Why Is Standardized Testing Effective

All across the United States, students are getting out their number 2 pencils, ready to undergo stress filled standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. These tests have been a burden to students in America for more than 50 years, but now they are far more competitive and the stakes are much higher than ever before. The ACT and SAT have become one of the largest deciding factors in the college admissions process, and the inability to score high on the test could mean getting denied by your “dream college” or not being admitted into college at all. Students are taking more standardized tests than ever and starting at ages much before college even approaches. Kids of today are unknowingly being tested and taught in ways that will ultimately prepare them to meet their fate of taking a standardized …show more content…
The test itself is supposed to assess students, teachers, and the school. High scores reflect that the school is effective in teaching students the given material and low scores reflect that the school and the teachers are not teaching the students properly. These scores are then compared to other schools to see if their overall program is helping students succeed and the scores are used to rank the school’s performance on a national, and even global scale. Are these standardized tests effective in measuring the educational quality students are receiving and the readiness for a higher education? No matter what side one takes on the topic, there is no doubt that standardized testing has an effect on education and an education system without tests would be much different than it is