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As we move through the 2021 school year, San Luis Obispo High School students are getting closer to their standardized testing dates. The SAT and ACT tests are administered for juniors all around the country, and the stress surrounding them is growing.
Over the years, most colleges and universities require students to submit their test scores. This then can heavily influence a students chance at getting into the school of their dreams. Expressions set out to ask SLOHS juniors how they feel about the upcoming tests and how they are coping with the stress surrounding them.
“I think that judging a person’s college readiness by their results of a 4 hour test is pretty crazy. Some people are much better test takers than other people so it doesn’t make very much sense to put so much value in one test. The tests should focus more on grades and extracurriculars than the SAT/ACT because I think they give a better picture of you as a student,” said junior Gus Stork.
A website called Psychology Today explained the measure of stress and consequence that SAT and ACT had on high school students, “It might come as no surprise that stressing about doing well on an important exam can backfire, leading students to “choke under pressure” or to score less well than they might otherwise score if the stakes weren’t so high. You might not have known, however, that the pressures of a big test can reach beyond the exam itself – stunting the cognitive systems that support the attention and memory skills we use every day.”
“It’s a lot of pressure having these few hours determine your whole future. The length of the test makes it even harder in the fact that you have to stay engaged and have enough stamina to take a test that long. I have been getting tutoring help and actually began studying in May for the 2020 July ACT, which never happened, so it’s almost like I’ve already been studying,” said junior Phoebe Johnson.
The SAT and ACT are important to college applications and if you are a junior this year, make sure to not overwhelm and overstress yourself. Take time, breath, and try your best!
Source: Psychologytoday.com
