The Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is a type of test usually serve to determine how well you understand a concept which is often used for placement. These types of test include questions in a form of an essay, short answers, multiple choices, or a combination of these together and are given out as early as in kindergarten. This practice has been used for so long that it has become a part of the American culture. Every year, high school juniors and seniors worldwide take the SAT or the ACT in the hope that they score high enough to get into their dream school. However, there has been a lot of ongoing debates revolving around the idea of the use of standardized testing in college admission and the whether or not they are effective in determining a student’s

These institutions believe that standardized testing should not be completely opt out as do play a factor along with GPA, extracurricular activities, recommendation, essay, and interview in the ability to determine a student’s success.

For example, at Whitman College, in using these factors, they determine altogether, whether or not a student should be admitted to their school. However, they mentioned that, “SAT scores alone neither admit nor deny anyone.” They look at an applicant in a holistic way while maintaining true to the idea that the SAT can determine a student’s success, just not alone.

In a research done at the University of Minnesota and Vanderbilt, they found that both GPA and the SAT can measure a student’s success. In addition, researchers in the Vanderbilt study found that the SAT can even determine a student’s success after college. This includes their income and occupational achievement.

Ryan Lessing, an applied math-economics concentrator and staff writer for the Brown Political Review, however, note that although GPA is a better indicator in determining a student’s ability to succeed at an institution, it is more effective when GPA and test scores are both