What are they used for?
The tests are used to measure how well schools are doing and to find common trends in the particular strengths and weaknesses of communities or the country.  This allows teachers and administrators to refine their curriculums and identify weak spots.

They are also used as a measurement of individual students, which is what creates some controversy.  Test scores are used to place students in certain class levels and are required to gain entrance into most colleges and universities.

The most common standardized tests in the U.S. include:

• California Achievement Tests (CAT)
• SAT (also SAT2 subject tests and PSAT)
• Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
• CAT Assessments 
• AP (advanced placement) tests
• State mandated high school exams

The Debate: 
Many people question the current standardized testing system.  One major criticism is that those who are able to afford tutors, special “prep” classes or study materials are able to score higher than those who can’t.  Sure enough, studies often show a direct correlation between family income and standardized test scores.   

Other studies indicate that the test itself is biased towards certain groups.  The timed, multiple-choice style of the test, for example, is believed to be more suited to a male way of thinking than to females.  The use of idiomatic expressions (phrases specific to a certain culture- like “straight from the horse's mouth”) may make it hard for those who didn’t learn English as their first language to score as well on the verbal sections on the test. 

Some colleges, universities, scholarship programs, and athlete programs will not even consider applications with scores below a certain number.  This angers those who believe that a person should not have their futures decided by one test.  They believe that testing does not accurately reflect intelligence or even education.

Proponents of testing argue that there has to be some “standard” by which to compare students.  Different schools use different grading systems, have different curriculums and hold their kids to different standards. Without tests like the SATs, it would be almost impossible to compare students across the country.  Others say that colleges and scholarship organizations should be able to use whatever measures they choose to determine eligibility.

The testing services and boards who create the tests have long claimed that there is no real way to “study” for the general standardized tests (such as the ACT and SAT) and therefore the extra tutors and prep classes should not really be a factor.