Standardized Testing And How it Prepares You Not Just For College But For Life

Standardized testing is treated as a vital part of the transition from high school to undergrad. It attempts to put everyone on the same playing field when it comes to college admissions. Tests like the ACT and SAT measure the skills necessary for students to succeed in college and their careers. A part of how the SAT and ACT do this is by testing how you learn.
Now the SAT and ACT are not perfect. They don't measure how intelligent you are or how successful you will be in a certain field. It just tests your ability to come to conclusions from data. Standardized tests attempt to help colleges pick students who shows a potential of being an influential member of society. Standardized testing is not used by all colleges, but is an important tool for colleges to predict what courses and careers a student may be ready for during and after college. Unfortunately, these tests cause major anxiety for students as they feel they won't get into their first choice college or be able to get into a field they were dreaming of being a part of. Don't worry, because standardized tests aren't the only factor in college admissions, and they don't correlate with the quality of life. Standardized tests aren't meant to give kids more anxiety and stress than they are already facing at school, home, and extracurriculars. These tests are meant to teach you a lesson on observing the world.
Most standardized tests have a math, reading, and writing section. This is not to test how well you can read, or how much math you know. It is to test if you can come to solutions or inferences given some information. It is to teach you not to be lead astray from extra information and to recognize the value of data for solving the problem at hand. For example, the SAT reading section exposes you to multiple passages about fiction, science, and history, but their questions don't deal with comprehension of specific acts. They deal with reasoning from the information given. They give you a question like, "In lines 15-19, Mr.Garfield refers to his stopwatch because..." and ask you to pick the answer that makes the most sense from the context of the passage. The reading section wants its readers to analyze the purpose of syntax, characters, tone, diction, and plot within the passage so you can avoid misinterpreting information. This can prevent misinformed opinions and promote more logical reasoning when it comes to discussing subjects.
Another example would be the SAT Math section. You are required to look at a problem and understand what you have to solve for. You need to be open to multiple options for solving the problem at hand. Then you have to create a supported solution to the problem. This means you should test your solution to see if it works. The math section does not require you to recall certain theorems or formulas but to recognize them, modify them, and use them to solve for solutions.
Is the SAT and the ACT the best way to test whether students a ready for college? Well, I'm not sure. But I do know that both tests attempt to teach kids how to learn from their environment. It teaches us to be selective when given information to save time and energy when solving a problem and creating an opinion. The test is really a lesson on open-mindedness, comprehension, and argument in the end.