Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are on everyone's minds as the November 1 early admissions deadline approaches. As a high school student, I know this is a very stressful time. The competition is intense, we are not only competing with people from our school for a place in a university class, but we are competing with students from all over the country. The competition pits people from every imaginable background against each other; public schools, private schools, AP, academic majors and classes, rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc. Students are encouraged to pursue their college education at colleges and universities across the country; however, many students are discouraged from doing so due to the barriers of standardized testing. Every high school student has one of these secret little numbers, and according to my teacher, this number determines our ability to study and succeed in college. The College Board says the SAT is a standardized test, meaning all high school students in the United States take the same test. On the surface, this hypothesis seems true, but a closer look reveals that test scores are determined by factors such as money, gender, test anxiety, and even race. For most high school students who want to attend an elite university, the SAT is more than a test. It's one of the biggest milestones in life. Reading the essay titled Does the SAT Predict College Success? I discovered various reasons why the author thinks standardized tests should be kept and why they are fair. The argument was that they do not restrict access or diversity. Standardized testing restricts college accessibility and also limits diversity. The College Board assumes that all... middle of paper ...... makes a decision that is not based on scores. I hope that wherever I go it suits me personally and not just it matches my scores. I hope you reconsider your opinion on the use of standardized tests. I also hope that by reading the response to your essay, you will change your mind and use your authority to influence others to do the same. Thanks, works citedhttp://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/17/the-high-stakes-of-standardized-tests/http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_performance/2011/07 /why_we_still_need_standardized_testing_post-scandal.htmlhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/ 2012/05/02/poor-students-are-the-real-victims-of-college-discrimination/http://ideas.time .com/2012/10/11/why-its-time-to-get-rid-of-standardized-tests/http://www.american.com/archive/2007/july-august-magazine-contents/abolish -the-sat