After attending my first of many ACT prep classes today, I started thinking about all the other people that have to go through the same process. Everyone is required to take the test and are given the opportunity to take the test multiple times (in case your full potential was not captured in your initial test). There are also ACT/SAT prep classes offered to anyone who can afford them. Most kids take the test at least twice on the North Shore, if not five or six times, and attend multiple preparatory classes where there are practice tests and tutors. At each tutoring session, there is a fee--a fee that some cannot afford due to their economic status. There is also a fee for every ACT/SAT the student takes. What about the less fortunate students who can only afford to take the test once? The students that can't afford practice ACT classes or private tutors? How can they be considered a standardized tests when there are thousands of kids that aren't getting the extra preparation that other students are?
As American's, we value equality more than any other moral in our culture. Is it "fair" to provide tutoring, practice tests, and the opportunity to retake tests multiple times to all students, knowing that only a select few can take advantage of the privilege?
I would say it is pretty clearly not equal, but that this advantage is only one of millions that those who have money get over those who do not. ACT prep classes can hardly compare to years in good schools surrounded by at least somewhat enthusiastic students (at the very least, great acceptance of doing well in school), with a secure home and plenty of places to turn for help if we need it.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is, there's no way to provide an equal chance on the ACTs with our current society, regardless of tutors and prep courses. To really give people an equal shot at colleges and such, much more than standardized tests must be considered. Because America really is not a very equal society at all.
This is really interesting, it reminds me of something we talked about in depth in history last year. We talked about grades and how there are kids who don't need to take school all that seriously yet still excel gradewise and then there are kids who work to no end and still struggle in school because they just aren't that good at writing or mat and so on. Is that really fair? No but that IS reality and that is what life is like when your on your own. Your boss doesn't care how hard you worked on something, or what disadvantages you have, if it's not good then that is all they care, there isn't even a discussion about why it isn't good. In our work success is about product. So to answer your question, no its not fair that some are more prepared because of the opportunities they were lucky enough to have, but thats life, and as Hayley said, theres nothing we can do to fix it.
ReplyDeleteDonna, This is a thoughtful and empathetic post. It'd be nice, though, if you could move to a greater level of specificity here: e.g. How much do the classes cost? How much does the test prep industry spend/make?
ReplyDelete@Aidan: Hayley doesn't say we can't fix it, but rather that our current society doesn't allow fairness.