Like 1.5 million students each year, I recently took the SAT. I sat in a room for three hours, reading passages, correcting grammar, solving math problems and bubbling my answers.

Now, I’ll wait two weeks until I get my scores back. They are supposed to indicate whether I am “ready” for college or not. While some colleges are test-optional, the vast majority of colleges require standardized tests like the SAT or ACT for admission. Standardized testing is a staple in high schoolers’ lives.

Until 1994, SAT stood for “Scholastic Aptitude Test.” However, amid criticism that the SAT was not truly an aptitude test, the College Board (the body which designs and administers the test) changed the name to “Scholastic Assessment Test.” (After further challenges, the College Board has now decided that SAT doesn’t stand for anything at all). The SAT is not an aptitude test. The College Board admits it does not reflect students’ innate ability or talent.

Source: Standardized tests don’t fairly gauge students’ intellects