High school students tend to become overwhelmed during the time of midterms and finals. Having over 50 question multiple choice tests, during this time students try to find ways to memorize concepts and vocabulary to pass these standardized tests. However, there are better ways to assess students instead of using standardized exams.

In a few classes here at Millbrook, teachers have started to lean toward project based assessments at the end of the unit or even the semester. Having these assessments seems to better examine students’ overall understanding of the concepts and vocabulary that was taught in that specific class. Project based assessments also seem like it gives students a chance to use their skills in that subject in the real world. Unlike standardized tests, which tend to be more so there to examine memorization skills of students, project-based assessments examine a student overall. Standardized testing, in my opinion, does not assess what the students have learned. It is more so to evaluate how much they can remember.

Junior Kiya Peele said, “Standardized testing just creates the impression that students need to memorize the subjects instead of trying to learn to concepts and be able to apply them to real-world problems.” Although final exams and college admission exams are needed, students should have another way to showcase that they know the topics they have learned throughout the year. They should also examine the policies that were created for these tests. They could make policies that would help the students help and assess not only their memorization skills, but their literacy skills, communication skills, and their ability to apply the information they have learned to real-world situations.

However, it is inevitable for students to feel stressed or anxious during exams. In schools, especially high schools, there should be assessments that better the students instead of hindering the students by have exams that are based solely off of memorization. No, I am not suggesting schools make it extremely easy for students to pass or succeed in classes. I just think that finals and midterms could have creative aspects to them like projects that are software based, advertisements, or even speeches. instead of the traditional pencil, scantron and test booklet. How will those tests better  the student overall?