do you think standardized testing is fair?

Question

especially for students taking the act or sat because that grade basically determines whether or not a student gets into college


tell me what you think, and what you are (ex. student teacher parent..etc)

Answer 1

Only if every child taking it is completely equal in every way.

I'm a FORMER teacher and I personally believe that our education system is completely out of date and is balanced in favor of the parents and against the teachers. I have 3 kids in the public school, and I stay out of the way and let the schools do what they can to educate my children with no resources, burned out staff, and crappy management practices passed on by a goverment who uses the department of education as a political tool and not a way to improve our country.

Answer 2

I don't personally agree with how the system is setup. The SAT is a fairly 'fair' test, but that doesn't mean it's a good test. The SAT is no longer a good test in any way, shape or form. It's garbage and needs to be thrown out; that or completely revamped.

The test just doesn't prove anything. The test sucks. The test can be studied and paying for help will increase your score. It causes classism issues, it's long and superficial and does a poor job predicting college grades under the new SAT system. So what does the SAT do? Nothing, other than create superficial categories for students that arn't proving anything.


The SAT was originally designed to be an IQ test, which I *somewhat* support (not under the current system), but now it's just gone all wrong. It's been watered down due to political correctness, and has created more problems than it originally had. At least the old SAT predicted college grades well, as it reflected test taking ability in college.

The new SAT is also a big waste of time. Why bother? Stop beating around the bush and just bring back the IQ test. Stop wasting our students time with this crappy test that doesn't do anything and wastes money.

Either that or get rid of the SAT completely, which I also support. I realize grades are (most of the time) a poor reflection of ability, but so is the SAT, so why do we have two poor reflections of a students ability? It just doesn't make any sense!


By the way, I got 1590 on the old sat (pre april 1994). I realize the SAT exists because colleges need a way to differentiate better between students so they can make their selections, but it's just all wrong. If you're so hell bound on testing, ditch this thing and bring back the IQ test, because at least the results mean something. Otherwise start looking for alternate methods of cleaning up the system.

Answer 3

The question is not whether it is necessary or not but if its FAIR. It should be obvious that it is necessary because there needs to be a comparable standard to judge students. However, the SAT cannot solely detmine a students potential in college. As I have noticed with the SAT is that most of the questions comprises of ideas that have to be learnt. If the student was not taught a particular subject area on the SAT, the student will not be able to determine the answer. As we all know there many students with awful SATs that end up graduating college with top honors. So basically how well you do in the SATs largely depends on your high school education. This as we know varies tremendously across the country. This is what makes the SATs imperfect in judging a students potential. Nonetheless, its the best solution there is. students can take the test many times and there are countless resources out there for the students. In my opinion, colleges should place more emphasis on the students background such as high school GPA, class honors, recommendations, etc.

Answer 4

There has to be a basis on which everyone does something. Testing turns out to be it. I don't necessarily think that testing is always the best way, because some people are geniuses at applied matters, but they simply can't takes tests very well. And some people just cram all the **** they need to know in their head the night before the test, then take the test and pass, and they never really absorb the knowledge.
I'm a college student, by the way.
P.S. Fazizzle, the mere fact that you can take the test over and over again only says that a person could simply go in and look at what they had to study for the next time they took the test, in which they could score a perfect because they already knew the material. A test should be one time only, including ACT and SAT.

Answer 5

1) I'm a graduate and a new parent

2) Do I think it's fair? Yes! To say that the score determines whether a student in accepted into college is a joke; the mere fact you can take the SAT/ACT more than once proves that it IS fair. If you aren't ready the first time you can go ahead the second time.

The ACT/ SAT is a serious test, and it only costs $30 or so. That's nothing compared to post-graduate testing. Complaining that tests like the ACT aren't fair is basically whining that you scored low.

State testing is a joke, and I think that you CAN be taught just to score well on the state tests instead of overall. At least the SAT/ACT rewards students who are prepared.

Answer 6

You obviously don't understand the meaning of it all. Standardized testing is just that.. it's a standard.. it's an average.If a student wants to go to college, then there are certain things that they should know.. and the SAT's determine if you know enough. I think it's totally fair, and parents undermine it by complaining about it.

If a student wants to go to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Northwestern.. they should know certain things.. when you hear someone say they graduated from there.. you expect certain things.. you hold them in high regard. If kids don't want to go there, then it doesn't make a difference wether or not they acheive a high score on an SAT.. I wouldn't expect my son, who wants to go to art school to score high on an SAT, and that art school won't be looking for a high SAT score when they decide they're going to accept him or not.

SAT's are okay.. it's parents and teachers who make them a huge deal, build them up and make the students petrified of their scores. They are fine, there is nothing wrong with them, but students shouldn't be pressured to do well if they want to go into a field that doesn't require them.. such as art, design, a trade.

Answer 7

They aren't fair at all. There is a lot of research backing the notion that it shouldn't be the be-all and end-all of college admissions.

If a student does well on the test, they are somewhat more likely to do well in college, but that doesn't mean that a student who does poorly on them won't be an excellent student as well. There are multiple forms of intelligence, and there are many people whose scholastic abilities simply aren't reflected well in any test, especially standardized ones.

This is coming from a current college student, and one who scored well above average on the SAT.

Answer 8

i do no longer think of that the SAT and the ACT are honest, especially because of the fact a student could properly be coached into earn good scores. as a result, they do no longer probable teach how clever the scholars are, purely how plenty time they spent interpreting for a try. undesirable scholars can't arise with the money for to take the high priced SAT classes, so as that discriminates against them. on the different hand, they do tell if a individual can examine, write, and do math. of course a student who gets a 650 on somewhat may well be a greater efficient student than a student who have been given a 500. yet i do no longer understand suggestion on a thank you to assert a student with a 650 is way less clever than a student who has a 680, because of the fact in keeping with threat the 2d student studied for the try.

Answer 9

Define "fair". There has to some standard by which to grade students......... How else would you select potential college students? Maybe using their shoe-size?

I am an ex-student and a parent.

Answer 10

NO, I think that whole system should be thrown out the window, I do really bad on test like that but I'm a good student, it's not fair to people like me.