Test standardization like the SAT or ACT give colleges a good understanding of how students perform in test-taking conditions, and a student’s overall understanding of a subject is shown through his or her GPA. A student’s GPA is not an accurate indicator of their understanding of the subject, because classes may be geared to be extremely easy or extremely hard in their respective schools. Furthermore, all teachers have different teaching styles, and that leads to different tests with different results for each school. For example, AP Calculus at one school may be extremely difficult leading to lower GPAs, while the same class at another school may be easy leading to proportionally higher GPAs. Moreover, students can opt out of AP tests at the end of the school year, leading to no measure of their learning in that class.

We propose a simple solution: more standardized testing, especially in Advanced Placement classes. For each chapter relating to the course, students are mandated to take a standardized test that is the same for all high schools in the United States, which will then go on their grade and proportionally weighted higher. This eliminates AP classes with extremely easy rigor in high schools due to selectively easier teachers. Also, only students passionate and willing to learn the subject will take that class, and be prepared for the course rigor.