Just last weekend I was forced to crawl out of bed at seven o'clock, spend four and a half hours taking the ACT, and return back to my house at one o'clock, all tired and exhausted. Upon looking back at the experience, I have come to realize that its incredible that my near future heavily depends on how I did. The ACT is nothing more than a test to see how well someone can work quickly, stay calm, remain focused, and follow directions. And to think that colleges are using the results of this test to make vital application decisions is simply astounding.
During the four and a half hours, I spent 10 minutes on a break, and practically all the remaining 4 hours and 20 minutes on the mathematics, English, reading, science, and writing sections of the test, rushing through the pages in such a hurry that I barely remembered anything once I had finished. In fact, for some sections you I only got about 20 seconds to answer each question! Now, one has to wonder: what is the point of such a rush? Will any real life situation really require four hours of uttermost concentration without even a short moment to blow off some steam? Of course not. The makers of the ACT think that if a person is incapable of accomplishing something in an enormous rush, he or she doesn't deserve to go to a quality college. But this really doesn't make any sense, because almost all real life situations will give people the chance to slow down, soak it all in, and think with much smaller time restrictions.
Because of the ridiculously short amount of time, the makers of the ACT test people on their ability to answer many easy, shallow questions instead of important, big picture, challenging ones that really require people to demonstrate their skills. In total, there are 60 questions on the math test, 75 on the English test, and 40 each on the reading and science tests. That's 215 questions in total! But you have to wonder: can 215 multiple choice questions, that probably averaged about 30 seconds per question, really measure somebody's individuality and potential? I don't think so. These questions don't test for uniqueness or originality - they just encourage all students to think in the same way. In the end, students are forced to think without any creativity and answer the same shallow questions as anyone else.
I know that this may have sounded a bit like a rant, but this test made me very frustrated. I don't necessarily think I did poorly, I'm just upset with the whole educational testing system that we have in place here in the United States.
I agree with a lot that you've said. However, I think many things have been changing in the college admissions process in recent years that puts less weight on ACT scores and more on well-rounded students who succeed academically, extracurricularly, and in their communities. Components like the personal essay and resumés show what you've been involved in, who you are and why you'd fit in well with your schools of choice. Your academic record can prove wrong a less than perfect ACT score by showing long-term success (if you've done well in that area). And yet, with all of these things adding up to what colleges use to interpret who each applicant is, we also have as many chances as we want to take the ACT and improve. In areas like the North Shore, kids get tutoring starting as early as sophomore year to guarantee good scores. So I do wonder if it is a good measurement of us as students and people, but not for what the questions it asks in the time allotted. But I also question whether or not it merits the stress and money we convince ourselves it requires.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you have said in your post. I struggle with test taking and being timed on the ACT makes me extremely stressed and nervous. I like your comment, "These questions don't test for uniqueness or originality - they just encourage all students to think in the same way". When I think of the United States, I think of freedom, opportunities, uniqueness, and much more. Your quote really makes me wonder if today's society is really about that. For example, when I look around the New Trier hallways during passing periods, I see girls dressed in Uggs, True Religion jeans, and nice shirts. I also see boys dressed in Jordan's, jeans, and Nike shirts. Both the girls and the boys look a like to me. Everyone looks practically the same! How can colleges judge one person vs another just based on one test?
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