The thesis idea above proposes that colleges should find alternative standardized tests for admission. According to the topic, many students do not perform well in the standardized tests, they are inhibited by anxiety, and the tests do not showcase intelligence. Hernandez (2018) highlights a study that established that there is an increased uptake of test-optional policies by colleges that permit students not to submit their scores in tests such as SAT during admission processes. From this study, the researchers found out that such policies can improve diversity in colleges without compromising the academic quality in those institutions.
Low performance on standardized tests is a common occurrence in the country. Anxiety before and during the testing exercise is a leading contributor to this dismal performance. Heissel, Levy, and Adam (2017) theorize that anxiety before a test affects the ability of students to optimize mental readiness, which leads to poor performance. The study established that human biological systems are affected by stressors, which explains the poor performance in tests. According to Stemberg (2017), intelligence tests lack the required balance among the essential elements, which include motivation, metacognitive, learning skills, knowledge, and thinking skills. Balance among these factors helps one to showcase their intelligence.
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Two alternatives can be used instead of standardized tests. First, the use of social and emotional skills surveys will help college administrators identify students with vital nonacademic qualities. Qualities such as grit, perseverance, and curiosity indicate long term chances of success in academics ( Kamenetz, 2015 ). Last, portfolio-based assessments such as projects, reports, and portfolios of works gathered overtime will give colleges a better perception of the applying students.
There is a need to rethink the use of standardized tests in college admission processes since they do not showcase the total intelligence of students. Using alternatives such as social and emotional skills evaluations and portfolio based evaluations will enable college administrators to select students with grit, perseverance, and academic curiosity.
References
Heissel, J., Levy, D., & Adam, E. (2017). Stress, Sleep, and Performance on Standardized Tests: Understudied Pathways to the Achievement Gap. AERA Open , 3 (3), 233285841771348. doi: 10.1177/2332858417713488
Hernandez, T. (2018). Abolish Standardized Testing For College Admissions. Retrieved 5 October 2019, from www.huffpost.com/entry/abolish-standardized-testing-for-college-admissions_n_5b045869e4b003dc7e470ee3
Kamenetz, A. (2015). What Schools Could Use Instead Of Standardized Tests. Retrieved 5 October 2019, from www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/01/06/371659141/what-schools-could-use-instead-of-standardized-tests
Sternberg, R. J. (2017). Intelligence and competence in theory and practice. Handbook of competence and motivation: Theory and application , 9-24.
