Testing in Peril

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered students’ bit of their importance in recent years, they are still a huge lives. From sports being canceled to school being online, milestone in a student’s life. nothing is really the same. Standardized testing has also taken The senior class has been seriously affected by the change. a hit. AP exams were all free response, open note and online. Though many seniors take the SAT/ACT before winter break of Meanwhile, the SAT/ACT have been cancelled for many months their junior year, those who didn’t or wanted to retest would be as testing centers were forced to close due to the pandemic. in for a frustrating ride as the pandemic would cancel testing

“AP exams [last] year were really bad. I know a lot of people dates for the rest of the year. have an easier time with multiple choice and this year no AP Jayden Barnholtz, a senior at West Ranch High School, exam had multiple choice so that really messed people up,” stated, “I mean initially [I wasn’t] really exactly sure how it was lamented junior Eric Lee. “It was kind of frustrating ‘cause going to work. We kind of just thought [coronavirus] wasn’t personally I’m better at multiple choice questions than free gonna last that long. It was unfortunate that [the SAT] got response, but due to it only being free response I think I could cancelled in March ‘cause I’ve been studying for that, but then have scored a bit better with a normal AP test.” I thought I’ll take it in June.” He continues explaining that his

The transition to online has made some teachers worried for June appointment was then cancelled along with his August this year’s exam, worrying their students won’t be prepared. appointment. Mr. Burrill, West Ranch’s AP Calculus AB Teacher, has had to To Barnholtz, learning the material wasn’t much of a problem, completely redesign his class to overcome the hurdles students but he soon felt unmotivated to study due to the delays in face due to online school. testing as well as many colleges, such as the UC system,

“[Last year] was easier as it was just review. I knew who beginning to look past standardized test scores on college cheated on our [online] exams and who everyone’s friends applications. Fortunately, Jayden was able to take the SAT at were. It’s much harder teaching from scratch as I don’t know Trinity in September and October, though other students didn’t [the students]. It was much have the same opportunity. easier to know who was doing Numerous underclassmen well and help those who were are also finding themselves in a struggling [in person]. Now I rely on flex time to give students [The] AP exam was more of a bind as SAT Subject Tests have been continuously postponed. additional help, but the students who need it the most are usually not the ones who come.” marathon than a FRQ. There were way too many questions for the time Most worry this time gap will negatively affect their score as it has been a few months since

“The problem [with AP limit so it was up to the students to they have taken the class. students] is that most are only concerned with their grade, but the kids who do the best see how many questions they could answer Unlike the SAT/ACT, which test your fundamental understanding of English and Math, the Subject in my class are the ones who Tests are similar to AP Tests as care about learning the content Mr Burrill, AP Calculus Teacher they only test one subject at a and put the effort in. As I’ve time. These tests, ranging from learned by teaching this course for many years, those who put World History to Phsics, aren’t required by most colleges, but in minimum effort start to fall behind and don’t get the grade can be used to differentiate students who are applying to more they want.” competitive degree programs.

The PawPrint also asked Mr. Burrill about the AP exam format. With more and more schools moving to be test optional,

“[Last year’s] AP exam was more of a marathon than a FRQ. standardized tests are now taking the backseat to extracurricular There were way too many questions for the time limit so it activities and grades in college applications. Though this was up to the students to see how many questions they could change is sudden, colleges have been slowly moving away answer. Also, knowing [the College Board], the questions from standardized tests over the years. Some believe it’s a good weren’t ones you could type in a calculator [so] you would need idea. As Eric Lee put it, “[holistic admissions] show the more a good understanding of the content. I hope that they add [a creative aspects of students through their essays and through multiple choice section] back to the exam, even if it’s online. extracurriculars. So it might be a good way for students to get There are many ways they can make the questions secure and accepted into college.” [multiple choice questions] make it possible for students to be The shake-up in standardized testing has affected students tested on a much wider array of information.” nationwide. Though colleges have shifted focus away from

AP exams were far from the only test affected. The Scholastic standardized tests, these exams were still important to the Aptitude Test, otherwise known as the SAT, has been used as a students we interviewed. Whether it was because they thought measure for academic ability ever since it was first distributed it would help them get into the school of their dreams, didn’t by the College Board in 1926. Then about three decades later, want to waste all those hours of studying, or simply wanted the American College Test (ACT), another exam designed to to fulfill this important milestone, everyone interviewed had differentiate student from student, was created. For a long one thing in common- they never stopped trying to take these time, colleges used these tests as a way to gauge a student’s tests, even if they needed to reschedule many times or drive an academic achievements. Though these tests have lost a little hour to another school. 42