Achievement Testing

Have you ever taken a test that measured your ability to demonstrate what you had learned from only one class? Did any of these tests become an unforgettable part of your school days? Achievement tests are one of the most common tests conducted in modern-day school curriculums. If you have attended school, it is likely that you have taken countless achievement tests. Achievement tests are a way for teachers and many other professionals to test your previous learning and the abilities that you have gained from previous instruction or knowledge.

Achievement tests are designed to assess the human ability to acquire new knowledge and demonstrate it through your abilities, knowledge, and memory. These tests measure how well you can express what you know and will help to identify your strengths and weaknesses in a given area or in a wide variety of subjects. Usually, these tests demand that you use no outside resources. In the United States, achievement tests have become common at most grade levels after integration of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Common achievement tests that you might recognize are:

• Standardized tests (throughout grade school).
• The GRE (Graduate Record Examination).
• The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test).
• LSAT.
• MCAT.
• Pop-quizzes.
• Final exams.

Why would I take an achievement test?

The purpose of taking an achievement test is to measure for both you and those who design and administer your education. These types of tests can indicate your ability to learn and apply knowledge. Achievement or ability testing may also be when applying for new career opportunities or when learning a new skill in the workplace.

Achievements tests measure your accomplishments in certain areas, they can be conducted with other tests to measure different abilities. Achievement tests can be compared to previous tests that you have taken over that assess your growth in a certain area in your school or workplace. While similar, achievement testing, which measures how much you know about a specific area or subject, is different from aptitude testing, which instead measures your potential for growth in a specific area.

Achievement tests sometimes help administrators and the test-taker recognize if the test-taker needs more help or resources in a certain area. Low scores on achievement tests can indicate many things.

Who can conduct these assessments?

Often achievement tests are conducted for educational purposes, as commonly achievement means gaining or attainment of knowledge and skill in a certain area. If achievement tests are compared to other tests such as intelligence tests, or aptitude test, or even performance tests, these tests can be conducted by a range of different specialists or professionals.

What do the results mean?

For you

The results of these tests can mean different things. If an individual is receiving particularly low scores in certain areas, the individual could be recommended to be seek additional resources, redo a course or training excercise, or be tested further. Achievement tests can indicate difficulties in certain areas or strengths. When achievement tests are low over many subject areas, intervention or addition support may be needed.

For Programming

The success of some programs is determined by achievement testing. Programs and organizations often use achievement tests and the results from achievement tests to establish or modify programs, or as a reason to apply extra funding to well preforming groups or programs. When low scores become more frequent, organizations learn that they need to adjust their method of teaching, or the curriculum altogether in order to ensure success.

At Thoughtwise in Tallahassee, we specialize in diagnostics, psychological, and neuropsychological assessments. We readily conduct comprehensive evaluations, and other assessments in many areas regarding your mental health and psychological or neuropsychological functioning. Please contact us today about what we can do for you or your loved one.