therefore, they should not be the key factors in a student's future, and perhaps should not be used at all anymore. Standardized tests should be eliminated. 

Works Cited

Churchill, Aaron. “Bless the tests: Three reasons for standardized testing.” Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 18 March 2015,

www.fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/bless-tests-three-reasons-standardized-testing. Accessed 23 February 2022.

“Current ACT Fees and Services.” ACT, www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration/fees.html. Accessed 24 February 2022.

Doyne, Shannon. “Should Students Be Required to Take the SAT and ACT to Apply to College?” New York Times, 26 May 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/learning/should-students-be-required-to-take-the-sat-and-act-to-apply-to-college.html. Accessed 23 February 2022.

Feldman, Joe. “Taking the Stress Out of Grading.” acsd, 1 September 2020, www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/taking-the-stress-out-of-grading&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1645939771555565&usg=AOvVaw1HYkdUTTsRtEvxoxSTqLgK. Accessed 24 February 2022.

“In-State Freshman Scholarships.” The University of Alabama, www.scholarships.ua.edu/freshman/in-state/. Accessed 24 February 2022.

“Standardized Testing: Fair or Not?” University of Lethbridge, www.ulethbridge.ca/teachingcentre/standardized-testing-fair-or-not. Accessed 23 February 2022.