Truth About Education Analysis

Truth about Education

Blaire stares down miserably at the sheet of paper that states the requirements for the English project. Mr. Williams expects each group to read a book, answer specific questions for each chapter, and write a two page essay discussing the theme. Blaire had barely read a word when she got bored and decided she would do it the weekend before it was due. Now, the assignment is due in less than 24 hours, and the unread book sits on her bedside table. Blaire suddenly has an idea to get out of this mess; she remembers a website her friend used to get an essay written for free. She finds the website easily and types the assigned essay question into the search box. Immediately, a plethora of options pops up before her eyes, and

While the focus used to be on gaining knowledge to become educated, it has changed to gaining knowledge in order to attend college. This puts pressure on grades and standardized tests, for they are important factors contributing towards college acceptance. Standardized tests were originally created with positive intentions but now have a corrupt reputation; the most popular tests, the SAT and the ACT, may have the worst status of all. To investigate the purpose of their development, Time Magazine published an informative article in which the author states, “The SAT is geared toward testing logic, while the ACT is considered more a test of accumulated knowledge” (Fletcher 2). With this in mind, it seems as though the tests have beneficial uses. However, colleges use these scores to rank their students based on knowledge and ability to focus for long periods of time. Some colleges use the scores as a determining factor for admission while others use them to decide the amount of scholarships a student may receive. Between grades and standardized tests, students are being labelled based on numbers, and the need for good grades and high test scores pushes students into survival mode. Schools have started valuing grades and standardized test scores over genuine education, and students have adapted by plagiarizing assignments, memorizing material, and cheating on

While most people associate cheating with students without the intelligence to pass classes on their own, research has proven that even students, such as Andrea, with the capability of scoring high, will cheat in order to ensure good grades and high scores. Anonymous students used the website CollegeConfidential.com to post ways that other teenagers have attempted to cheat on the SAT; one particular student claims, “At my highly competitive school, lots of people (knowing my SAT) have approached me about it, offering hundreds of dollars. Though I have of course refused, it’s clear that someone could easily make thousands of dollars doing so” (qtd. in Khadaroo 2). Intense and crucial, the SAT has the power to define students’ lives based on their score similar to how a dictionary defines a word. In today’s world, standardized test scores and grade point averages are used to label and rank students. This pressure pushes teenagers to their extremities; they want to do whatever it takes to get a high score even if it means they do not get it