Please Note: Some information in the following points were taken from articles online. The information belongs to their respective authors.
Pro:
- Standardized tests help pressure schools into teaching students all the curriculum.
- Tests such as the SAT and ACT act as a “standard” to measure different students of different abilities.
- The tests do not discriminate between students (unlike other methods of college application which is another long story).
- State standardized tests are good at finding out which schools are behind and what curriculum they need to improve upon.
Con:
- SAT and ACT tests are a waste of time for high school seniors. Predicting how well a student will do in college by using their grades in high school is more accurate than using their scores on the SAT and ACT.
- Test anxiety proves a large problem for students and they usually “blank out” on the test, leaving them with a score that isn’t accurate.
- Motivation to cheat. Yes, cheating is bad and academic integrity should be upheld at all times, however when a test that will determine your future (e.g. ACT/SAT) appears, it’s hard not to give into the nasty urge to peek.
- “Teaching to the test” – a popular phrase coined for schools that teach only what is on a test, and nothing more. Students are not getting the total amount of knowledge they can get.
What are your thoughts on standardized tests?
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