Does the SAT/ACT Measure Me? The Students’ Perspective
We got a lot of great responses from students who entered our recent scholarship contest, Why the SAT/ACT Doesn’t Measure Me. Chelsea Lorimor (who will be a freshman at Mesa State in the fall) won the scholarship but many of the essays had some great advice, suggestions and opinions on the SAT and ACT. Check out what some high school seniors had to say about the test that could affect their futures.
Photo by The Master Shake Signal.
- “No test can let a college/university know how that student will do. I believe the best way to show how a student will perform is through the recommendations that their teachers give and through a personal interview.”
- “Some people, like me, are not the best test-takers, but we can do anything we put our mind to and can succeed at it. A test does not say how a person is going to be or how they are going to act at college or in the distant future. A test displays how we work under one type of pressure.”
- “I scored a 29 on the ACT. I think that score is an accurate representation of my skills used to take the test. Nothing more, nothing less.”
- “Entrance college exams could be improved if only they could take into consideration every possible hindrance a student may have. If they could somehow take into account the obstacles, stresses, course participation, and personality of the test taker, I would think a student would be ‘judged’ more fairly and accurately.”
- “You have to find the best way to accommodate every individual that is there to take the test, which obviously isn’t easy at all.”
- “I don’t think it is best to have the testing done at 7:00 am. The majority of people taking these tests are teens that are not highly functional at that time of the day.”
- “If the testing could be done in a less formal atmosphere but still adhere to test-taking requirements it could increase test scores, reduce stress, and reflect a more accurate scoring on ability and knowledge.”
- “Because of the time limit, a student may not read all of the paragraphs and be in a rush to answer the questions. I do not believe that is an accurate prediction of what a student has learned. The only other suggestion would be to not place such a great emphasis on the test results.”
- “Although I realize there needs to be a universal test for entrance into college, I do believe that the ACT should not be the sole or greatest emphasis for a student’s admittance. As in life, there are many other aspects that should be considered. A student’s dedication to their education should play a vital role.“
What do you think of the SAT or ACT? Do you agree with these students’ points? Do you think the SAT and ACT are accurate predictors of how well students will do in college?
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