Like many other students, I struggled while taking my ACT. I sat in that dreaded math classroom with clamy palms and jittery legs. I was nervous, that was the test that would decide my future. While taking it, words and numbers began to blur and I felt a pulsing sensation begin to take over my head. I couldn't focus anymore. Once it was done I was relieved, but I had this overwhelming sense that I did not do as well as I wanted to. I was right.
I ended up receiving a 27 composite score, which is above average, but not good enough for my dream school. This was confirmed by their head of admissions. She said that it may keep me from getting in, but I kept thinking to myself that I am more than that score. I took that dreadful test on a Saturday morning when I was overly anxious, of course I did poorly, just like many other students. Therefore, I believe that colleges should focus less on that score and more on what makes a student a person. Here are a few things colleges should care more about:
1. Transcripts and GPAs (Grade Point Averages)
A student's transcript is an overview of all of the classes they have taken throghout their high school career and the grades that they have received in those classes. Thier GPA is at the bottom of that report, and it is like a composite score between all of the grades a student has earned in all classes. These are way more important than standaradized tests, like the ACT and SAT, because it shows how well the student performs in a classroom setting (which is what you will be in while in college) instead of how well they do on one single test.
2. Recommendation Letters
Recomendation letters are letters that are written by a student's teachers and counselor that outline the amazing qualities of each student. They also outline how well the student interacts with teachers. This is important to colleges, mainly the smaller ones, because they want to admit students who will make great connections and friendships with their teachers. This is to help the teachers to enjoy their time at the college, and to help their students enjoy their time. Without those two groups, there would be no one at the college, so they both have to get along extraordinarily. So, these are more important than test scores because they show how well a student will fit into their classes, and how well teachers will enjoy said student.
3. Ouside Activties
By outside activities, I mean anything a student participates in that does not directly correlate with their classes. This can be clubs, vounteer work and jobs. All of these activities define a student. They show a student passions and how driven the student is. They are perfect to show colleges how well-rounded a student is, how passionate a student is, how involved a student is and what a student's interests are. They are so important. Colleges do not want to admit people who are not involved in their communities. They also don't want to admit peope who are not passionate or well-rounded. Therefore, outside activities are more important than those "Saturday tests" because they foreshadow the magnitude of a student's involvement in campus life, something that a test never will.
Overall, those test scores should not matter as much as they do. If someone may not be able to get into their dream school, when they have a 4.0 GPA or above, are involved in a variety of different activities and have amazing relationships with their high school teachers, then there is definitely something wrong. Obviously, those students would be strong candidates for any college, except for the fact that they could have scored something below what the school wants in terms of standardized tests. This needs to stop! Many people do not take tests well, myself included. Those people are usually extremely intelligent and well-rounded. They are normally the people you want as students. Therefore, colleges need to stop thinking of students in terms of the ACT/SAT. We are more than a score.
