The students of Boston Latin Academy take on average of four standardized tests each year. While that might not seem like a lot, these tests can create an environment of anxiety and often feel unconnected to what is taught. In a 2016 Harvard study, it was found the average student spends 20 to 25 hours each year on mandated testing. The study continued, explaining that 61% of the school psychologists surveyed, reported levels of test anxiety had risen due to the arrival of the Common Core curriculum that many current standardized tests are guided by, including the MCAS. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, increased stress levels in students are reported to cause lower grades and less sleep.
“When I take standardized tests, I sometimes get stressed because of the effect it might have on my education,” said a BLA tenth grader, “The way standardized tests are formatted gives a lot of pressure and stress.” Boston Latin Academy students are required to pass the MCAS to graduate and the SATs to get into most colleges. With such weighted tests, its no wonder students feel pressure to do good on them. Another student, Devon Herlihy, expressed that taking these tests made her worried about her life after school. “I feel like my whole life depends on me doing well on these tests.”
Some students also feel that standardized tests can affect the time spent learning in classes. One student, Arryan Weeramuni, said that the testing caused an adverse impact on his work in class, “ I think that standardized testing has a negative effect on my performance in school because it is taking up a lot of time that could be used for learning,” he continued, “…they [standardized tests] can be irrelevant to what we are learning… they aren’t an accurate measurement of our learning either,” If students are spending less time learning due to testing, it can lead to feeling like some of the materials on the test, are new. “It’s a test that’s supposed to test on things that you’ve learned and should have learned.” said explained one student. One upperclassman explained that they had to learn some of the information on their own especially in the grammar selections.
But, despite all the downsides of standardized testing, there was one common benefit amongst the students interviewed. “One positive… I don’t get any homework on standardized test days,” said Arryan. Another said, “Not going to classes on the days we take them.” Multiple students found the most enjoyable part of taking standardized tests is the lack of school work on the testing days.
In the end, many students feel that standardized tests are time-consuming and an inaccurate representation of their knowledge. They cause stress and anxiety among students with already high expectations. Though standardized tests are needed to apply to most colleges, is it worth the stress? Is the lack of sleep and feelings of anxiety worth it?