When I was in high school I wrote a whole research paper on standardized tests, and how much they hindered students. I have always struggled on standardized tests ever since I was younger.

Being in a public school for most of my high school years, I was faced with a huge amount of standardized tests. I had to take the FCAT, and the SAT as well as the ACT. I never did pass the FCAT which was a reading standardized test. I was discouraged knowing that I did not excel on this test. I had to keep reminding myself that this test does not define who I am as a student or as a person.

I was still getting A's and B's even though my standardized test scores were lower than they needed to be.

I thought that after high school, that my standardized test days would be over. Once I changed my major to education, I realized that I was wrong and that I would have to take more tests. The day that I found out that I had to take the GKT (general knowledge test) to get into the college of education, I became worried. Fast forward to this school year, I took the GKT for my first time, and two weeks later received my scores and saw that it said NOT PASSED next to all the sections except writing. I took it again a second time a month later and improved my scores, but not enough to get a passing score. I was discouraged and cried.

I was frustrated that this test was the only thing holding me back from being able to apply to my program.

Standardized tests, in my opinion, are unnecessary and should not have the power to hold me back in following what I want to be. Just because I cannot pass it is taking me longer to pass this exam, does not mean that I am going to make a bad teacher.