BSM students share opinions on standardized testing
Many students have various opinions on standardized testing.
November 21, 2018
Standardized testing is a highly-debated topic here at Benilde St. Margaret’s. Students are required to take various types of standardized tests throughout their time at BSM and the opinions on standardized tests vary among students. Testing days are not only a big day for students, but also the BSM community. The schedule is very different during a testing day, school starts at the same time, but on testing days, school usually gets out at 11 or 12 which subsequently changes many people’s plans.
Some standardized tests—such as the ACT––are important because they are sent to colleges. Others that you take freshman or sophomore year are just beneficial for the school to see where you are at academically and for you to see where you can improve and take important steps forward. “Overall I think they are useful. They give colleges and students an idea of where they are academically but they also have some downsides such as how some students are good at taking tests and others aren’t as good, especially tests like the ACT when every section has very limited time,” said junior Ryan Norkosky.
Standardized tests are very unique compared to a regular day of school, you are sitting at a desk in a room for 3-4 hours and you aren’t allowed to talk or move around much. Some students don’t like standardized tests solely for this reason. “Standardized testing is boring and it hurts my back and hand. They all seem like the same thing to me. I don’t like to take them, but I think they’re a necessary evil,” said sophomore Connor Rahill.
Standardized tests are obviously very important for a student’s academic integrity. Most colleges look at your past test scores and your efficiency on the tests, and standardized tests are necessary while enrolled in high school because they can help guide you but, by what the students say, they could be changed for the better.
