South Bend, Indiana: Standardized tests a waste of time

By Steve Lotter of John Adams High School in South Bend, Indiana

Picture this: your best friend comes up to you one day and reminds you that one of the biggest days of your life is coming up, the SAT test day. You break into a cold sweat, rushing around the house, trying to gather all the study materials you can find. Instead you only end up finding a throbbing headache and a hatred for all things SAT. Now picture this: the SATs. . . no more. Whoa, whoa, whoa relax. Keep breathing. It's not official yet, but if it were up to the Students Against Testing (SAT), it would be. The same goes for the SAT IIs and the ACTs. In fact, this idea of abolishing standardized testing is the entire premise for the website www.nomoretests.com.

According to the site, it's all a waste of time and talent. That's right. No offense to all you SAT buffs out there, but all those hours you have been slaving away, studying for what you think will either make or break your future were not necessary. Most universities and colleges look for that score. But, in fact, a lot of colleges make the score optional, including such Indiana schools as Indiana State University, University of Southern Indiana, and Calumet College. Does a good SAT score really make you smarter or more creative than someone with an average score?

The answer is simply no. The SAT is about as empty-headed as its own name, which has no real meaning since the ETS and College Board became uneasy about defining just what the test measures. To base college acceptance on a simple number is insane. The fact is that an SAT score will never be as accurate as your high school grades are. It's the inaccuracy of the SAT that proves to be its greatest downfall. Research from the site shows that because of the SATs' subtle simplicity, females have been shown to receive lower scores than most males. According to the research, this is because girls' thinking tends to be more complex than boys'. This is one of the many reasons as to why most colleges in fact make the SAT optional and do not base admittance solely on the score.

So why the idea to abolish the SAT and all standardized tests? It could be the fact that all standardized testing does is take away from precious class time wasted with various SAT prep activities. Whatever the reason, one must realize that the SATs will not make or break your post-high school career and are not the only way to be accepted into a good college.