Student Outlook -- Ananth Varma

Throughout our years as students, we are all required to take a

multitude of tests and exams. In addition to all of these, students these

days also have to take part in a number of additional standardized tests

that are given to them through their schools.

The reasons why students are given these tests are wide and varied.

Some of them test the reading level or basic skill of the student. Others

are given to students in order to rank individual schools and supposedly

separate the “good” from the “bad.” However, in the end, how truly

effective are all of these exams? Do they really give a proper idea of

the standings of students and schools? Are they really necessary?

Standardized tests really are not that effective in truly judging

students. For one thing, people really do not seem to take them all that

seriously anymore. At all schools, it seems that there are many students

who argue that since these tests will not really affect them, why should

they try?

In addition, those people who really do want to do well on a test

oftentimes do not have to actually study the material being tested.

Instead, many of these standardized tests can be passed quite easily by

just learning simple “tricks,” and knowing how to answer tricky

questions. For these reasons, these tests cannot really judge a student.

At the school level, tests such as the statewide Stanford 9 are also

not very effective in ranking schools. Since all students are required to

take the test, no matter what circumstances the students may be in, the

results can be terribly incorrect.

For instance, I know that at my school, Estancia High School, many

students have just recently moved to this city or even this country. It

cannot be expected that they can learn a language and all about a new

community in a few short days, and this makes it extremely unfair for

them to have to take the test and still let their scores reflect on the

standing of the school. For this reason, our school is often charged as

being a bad school because of its low test scores. If we are all going to

have to take these tests, they should at least be fair so that there will

be accurate rankings.

Overall, I think that most of the standardized tests we take at school

are unnecessary, at least for now. However, if these tests were revised

somehow to give an accurate representation of students and schools, then

it might be worthwhile for us all to take these tests and actually see

some true results and areas that we can improve in.

* ANANTH VARMA is a junior at Estancia High School, where he is the

editor of El Aguila’s sports page. His columns will appear on

occasionally in the Community Forum section.