Editor’s Note: The following story was created as an entry for the FSPA District 4 Workshop On-The-Spot opinion column writing contest. It won first place.

Entering junior and senior year, the college application process becomes more apparent to all students. They become self-aware of the classes they take, the extracurriculars and clubs they participate in, and especially the infamous SAT and ACT scores. Students scramble to study intensely for these tests, dedicating their free time to focus on getting the best results possible. 

For a test meant to measure intelligence, people put so much time, effort and money to gaining a better score. It raises the question: why do we use it? The ACT and SAT are outdated, especially now. It’s not what students need and it’s not what colleges are looking for. 

Everyone is always more than their testing. They don’t define who students are. Some aren’t the best students but can work well under the pressure. Others are fantastic students and horrible test takers in stressful situations. Students rarely perform well under pressure. They start to doubt and second-guess themselves. I must be honest with myself. My SAT score was horrible (at least to myself). I took the free in-school version, and I bombed it. It wasn’t even enough for half of Bright Futures. Then, I took the ACT the following week and got a 29. Two very different scores for two different situations. 

Also, Saturday test dates are not free. The ACT has a price of $60 for no writing and $85 for writing, and that’s not including a late charge fee of $36 if you don’t meet the required registration date. That is far from cheap. Not everyone has that money to spend for a one-time test. Yes, schools offer fee-wavers to those who qualify, but once again, not everyone can receive this. If you want to take the test numerous times, you’ll be spending over 100 dollars, maybe even more. 

Many colleges stopped caring about the scores, giving test optional choices on the common app. Colleges don’t measure their students on this anymore. They want well-rounded students who don’t just focus on their studies. This is a sentiment all colleges need to take.