Kimberly Bush
December 2, 2010
I sent an email to the WashingtonTimes since it is considered a big newspaper in Washington, DC. In the email I stated my views on being a high school student transitioning to college and also stated the quotes and views of others that actually have more of an effect on the situation. In the email I included the fact that I am attending a project based school where we focus more on projects and presentations than tests. I also stated how this way of teaching has affected me educationally and it has given me a better understanding and view on life. I referred back to my experience with the SATs and how my scores are no where near a representation of what I can do. I gave statistics about the scores of SATs and such. I still have not received a reply back but I’m still hoping for one. I was in the process of creating a Petition however, my laptop decided not to turn on when I got home so I will be uploading that later.

Letter To The Editor at Washington Times:

Dear Editor,My name is Kimberly Bush. I am a Senior at Science Leadership Academy which is a Public School located in Philadelphia, PA. I  am concerned about the topic “Standardized Testing.” It seems as though many people have glanced at this controversial situation yet none have really addressed it which is why I wanted to bring it to attention for those who read your paper. Standardized Testing is used as a main source to test the intelligence of students across the world. However, this method is doubted by students, parents, and even the President of the United States. According to President Barack Obama, “Creativity has been drained from classrooms, as too many teachers are forced to teach to fill-in-the-bubble tests...” (Education.com) Being a high school student, I whole heartedly agree with this statement and so does my entire school. Science Leadership Academy (SLA) is a project based school and believes that projects are an effective way to assess not only what the student has learned but also how creative they are by presenting it. Now don’t get me wrong, we still do take tests however we don’t really use them to test our intelligence. They are used to see what we need help in and what we don’t understand which is where the projects come in. By doing projects on the different topics we went over in class we not only learn more and get a better grasp of what we were learning but we also can show and reflect on the topics at hand and how they relate to us. In the end we learn more and also have fun while doing it. I have been doing a lot of research on Standardized Testing for this school year and came across an organization named The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest). Fair Test is trying to end the “misuses and flaws of standardized testing” and is trying to make sure that the assessment of students, teachers, and schools is fair and benefits the education. According to a chart found on FairTest.org, your family’s income can be a factor in your SAT scores. College bound Seniors, whose families have a higher income, are more likely to score higher on the different subjects of the SAT than those with a lower income. This obviously should not have an affect on the scores yet it’s clear that the more money you have the better your odds will be when trying to get into the college of your dreams.

I just took the SAT’s for a second time in October and I feel as though my scores don’t reflect on my intelligence nor my abilities on what I can do. Having a 3.79 GPA with a SAT score of a 1610 doesn’t really shout out, “Smart and great for your school,” to colleges such as New York University or Syracuse University. However, I still applied and am hoping to receive some good news from them. It’s sad because I know that I am a responsible and smart individual with a mind like no other, yet I’m afraid to be taken for granted because of my SAT scores.

The world needs to know that your test scores do not define you and that there should be another way to assess the abilities of others that does not involve filling in the bubbles. Colleges need to see that the youth of today are not just a number, we are individual beings that bring our own personality and ideas to the table. They just need to give us a chance before they say that we haven’t met the requirements.

Sincerely.

Kimberly Bush

6450 N. 13th St.

Philadelphia, PA 19126

(215)224-8539