Last week, I was mercilessly tossed into school, sentenced to two weeks behind the bars I should never have to see in the summer. Six hours of tireless toiling, only a pencil to help me, textbooks staring me in the face, hours of pain just for a few more points on the SAT…

Just kidding, the SAT prep course at my school is fun and I have no regrets about joining it. It’s so much better than rotting away on my beanbag all day, ears melting to Radiohead riffs on my earbuds (although that doesn’t sound too bad either). However, working hard in the class made me think of the benefits and downsides of standardized testing for education, and whether they’re the best way to measure academic intelligence. I think that, although tests are a convenient tool, they are a narrow and insufficient way to, by itself, determine one’s capabilities, as is seen in the Japanese education system.

In Japan, the emphasis on test scores is pretty high compared to the rest of the world, as is the stereotype of Eastern Asian countries like China and South Korea. To enter a high school or university, not much else is needed besides a good score in the entrance exam. If you have a bad headache on test day, chances are, that may be the difference between rejection and admittance.

GPA, awards, extracurricular activities, essays– none of that matters, unless you’re one of the best in a particular area. So much weight is on tests. But why?

One reason could be uniformity. In Japan, standing out is often avoided, evidenced by the saying “the nail that sticks out gets hit (出る釘は打たれる)”. Most people would rather work towards the same goals as everyone else, aiming for the same standard, not breaking boundaries and shooting for individual dreams. As The International states, “Unlike most Western countries who emphasize individualism and personal identity, Japanese society gives priority to the group over the individual and encourages following the status quo.” Hence, the standardized test. Just as it says in the name, the test imposes the same standard across the whole board, meaning everyone is judged with the same standard, on the same skills, on the same knowledge.

Another reason could be convenience. It’s just plain easy to churn out the same type of test every year and use an objective process to choose new students. Considering dozens of other factors and still trying to maintain an objective decision-making process is HARD.

However, this efficient process limits students. It makes them only focus on specific areas that everyone else is focusing on, restricting opportunities for them to chase after their own unique passions. It also decreases certain, valuable characteristics. Japan Today points out, “The standardized test-based education system of Japan kills any kind of initiative, creativity, and especially thinking outside of the box.” Admittedly, the system doesn’t kill every golden opportunity. Some excel in this system and some “Michelangelos” manage to reach for the stars anyway. But as Japan Today states, “Most have their creative thoughts stripped from them or numbed into oblivion.”

This is an unhelpful and damaging system, especially considering how much time and work Japanese teens put into standardized tests. Essentially, entire childhoods are stripped away to study for these tests. To advance as a country, I believe Japan must partially abandon this system and head towards a new system with more creativity, more freedom, and more possibilities.

Meanwhile, tests are one good method of helping students learn and for educators to measure their abilities, as long as they aren’t the only focus. The SAT can be a pain, but it’s more helpful than harmful, because it covers a broad selection of topics in a concise, effective manner.

That’s why I’ll go back to SAT class tomorrow and thank God I’m not in the Japanese education system!

Sources: https://isshinternational.org/5925/viewpoint/conformity-in-japanese-society/ https://japantoday.com/category/features/opinions/japan-and-its-standardized-test-based-education-system