Understanding standardized tests like the SAT, ACT and GMAT

Standardized tests are part of every American student’s life. Whether students or their parents like it, standardized test scores are quickly becoming indicators of achievement.

Students take standardized tests when they are in grade school without even knowing what they are taking. Students are required to take the ACT or SAT to gain entrance into most colleges. There are standardized tests to enter certain programs within each college. Medical students must pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). And with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, standardized tests are gaining even more importance, ensuring that soon every college student will be hardened by years of taking standardized tests.

What does all this mean for the typical college student? Get your thinking caps out, sharpen your number two pencils and be ready. Standardized tests aren’t going anywhere. Study for these tests, because they are important.

But how important are they? Tests such as the ACTand SATask students to recall information they are supposed to have already learned. Passing these tests is extremely important in deciding where (or if) a student goes to college. Some suggest that the tests would be more practical if they were more focused on problem solving than on memory recall.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for admission to schools where the instruction is in English. Also, many government agencies and exchange and scholarship programs use TOEFLto determine English proficiency for people whose native language is not English. This test can be very important to foreign students who want to attend an American college.

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a test of general skills. This test helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced business and management study. Schools use this test as one predictor of academic performance in an MBA or other graduate management programs.

The important thing to remember when it comes to these standardized tests is that these tests don’t necessarily indicate the future success of a student, but they are important in seeing how far along a student is at a particular point of time.

Students shouldn’t stress about these tests to the point of causing an ulcer. Students should prepare, study hard and try their very best, then let it go afterward. Stressing about these tests won’t help anyone pass them. Effort is all anyone can really ask.