Standardized testing

So much emphasis is put on the SAT and ACT. 

But when it comes down to it, why is it so important? The information we are tested on isn't going to be very relevant when I'm a music therapist. It's relevant when I'm a junior in high school though because this is the way colleges quickly compare one prospective student to another. 

Perhaps it would be beneficial if the colleges placed less emphasis on these standardized tests first, and then the rest of us will follow suit. We stress so much about taking a three-hour test that won't even matter in five years. You know what will matter? The knowledge we learn and retain. It is this kind of information that is important for our entire life. 

The same is true with grades. We place so much emphasis on them. But why? The grades don't matter. When we are hired out of college, the employers won't know if you got a B+ in a class or a D on one of your tests. They'll only know what skills you have. It's the skills that are under the spotlight for the rest of your life. 

This is going to be really hypocritical of me, but next time you get a grade that you are disappointed about, evaluate first whether you feel you completely grasp the material. If you do, then the test doesn't matter because, let's be honest, sometimes test material doesn't relate at all to the subject matter.