We’re all familiar with standardized tests– the ACT, SAT, and the RISE to name a few. During and after COVID-19, many colleges and universities dropped their test requirements, but recently more institutions have brought back the requirement. While there are some benefits to these tests, the problems outweigh them.
One of the most obvious problems with standardized testing is the format. Most standardized tests are multiple choice, meaning that it’s easy to guess the answers if you’re skilled in the art of test taking. Because of the predictability of standardized tests, a lot of teachers will focus on how to take the test rather than learning the material itself. Here arises the problem of “teaching to the test.” When pressures are put on teachers to produce high test scores, they often have to resort to teaching what is going to be on the test rather than the real nuances of the subject– true learning. The format of standardized tests also poses an unconscious sex bias. In a study performed by Stanford University, it was found that test format accounts for 25% of the gender difference in scores for reading and math. Female students tend to perform better on open ended questions than multiple choice, which researchers have attributed to girls tending to guess less.
The mere existence of ACT/SAT prep classes suggests that these tests don’t measure intelligence or future success– they measure one’s ability to take a test. Many of these prep classes teach things like the best way to guess on multiple choice questions. Numerous studies have found that ACT/SAT scores have little correlation to college success compared to high school GPAs, and Harvard based researchers have found that even socioeconomic status is a better predictor of future success than these tests. Part of this is due to the race and class bias present in these tests. Many questions require background knowledge that is typical of White, middle class students, and this puts racial minorities and lower class students at a lower average score. The Harvard study finds that “One-third of the children of the very richest families scored a 1300 or higher on the SAT, while less than 5% of middle-class students did.” Although these biases have decreased in recent years due to more diverse testing boards, it is nearly impossible to create a test that is free of bias.
There are many problems with standardized tests, especially when they are being used to determine school acceptance. Defenders of standardized tests may argue that these tests add an extra level to differentiating applicants. While this does make it easier to sift through applicants, it also causes some remarkable students to slip through the cracks because of their ACT/SAT test scores. There are many spectacular students who have a lot to offer despite their test taking abilities. Intelligence and ability cannot be accurately measured by these flawed tests and there must be better ways to decide who gets into a certain school.
