I have three part-time teaching jobs, one of which, for Princeton Review, involves preparing students for standardized tests. Friday night, the Princeton Review job also involved me staying awake the entire night and taking three Advanced Placement tests in a row (because I hadn't been able to find any other free time to take them in), and reflecting how exceptionally well-designed they are, in comparison to the highly dubious tests I often help with.
Since teaching is one of my passions, and tests are a key force shaping (or mis-shaping) teaching in the United States, I'll share some of my opinions on the tests I'm familiar with. Ranked from best to worst: