Madison Schowalter

English 1101

Prof. Geiselman

November 30, 2017

Standardized Testings Effects; a Benefit or Detriment?

As Christmas begins to approach, high school seniors all around the Unites States are

waiting eagerly to find out where their next step in life is going to take them. Whether it be a 5

year master's program or a 2 year degree, the future of many students comes down to the

acceptance into college. In today's society, almost all colleges require a score from a

standardized test in order to complete an application. These standardized tests play a major role

in deciding whether or not a student will get accepted into their desired school. Although some

educators argue for the issue, I believe, as a student, that standardized testing has become too

dominant in the world of education and its effects are doing more harm than help for people of

all ages.

Standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, have been measuring intelligence of

students for almost 100 years now. But, do these tests really show how smart a student is? Many

scholars believe not. "The goal of standardized testing is not to find out how well you think

through problems, or if you can express your opinions, or create a presentation, the goal is to find

out what you were able to memorize." (Hudlow). If one test can determine so much of a student's

life, then shouldn't it be fit for the student? The ACT and SAT test students over English,

Mathematics, and Science (which is essentially a second reading test). But what about the other

subjects or elective? "Entire subjects of the high school curriculum are simply brushed to the

wayside. Social Studies, History, and for all intents and purposes, Science, are ignored, while

topics such as advanced mathematics and English are elevated far above their real world

relevance." (Hudlow). Many students excel in these different subjects and cannot show their

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understanding on standardized tests. It puts an unfair advantage on thousands of students all over

the world.

Among the many students who don't perform well on standardized test are minorities that

are affected by the language barrier. It is difficult to focus on a test for 4-5 hours for all students,

but can you imagine what it must be like for students who can not comprehend english? These

test are not adjusted for the language barrier and it becomes nearly impossible for minority

students to attain a score that is deemed 'average'. Because of this, minorities are more at risk to

drop out and not receive the education needed for thrive in our country. (Lomax) "Little attention

has been devoted to examining these negative effects as they relate specifically to minority

students, significant numbers of whom are at risk of failure." (Lomax). This not only decreases

the graduation rates among minorities, it also decreases the likelihood that minorities can find a

stable job. Do you really believe that a test should determine a child's future?

Standardized tests not only affect the lives of highschool students, they also affects those

before and beyond. Student begin taking test as early as 3rd grade and don't finish taking these

tests until they are out of college. Many careers require that students pass their final test before

entering into the workforce. For example, nurses must pass the National Council Licensure

Examination in order to start working as a nurse (Molsbee). If the student does not pass the test

within three tries they have wasted 2-4 years of their lives, thousands of dollars, and an education

that is essentially useless. "There were a total of 26 students… who failed to achieve the required

850 on three attempts, thereby failing the course and not being allowed to graduate from the

program." (Molsbee). Many factors, such as stress and anxiety, play a role in the outcome of

scores. Not only are nursing students affected, but also elementary students and high school

students as well. "The added stress and pressure on students can affect performance, and high-

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stakes testing may not be a true indicator of a student's ability." (Molsbee). If standardized tests

didn't have such a drastic outcome on our lives then maybe students wouldn't be so stressed out

which would result in increased test scores.

There are thousands of students each year that receive scholarships based off of

standardized tests. Through all the stress and anxieties, many students power through the test and

receive great results. Students who perform well on standardized tests can earn thousands of

dollars in scholarships and have the potential to come out of college debt free. "Many colleges

award merit-based scholarships to students primarily based on their academic profile (GPA +

SAT or ACT score)" (Orange County student wins five Merit-based Scholarships of $60,000 or

More). Students who score in the top 5% of the country have a multitude of colleges that are

willing to pay for a full education (Orange County student wins five Merit-based Scholarships of

$60,000 or More). Although the scholarships are a great incentive for students to do well on

these tests, they only add pressure for students to do well. In order for a student to become in the

top 5% they must have a 31 Composite score on the ACT (Edwards). That means, out of the 3.5+

million students in the united states only 175,000 students will get the scores needed to receive

scholarships that will change their future. Although there are thousands of students that are

affecting positively by these test, the other millions of students who do not have the capabilities

to score in the top percentages are affected negatively.

Some people argue that standardized testing is extremely beneficial for college

administrators. They say that tests provide an objective and fair line up to determine who can

demonstrate the best skills and who has the highest education. Although it may be true that the

tests provide a universal standard that college administrators can look at across the board, they

does not give an accurate representation of the students capabilities. There is more to learning

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than just calculating the volume of a cylinder or reading a passage. Education is meant to teach

real-life skills on top of knowledge. Students learn the skills of study efficiently and how to

prepare themselves for the later years of education that follow. Andy Hudlow argues that the

SAT and ACT are very different from the average tests that students see. He believes that it is

unfair to throw students into an unfamiliar classroom for hours at a time and still have high

expectations. (Hudlow). So yes, standardized tests do provide a criterion that assist in the college

admission process, but they do more harm than help for students when it is all said and done.

Standardized tests have played a major role in the lives of students. Hard working kids

spend countless hours studying for and taking these tests. Not only have they added to the

endless stresses that students endure, they also have impacted the future of many students in a

negative. It is not fair for students to have such a big part of their life be dependant upon a

number, a score on a test. Standardized testing has become too dominant in the world of

education and its effects have clearly done more harm than help. It is time to re-evaluate the

system.

Works Cited

Edwards, Halle. "SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips." ACT Percentiles and Score

Rankings. N.p., 1 Aug. 2017. Web. 21 Nov. 2017.

Hudlow, Andy. "Standardized Testing Is Not an Accurate Measure of Intelligence." Knight

Errant. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.

Lomax, Richard G. "The Impact of Mandated Standardized Testing on Minority Students."

Http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.sinclair.ohionet.org. Howard University, Spring 1995.

Database. 3 Nov. 2017.

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Molsbee, Charles P., and Bryan Benton. "A Move Away from High-stakes Testing toward

Comprehensive Competency." Teaching and Learning in Nursing. Elsevier Inc., N.p.,

2016. Database. 03 Nov. 2017.

"Orange County student wins five Merit-based Scholarships of $60,000 or More." Test Prep

Gurus. N.p., 26 Mar. 2016. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.