Standardized Tests and Their Uses
Various standardized tests help students demonstrate their knowledge to college admissions personnel. Adults who have not finished high school can take the GED (Test of General Educational Development). The GED involves five exams – writing skills, social studies, science, literature and the arts, and mathematics. The tests are available in English, French, and Spanish. Students can study for the GED by taking a review course or using a review book on their own. Students who pass the test earn a high school equivalency certificate.
High school seniors wishing to apply to competitive colleges and universities take standardized tests commonly called ACTs and SATs. The tests help students demonstrate the ability to do college level work. Most colleges use these scores plus the students’ high school grades to evaluate applicants. These tests are given several times a year throughout the U.S. and in other countries.
Students whose native language is not English will probably be required to take the TOEFL* (Test of English as a Foreign Language) when they apply for admission to a university. Students can study for the TOEFL and many other standardized tests by taking a review course or by working independently with a review book or computer program.
When students come to the U.S. after completing some college work in another country, they should bring a transcript of previous college work and have those credits evaluated by an authorized organization. The transcript will probably need to be translated into English. Students who cannot prove that they have completed certain college courses can take some of the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) tests to demonstrate their knowledge.
Standardized tests are also required to apply for admission to graduate schools. The counseling office of a student's present or prospective school can answer questions about requirements for acceptance to graduate programs.
Check your comprehension
~ What is the general purpose of standardized tests?
Lifelong Learning
In the U.S., the education of adults is a never-ending process going on in many different places for many different reasons. At least 76 million adults are enrolled in some type of classes, mostly as part-time students. The majority of these classes are taken not for credit but for knowledge that the student can use on the job, to pursue a hobby, or for personal growth. Many employees take classes at their workplace. Some companies pay the tuition when an employee goes back to school to learn a skill that the company needs. Noncredit programs, commonly called adult education or continuing education, are offered in many high schools, colleges, and museums. There are also private learning centers that offer inexpensive classes covering a wide variety of skills and activities. A typical catalog might have classes in how to cook a Chinese dinner, invest in the stock market, improve spelling, make friends, or even give your partner a massage.
Education, like everything else, takes advantage of technology. These days, students can be home with the family and go to school at the same time. They can take classes in their living rooms via TV. Many schools also offer distance learning – “attending” class and interacting with professors and classmates via the Internet. One 97-year-old man earned his Ph.D. that way!
In the U.S.A., technology rapidly makes some skills obsolete and new ones essential. Workers at all levels realize that lifelong learning is necessary. Even professional people – doctors, accountants, dentists, and engineers – continue to study to keep up with challenges in their fields. The American dream of becoming professionally and financially successful is most often achieved through higher education.