Standardized test scores are declining. What should be done?

Everyone dreads taking the SAT or ACT, but they’re a necessary evil in the college admissions process.

Like it or not, colleges use standardized tests scores to determine whether or not a student will succeed in college–and often, to determine how much financial aid to give that student.

Standardized test scores down nationwide

But if standardized test scores are an indication of college readiness, fewer students are prepared to enter college than in the past.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, SAT scores were flat in 2013 after two years of decline, while the ACT scores were the lowest in five years.

Why declining test scores matter

Here’s what’s got people so worried: For the ACT, which is now the more frequently taken test, nearly a third of students didn’t meet any of the four benchmarks (English, reading, mathematics, and science). And fewer than half of SAT test-takers scored high enough to be deemed “college ready.”

Source: College Board’s 2013 SAT ® Report on College & Career Readiness

If students are not adequately prepared for college, they’ll be more likely to struggle in classes and drop out. If they do not finish college with a degree, they’ll have an even tougher time finding a job in today’s economy–while saddled with student debt in the meantime.

How to improve scores

It’s not just a matter of taking an SAT/ACT prep class, although those are helpful for many students. Low standardized test scores are one of the reasons there’s been so much debate in the news about setting strict standards to improve K-12 education.

If students aren’t prepared for college, the problem compounds: studies have found that college graduates are unprepared to enter the workforce as well.

To fix this problem, we need to start at the bottom. If our high school graduates aren’t prepared for college, our college graduates won’t be prepared for the real world. And the U.S. needs smart, educated people in the workforce to remain globally competitive.

And standardized test-makers need to respond as well. David Coleman, president of the College Board, which administers the SAT, said that even the SAT itself had to improve the way it measures skill levels.

Preparing students for college

While there’s no quick fix, everyone can agree that it’s important to make sure students receive adequate preparation for college while they’re in high school.

Quality education means higher test scores and a better chance of getting admitted to college, receiving financial aid, and successfully graduating. Whatever the solution, that’s something we can all get behind.