The Lincoln Log

Studying hard and doing all of your homework may keep up your straight A’s in class, but when you reach the Standardized Testing and Reporting tests (STAR tests), you tend to quit. You fall flat on your face, and you might as well face it: as smart as you may be, you just don’t take tests as seriously as you should.

Obviously, that does not describe the majority of our school, but there is a numerous amount of students who do feel that way. There are people who know the material, have a natural knack for the subject, but just don’t try on STAR tests. It’s as if they believe that the STAR tests have nothing to contribute to their futures, and that as long as they do well in school, their STAR tests should not matter. Wrong.

I am striving towards making it into a UC, so I become crazy about all standardized tests. That may be the reason why I do not understand why intelligent students slack off during STAR tests. For those of you who don’t know, STAR tests average out with your grade point average (GPA) and is extremely vital to the colleges in order for them to choose whether or not you get in.

Even teachers are now considering STAR tests to be of great importance. Advanced classes like AP English or Pre-Calculus take a look at your STAR testing results to help them determine whether or not you should be in that class. Even if you passed the placement tests, if you received a basic and under on last year’s STAR, you can kiss that honors class goodbye.

Our overall results on the STAR tests also impacts our school – if a large percentage of our school does poorly on the tests, the school will become under state control.

Apparently, the students who don’t try hard on STAR tests also don’t try very hard in the classroom either.

“Oh, I can just go to City College,” or “I’ll retake it in the summer,” are words that I always hear, and that is not how anyone should think.

Wouldn’t you rather challenge yourself by doing some work and studying for tests than to sit back and waste your life napping at the back of a classroom?

Wouldn’t you rather spend your summer with a part-time job, internship, or vacationing in the sun than having to drag your half-asleep self into a stuffy room overflowing with people? I know I would.

Your false stupidity may ruin things for everyone else, so work harder and stop limiting yourself! It not only your future at stake, but your school’s future as well.