The results are in for the 24-25 Florida high school testing season, and it’s sparking concern across the state. Roughly 32% of high school seniors were deemed “below basic” in reading, while the state saw a 3% rise in math scores above a three. This discrepancy in the data has all eyes turning back to the tests themselves, prompting many to question whether these exams truly measure a student’s intelligence or just their ability to answer multiple-choice questions.
These assessments typically require speed, process-of-elimination skills, and familiarity with the question formatting. Those who practice for the multiple-choice questions themselves, rather than the material, will often outperform those who studied what was taught in class.
“I don’t think tests measure how smart we are. There are other [external] factors, like how students [are waking] up at seven, six, or even five [in the morning] to take the test. This limits them on their full potential, which could affect final scores,” argues sophomore Andrea Sanchez.
If students start off their day negatively or grow anxious, it can be harder to truly show their strengths and weaknesses during testing. Oftentimes, students who are easily distracted struggle to focus, and lose the opportunity to prove themselves.
The question is: Why should we allow students to be defined as a number? Nowadays, students are more likely to gain a 1010-1030 on the SAT, and universities have a low chance of admitting these students, no matter what their extracurriculars may be.
Standardized tests rarely measure creativity, curiosity, or the ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations. Instead, these assessments focus more on memorization and the ability to manage time effectively.
“Standardized tests have their place, but they definitely don’t capture everything a student knows or can do,” expresses Gianna Scott, the Class of 2028 student counselor. “Components like classwork, effort, motivation, grades, participation, and even projects provide a more holistic picture of students’ abilities and potential.”
Two individuals may both comprehend a concept well, but the individual with effective time management and hours of practicing for multiple-choice questions will most likely earn the higher score, representing how the requirements in these exams test training rather than intelligence.
While some may argue that exams like the SAT demonstrate a student’s readiness for college-level material, select colleges themselves have made these scores optional when applying. This shift reflects the acknowledgement that standardized tests don’t fully capture a student’s full potential.
Standardized tests have been found to be invalid measures of comprehension and scholastic acceleration. Likewise, multiple sources report that a majority of teachers believe that state tests don’t accurately reflect what students need to know for real-life situations.
It is clear that today’s students often struggle with the standardized tests that have remained unchanged for decades. The limitations of these exams obscure vital aspects of students’ intelligence in the long run.
“In the counseling profession, I acknowledge that lots of students get nervous and/or experience significant test anxiety,” Scott adds. “[They] predict college readiness, and are not necessarily a measure of intelligence or a guarantee of future success. The pressure to perform is real, and it hurts.”
The years of unvarying multiple-choice questions have led today’s pupils to finally realize that standardized testing only offers a finite perspective on someone’s true intelligence. The stress placed on our nation’s developing minds has been clinically proven to be unhealthy, especially at such a young age.
The accumulation of data proving that standardized exams are unhealthy, inaccurate, and overall detrimental to the students taking them goes to show why parents, educators, and administrators alike are concerned about the effects these have on the students of today.
