What Are Disadvantages of Exams?

Disadvantages of exams include high pressure on students, negative consequences for poorly performing schools and not developing long-term thinking. Exams are praised as a method of making comparisons between students, schools and districts, but there are some disadvantages to grading in this manner.

One of the greatest disadvantages of exams is that they can place unnecessary pressure on students to succeed. Students who continue to perform poorly on exams may lose interest in schoolwork. Additionally, school may face a loss of state and federal funding if test scores remain low. This can lead to teachers taking shortcuts. Finally, students can study for an exam and be prepared to answer questions but may not retain any knowledge in the long term.