Timothy Jordan

Storer

English 3H Block 5 American Literature

28 October 2019

Narrative Argument: Standardized Testing

If there are over hundreds of college majors available in the United States, then why is

academic merit from standardized testing based only in science, math, and English? Where is

passion for the arts or foreign language measured? What happens to those who have test

anxieties or struggle in test taking from learning disabilities? Standardized tests cater to a certain

type of students who are good in the areas the test cover. Standardized tests are not a quality

measure of the academic integrity of all students because the current system lacks real evaluation

of students who do not fit the form of the specific test, does not provide proper examination of

students whose majors differ from the tested subjects, and does not account for students who

struggle in testing itself. Because of this, the standardized test needs to be amended or

completely eradicated from the college process.

As a student who is actively involved in the Visual and Performing Arts, I have many

friends who are aspiring theater arts majors and want to peruse theater as a career in college. We

often discuss college and help each other out with the anxieties and stresses of it, despite her

being a theater major and me being a science major. She has often described how she does not do

very well on the math section of the SAT and is worried she won’t get into her college for theater

due to this. The standardized test is measuring her worth according to their schedule of

intelligence rather than one that relates to her theater major. On another hand, I am a person who
struggles with test anxiety. Whenever there is a large test, such as a standardized test or final

exam, it becomes very difficult for me to focus sometimes. The current test is overwhelming, and

the effects of test anxiety can end up detrimental to the scoring of the exam. Finally, the test does

not examine for qualities that make students stand out. Attributes such as dedication, creativity,

and responsibility cannot be measured in the current system of testing. Though the test is a good

measure for a certain number of students, it is not in a current state of beneficial for all students

in our diverse world.

In order to better accommodate students, the standardized testing system must either be

amended or taken out altogether. If changed, the standardized test must look more into the

overall student and focus on different subjects based on intended major. If the standardized test is

removed, then colleges can focus on interviews, resumes, and high school grades to determine if

a student is right for their college. Either way, the current system does not evaluate students as

much as it should and therefore change must now be enacted.