The SAT is a standardized test that is required to be taken by hundreds of colleges around the nation. But for what good reason should this test be obligatory for college acceptance. The SAT is one standardized test that should not be mandatory for college.

For one thing, the SAT is an unfair test for the thousands around the country who take the test every year. There are several students who constantly work hard in school and receive commendable grade, but some of these students also have problems pertaining to test taking. Not everyone has the ability to become a good test taker; especially with the tremendous stress that a test like the SAT brings to many. It isn’t a mystery; there are people out there who can’t focus while taking test and having to be packed with hundreds of people in a gymnasium for example. Another aspect is that you cannot base years of learning solely on one test. Though many of those who accept the idea of the SAT will say what other choice do we have? First answer, why force a situation in which people are made to take a test when they can’t work pleasingly during a test?

The SAT also doesn’t tell the whole story on someone. Many may do well on the test, but may not be the hard worker colleges look for. What makes it worse is that they are accepted over someone more deserving. The SAT is a test that offers nothing, except for unfair opportunities. SAT courses are extremely expensive and could run up to $1,500 to $2,000 at times. Those who can’t afford the help needed to do satisfactorily on this test are cut short. The companies’ that take part in the SAT are only looking for profit over courses.

The SAT is a meaningless test that barely has its test takers actually benefit from it. For the thousands who take part in none stop studying; having to work everyday just to try and achieve a high score doesn’t prove much. After the SAT is taken, years down the line people will forget the essential information needed to know for the test. Plus mathematics and English are in no way the complete basis for careers in the future. So after years of learning they choose to place only math and English on this test that is supposed to test our learning throughout school. Does someone in the field of artistry need to know analogies or the Pythagorean theorem? The SAT is a utterly artificial test, that doesn’t keep its word to its actual meaning. The SAT stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test, right? Well if this is a test based on school teachings then why must people spend money to study analogies that the SAT says they should know? Aptitude means a natural talent or ability: quickness in learning or understanding. If this is an alleged aptitude test then why must students study endless vocabulary that no one has heard of? How is this a test on natural talent or quickness to learn when people never learned it to begin with?

An alternative for the SAT is using something that has been relied on for years, grades and the GPA of a student. Many would argue that grades could be misleading, but why not look at ones grades and the courses that they took to achieve the GPA they have. If you see that they took easy courses or courses that challenged them, then you don’t need a test to determine that for you. It is right their on paper, it’s called their transcript. Plus, if a student was able to achieve in basic mathematical and English courses then why reiterate the basics on a test if the student demonstrated their ability in the classroom.

The SAT is an unfair practice for students who work hard yet can’t achieve the high score for college acceptance. The SAT is unfair, meaningless, misleading and artificial. The SAT should not be mandatory for colleges and those students seeking future success.