Among students who actually have to take standardized tests, the misconception that these tests evaluate intelligence is all too common. They categorize and rank their peers according to their scores- a good score means you are "smart", a low score means you are "stupid". The authority and validity of the test itself is rarely brought into question. Students spend months in needless anxiety over these tests which they perceive as determining their future; to a certain extent, they are right. The college application and acceptance system take standardized test scores, especially the ACT and SAT, into serious consideration when looking at applicants. I think that the way that many universities weigh test scores so heavily reinforces the concepts of school and testing that most students develop by high school- that school is a series of hoops to jump through and the end goal of school is to get high test scores.
Standardized tests can be, however, a useful tool for assessing where students stand on different subject compared to their peers on national, state, and local scales- if the tests are valid and reliable, that is. Assuming the standardized tests are both valid and reliable, I think standardized tests have a place in education, but I don't think they should count for anything. What they measure should not be such an important criterion for college admittance.
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