For decades, standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT have played a significant role in college admissions. These exams were designed to measure a student’s innate intelligence, allowing colleges to accurately compare students, regardless of their different schools and backgrounds. Standardized tests have since lost their meaning as a means of identifying qualified students due to the rise in the availability of test preparation resources and tutors, allowing students to inflate their scores. In recent years, standardized testing has been scrutinized on how accurately and fairly it assesses students ability to demonstrate their knowledge, critical thinking skills and overall academic potential. These tests fail to capture the full view of a student’s abilities and are not the best predictor of future success in academics and life. Instead of relying on standardized test scores, colleges should place more weight on a student’s academic improvement, extracurricular involvement, personal essays and other factors.
In the past decade, many colleges and universities have become test-optional, meaning students have the choice to submit their test scores or not. Even at test-optional schools, the chances of being accepted if one submits test scores are much higher. At Fordham University, data showed that applicants who submitted their test scores had a 28.7 percent higher chance of gaining admission into the school. This demonstrates that even with many schools becoming test-optional, standardized test scores still play a significant role in admissions, often giving applicants who submit test scores a higher chance of acceptance.
Standardized tests are often seen as a measure of intelligence and academic preparedness, but recent research proves otherwise.
In one study, Cornell professor Robert Sternberg concluded that the exams do not effectively measure critical thinking or creativity, as they only focus on narrow aspects of intelligence. Critical thinking and creativity are both very important skills for college and future careers. Standardized tests were designed to measure a very small set of skills and do not allow students to think creatively, analyze complex problems or demonstrate long-term academic improvement.
Additionally, standardized tests only provide a small look into a student’s academic performance on a single day. Many students struggle with test anxiety, which can negatively impact their scores and not show their full potential even if they succeed in their normal classwork. Financially disadvantaged students might not have access to expensive test preparation materials. This handicaps these students when compared to their wealthier peers who can afford tutors and test preparation classes. This creates an uneven playing field, where success on these tests reflects financial privilege more than academic ability.
If universities focus too much on scores, they miss qualities like resilience and work ethic, which are other great indicators of success. One can think about this in terms of hiring a new employee. When hiring new employees, employers consider resumes, experience, interviews and problem-solving. If employers were to hire employees based solely on their resumes, they wouldn’t see all the other valuable qualities of the employee. Similarly, standardized tests only provide a small view into a student’s learning capabilities and fail to understand their full potential. According to the University of Chicago, high school students’ grade point averages are five times stronger than standardized test scores in predicting college graduation. This highlights the importance of consistent academic performance or academic growth rather than focusing on a singular test score.
Supporters of standardized testing often argue that the tests provide a good measure to compare students from different schools and backgrounds. One could claim that solely focusing on essays, extracurriculars and academic rigor could give an unfair advantage to students with more access to resources. While it is true that standardized tests provide a score to help assess students’ test-taking ability, they do not capture the depth of a student’s academic abilities. High school grades, teacher recommendations and course rigor allow for a far more comprehensive view of a student’s dedication and work ethic.
Rather than completely eliminating standardized tests, colleges should reconsider how they are used. Instead of focusing just on traditional subjects like math and English, standardized tests should have assessments of problem-solving, creativity and real-world application of knowledge. A new standardized test could involve questions with real-life scenarios requiring students to analyze information and create written creative solutions. Allowing for written answers makes it easier to see a student’s thought process. Skills like problem-solving and creativity are crucial in all careers, and testing methods should evolve and expand to reflect this. Colleges should also continue to expand test-optional policies, which will allow students to showcase their strengths beyond a single test score.
Standardized tests have historically been a huge part of college admissions, but they are far from the best way to measure student potential. While these tests can still serve a purpose, they should not be a large deciding factor in the admissions process. Increased weight should be placed on academic growth, extracurricular involvement and personal character over test scores, as these aspects of a student’s application give the college a better sense of a student’s dedication, passions and long-term potential for success in college and beyond.
