As a student, testing is something that really stresses me out. Whether it is a small quiz or a huge final, I always get nervous about failing. Testing is a way to test everybody with the same type of formatting and grading them on that model. This would be the same for the ACT and SAT. In many cases, these testing formats aren’t effective as every student learns and tests differently. So wouldn’t that be the same for the ACT and SAT?

The SAT and ACT are used to measure a student’s readiness for college. It also helps make admission decisions. To pass these exams, students pay for tutors or preparation books and spend countless hours studying for a couple months leading up to the tests. This is usually the best way to get a great score. However, many can’t afford tutors or extra preparation materials  or have no time to study due to other commitments(extracurriculars, jobs, taking care of the family) which would make getting a higher score more difficult. Along with that, students who are not great test-takers will struggle to get a good score as well. It is also recommended to take these tests at least two times in high school, which doubles the money and hours spent to prepare. So should universities make the SAT and ACT required tests?

These tests, which are seemingly a right of passage in high school,  are not a good indicator on whether the student will thrive in college or not. They reflect on what the student is like in the current grade they are in. They don’t accurately show how well a student is doing in classes and their cumulative gpa.  Some schools, roughly 1,000, have become “test-optional” in which the student has the option to submit their scores. While this could give students less stress, it also means nobody will submit scores if they really don’t have to(unless you have to take the test and prove that you did). In this situation, there should be a collective decision as to if schools should not require the SAT and ACT. With test-optional schools, the education system seems to be noticing that standardized testing does not reflect a student’s achievements in high school. Since they do not provide accurate readings of students, I think colleges and universities should not make these exams a requirement, for they should focus on the grades they received instead.