As we approach the end of the year, finals and AP testing are on everyone’s minds. The tests we take end up determining a large percent of our grade and for our AP class’s if a year full of stress pays off.

These types of tests have many downfalls for the test takers. The fact that the tests have such high value on them can make students do whatever it takes to pass them. This turns good students into cheaters. Because these students stress so much, as a result of worrying and preparing for these tests, they can turn to performance enhancing drugs in order to do well on the exams.

The teachers teaching AP classes focus more on the amount of  information they can teach rather than the quality of the material. This means that the scores that students receive on the tests reflect back on the teachers so they strive for their benefit. The students end up learning more about strategies on how to pass the AP exam and less on the content they are learning.

Most tests are multiple choice, so they can be graded quickly, leaving no way for students to get feedback on how they should improve. On tests such as SAT and ACT where students can retake them to get a better score, students are left confused on what exactly they need to improve on. Providing a detailed explanation for their scores can drastically improve test takers scores the second time around.

The way tests are made need to benefit the students taking them more than anything. The American Education system should focus on finding new ways to lessen stress levels and make students confident in their knowledge when it comes to taking tests so they become more confident in their abilities outside of the classroom.