Too Much Pressure to Do Well on Tests...Are We Pushing Our Children to Cheat?

Are we as a country putting too much pressure on our children to do well on standardized tests like the SAT, the ACT or whatever yearly test is required where you live? My answer is YES. Evidence of children breaking under the pressure of these tests can be seen in the recent arrest of a SAT Cheating Ring. Reports from the test administrators that cheating like this has never happened before need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a closer look around. Cheating on these exams go on all the time.

I am not sure what the results of exams like these really tell administrators about what a student is like and how they are likely to do in the future. I have seen several "A" students do poorly on these tests because of test anxiety or poor test taking skills. I have also seen failing students do quite well because they guess well or have great test taking skills. I think it is important for schools and colleges to take a look at the whole student, rather then test results that provide just a snapshot of the student. We all know that snapshots can be deceiving.