standardized testing., is it accurate? necessary? Options

[winsome]

For all of us still trudging through public schools and those whose tax dollars fund our education...

Does standardized testing (SATs ACTs etc.) accurately measure a student's capacity, and, more importantly, should it be as integral to education as it is currently?

[sprezzatura]

The SATs and ACTs are necessary, but I agree about the inaccuracy.
People in my area take tutoring classes starting 7TH GRADE (for $1000 PER LESSON) just to memorize that freakin vocabulary. Also, SAT added the writing portion to it, then people will start taking writing classes too. There's no meaning to the test if everyone needs to take vocabulary memorizing lessons to get a good score on it.

I am glad that universities look at GPAs more than the SAT scores.

Also, tests like STAR (standardized testing and reporting, for California) for students of all grades are necessary, but it shouldn't be taken that early (April). The courses for science, history, and math won't even be completed at that point. So, those who wanted to score an advanced in the tests would have to study the stuff (according to the state standards, that would be 30% of the entire curriculum) they haven't learned yet. Even most of the teachers at my school strongly opposed to the idea of state testings, but there's nothing they can do about it.