The Test and the Art of Thinking

The Test and the Art of Thinking is an engaging and thought-provoking documentary released in 2018 that scrutinizes an all-important rite of passage for an vast majority of American high school students: the SAT. Directed by Michael Arlen Davis, the film features interviews with various academic scholars along with students, parents, tutors, and others deeply embroiled in the industry surrounding it. It manages to unravel the high-stakes world of the high-pressure achievement test, looking at its history, functionality, and its impact on education in today's world. The core intention of the film is to get people to reflect on the challenges the test poses and critically analyse its merits, and drawbacks.

This thought-provoking documentary features a diverse cast including Chris Ajemian, Danielle Allen, and Martha Allman, among others. In the film, they critique the culture and measure the influence of the SAT in the American education system, painting an analytical picture of the mammoth role the test plays.

Starting with a historical overview, The Test and the Art of Thinking provides an examination of how the college entrance exam, a two-part assessment of mathematical and verbal/reading skills, has evolved over time. The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) was originally conceived as a means of identifying talented students from underrepresented demographics to diversify the student populations at elite colleges. Over the years however, it has arguably evolved into a different entity altogether.

The film's argument is grounded in its varied perspectives. The film interviews students who share personal experiences, anxieties, and the pressures of scoring well on the SAT. There are college representatives who discuss the role these scores play in making admissions decisions, along with tutors and prep industry professionals, controversially suggesting that the test may have evolved into an industry unto itself. This inherent platform within the fabric of the education system supports a multibillion-dollar test-preparation industry.

The documentary also features education professionals and academic scholars like Danielle Allen, who uncover the socio-economic disparities caused by the SAT. Some critics argue the test disadvantages low-income and minority students, who may not have access to the kind of resources that can be used to 'crack' the test. There is an examination of scoring biases, and the film examines whether the test is an objective metric of scholastic aptitude or merely a skill that can be honed with practice and sometimes costly preparation.

Contributions by Chris Ajemian, one of the leading figures in the test prep industry, provide insight about how the SAT has apparently strayed from its original intent and is now more a test of test-taking skills rather than academic aptitude or intelligence. Many in the film argue that the SAT has become a highly coachable test, essentially denying the aspect of aptitude, and instead playing progressively more into the hands of those able to afford it.

Martha Allman, Dean of Admissions at Wake Forest University is also a standout, offering an insider’s perspective on how admission processes can become skewed due to reliance on standardized tests. Allman shares the university’s decision to shift to test-optional admissions policy, emphasizing that a single test should not determine a student’s future.

Interestingly, the film does not simply become an anti-SAT rant, but instead, artfully presents narratives, facts, historical data, expert opinions, and student experiences to lay out an examination of the SAT. It urges us to question the reliance on such testing as the primary criterion for college admissions and subtly pushes the viewer to think about alternatives.

In essence, The Test and the Art of Thinking presents a picture of an examination system that has grown into a daunting monolith over the decades. Simultaneously, it allows the audience to reflect on the potential need to overhaul the current systems of assessing a student's skills and potential.

The title of the film, The Test and the Art of Thinking, could not be more apt. It subtly hints towards its purpose: to instigate viewers - by giving them facts, opinions, data, and multiple perspectives - to think critically about the structures we've come to rely on in the realm of education. The film achieves this goal without alienating any particular group, and in an engaging manner that will interest viewers whether they're directly involved in the education system or not.