Should Standardized Testing Be Required

College admissions tests have existed for over 100 years now. Recently, there has been much more investigation and debate on the requirement of standardized testing. In recent years, there has been much research and discussion over the use of standardized testing in regards to the likelihood of admission to colleges. Due to the new information the research has produced, some schools have made it so that students don’t have to submit SAT or ACT scores, and offer an optional test policy instead. The necessity of these tests is still being debated today, but I believe they should not be a requirement, or at least should not be such a deciding factor in one’s admission to a college. I believe that, while some students excel at the SAT/ACT, there
Standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT are used in the admissions process along with other factors such as high school grades, class rank, community service, recommendations and extracurricular activities.” (Mansfield, 13)
This is a summary of what the SAT is, which means that it is a test which is taken as part of the college admissions process. The overall goal of the SAT is to measure a student’s abilities in the fundamental areas of aptitude such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.(https://sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests) A good portion of the SAT is multiple choice; it also includes a written essay portion. Because of it’s set rules and regulations, the SAT is not fit for all types of thinkers. Linear thinkers have the easiest time with the SAT, because of the way they process their problems and
I personally know many high-school students whose entire high school careers are dedicated to passing the SAT. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I know many people who pass the SAT with flying colors who are great test takers, but are not overly skilled in the actual areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic. If one is simply good at taking tests, but not actually skilled in the tested subjects of education, how is it fair that they are admitted to top schools when those with poor test taking skills fail, but possess more than the required skills in the tested subjects? The SAT, however, is not the only way to measure a students’ level of knowledge and ability.
The debate about the SAT has been ongoing for a few years now. The US news reports, “Opponents condemn the practice as biased; proponents tout it as a critical indicator of future academic success.” (Thomas Rochon, 13) What they are saying here is that few people truly believe that the SAT is a fully accurate depiction of future student success. Another realization the U.S. news had, was that the result of test scores from the SAT adds next to no evidence to predict the future success of students. (Thomas Rochon,