Tests…Tests…What Are They Good For?

Tests are something every student dreads. Even if it’s easy, if the stakes are high enough it can cause enough stress for you to do badly on them. Personally, I recently had a Spanish test. It wasn’t too hard overall, but it was worth a lot of our grade, and that definitely served enough tension to have a few hiccups. And I believe that covers a student’s true understanding of the material. 

Many students stress over tests and stay up all night studying for them. A good example is MCAS. We all know it; the long hours of standardized testing lasting the whole morning. Then, when you finally forget about it by next September, the report comes back. But it’s not only MCAS. It’s all tests. The dread of the test day, taking the test itself, and then of course waiting for your grade. It’s too much unnecessary stress. Can’t teachers grade us on assignments and group work? Standardized tests are just not the right way to assess a student’s knowledge.

But if tests are so bad, why do we have them? Honestly, I don’t think we should have them, but there’s a silver lining to every cloud. Tests do encourage students to make sure to learn and study it before the test. Also, many studies show that daily quizzes help students recall information. Tests with immediate response are also beneficial because students can better understand what area they’re struggling in. 

However, I believe tests are far more detrimental than they are beneficial. All the factors lying on top of each other: stress, over analyzing, second guessing, and trick questions. These all cover up and cloud what a student knows. And they know this. It’s why cheating in academics is such a big problem. It seems surprising, but tests do in fact promote cheating more than you’d think.

Pausing that topic (since I could go on forever about it, tests are that frequent), I’m not sure if it’s just my team, or if it’s just the fact that it’s near the end of term, but I had two tests today: Spanish and math. I sincerely don’t believe students should have all these tests to worry about on the same day. On top of all the homework we have everyday, from every class, we also have to study for a test.

Overall, I think anyone can see how tests are so energy depleting and unnecessary. There are so many other things that teachers can grade us on, including homework, group work, projects, and class assignments. There’s just no need for tests and they aren’t even an accurate representation of a student’s knowledge. When you get bad grades on them, you think you’re terrible at the subject, but really, it could be so many other factors! 

Nevertheless, perhaps tests have some use, like feedback. But I don’t believe that it’s worth it. So that brings up the question: