Problems With the ACT and SAT Essay - 1384 Words

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. These standardized tests are used by schools because they find that it is an easy way to test a student’s ability. However, the†¦show more content†¦With college admissions relying so highly on these tests many bright and capable students are getting left with little options (Sternberg 7). These students are facing this because the ACT and SAT primary focus o n a narrow segment of skills that are needed to become a person that makes significant differences to the world (Sternberg 7). College’s argue that the admission test give them a quick glimpse of what the students potential is because they do not have to time to individually evaluate each potential student. This may be true but we need a better way to distinguish a person’s abilities than just a simple score on a test. Creativity drives today’s world, with new technology arriving daily and science conducting itself further. We need creative and imaginative people in today’s atmosphere to bring the world to the next step forward. â€Å"Standardized college admissions tests assess only analytical skills, as well as the knowledge base on which they act, and completely ignore creative and practical skills (Sternberg 7)†. Without creative people in this world, where do you think we would be? Not very far. We need practical skills to go throughout everyd ay life. The standardized tests don’t test for that knowledge base, they test how much short term memory aShow MoreRelatedSAT Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pagesseniors are racing to testing centers last minute to gain extra points on their ACT and SAT scores. American College Testing (ACT) and Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) are college entrance tests giving ways for high school students to gain acceptance into college and earn merit scholarships. Typically Ivy League colleges require their students to score in the top 0.1% which means earning perfect scores on their ACT or SAT test. So when the fall season rolls around, students are cramming all night beforeRead MoreACT SAT vs Our Children’s Future? Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesOne thing strikes fear into the hearts of most high school students across the United States: the ACT and SAT. Before a high school student can be accepted into most colleges or universities they must first take a test. Whether it is the A CT or SAT, students are forced to sit in a silent room for hours on end while answering hundreds of question about information they are supposed to know. The truth is that our students are suffering from such gruesome tests knowing that it could potential hurtRead MoreStandardized Aptitude : What If Someone Told You?1341 Words   |  6 Pagestrue that only those with the highest SAT scores should attend college as he states in his essay â€Å"Are Too Many People Going To College?† In his, article he explain that high-test scores are a strong predictor for student success because it measure a students’ intelligence or aptitude for higher education. Ultimately, he is wrong to assume that test score should be used as a sole reason for college admission. Charles Murry states students’ with either high SAT or ACT score should attend college but heRead More Standardized Testing: The SAT and the ACT Essay1275 Words   |  6 Pagesrole in the college admission decisi ons. The role of admission exams is always changing and evolving with time. The most prominent exams used are the SAT and the ACT. Their purpose is for gauging student knowledge for placement and possible success rate. Each test is comprised of numerous educational factors to gauge knowledge. The SAT and the ACT derived from other test forms to become what they are today. In addition to being an entrance exam, the grades obtained from these exams are used to formulateRead MoreStandardized Stress: Sleep, Eat, Study Essay1545 Words   |  7 Pagesthis stress is a byproduct of a common and feared tool: standardized tests. Such exams claim to predict college performance in an objective fashion and in large bolded letters. But, they are not as fair as they seem. In reality, the SAT, and its counterpart, the ACT, are poor indicators of college performance. High school students often struggle with certain types of assessments in a myriad of classroom environments. As a matter of fact, learning styles differ from person to person. There are visualRead MoreStandardized Tests Don t Measure Intelligence Essay1509 Words   |  7 Pagesalso don’t show how hard working a student is, which is important and can be proven by a GPA. Many schools measure the teacher and school on how well they are teaching based on how high of a score the students place on a standardized test. The problem with this is that the people who make these standardized tests have no idea what the students have learned in the classroom so that being said, the students often are not tested on what their teacher has taught them during the school year. W. JamesRead MoreEnglish As Second Law Essay1027 Words   |  5 Pagestheir native language with their families at home because their families are not fluent in English. According to Robinson (2012), ninety-three percent of schools in the US use norm-referenced exams such as the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which measure reading and vocabulary in addition to the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) for acceptance into colleges and universities. Moreover, Marzano’s study (2014) showed that students who speak a second language at homeRead Mo reThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1458 Words   |  6 Pagestake the SAT or ACT. The ACT and SAT are both standardized test used by colleges to determine the knowledge of a student and predict what their performance will be in their first year of college. An immense amount of pressure is put on student to receive certain scores in order to obtain scholarships and admission into college. Even just one point on a student’s score can determine if they will be accepted into their dream college. However, the results from standardized tests, such as the ACT and SATRead MoreThe Stress Of Standardized Tests1605 Words   |  7 PagesThe Stress of Standardized Tests Many know the stressful feeling of having to take the ACT. The exam room fills slowly with worried faces and remains quiet until the test stars. Students grasp their pencils tightly, their palms sweating with the thought of their future at stake with this single test. In order to get into any college, an ACT or SAT score is required. These required scores for admission vary from school to school which can make it difficult for every student to attend their dream schoolRead More Standardized tests in Illinois Essay978 Words   |  4 Pageseffective teaching methods. Schools are graded to see if there overall program is helping the student to achieve their goals. In the next paragraphs I am going to explain to you about the purpose of the American College Testing Program (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Learned helplessness is a phenomenon containing three components: contingency, cognition, and behavior. Contingency addresses the uncontrollability of the situation. Cognition refers to the attributions