If you are trying to attend university as an undergraduate or graduate there exists standardized tests that universities require their applicants to take for their evaluation process. I speak about the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SATs), American College Test (ACTs), and Graduate Record Exam (GREs). This post will only talk about these tests as I have personal experience in taking these exams unlike GMATs or MCATs. One has to ask what value do they add? What do these tests tell administrators and faculty what grades, recommendation letters, and internship/job experiences do not? It remains a mystery to me and if someone has a satisfactory answer I would not mind hearing it.
These tests are more than frustrating to say the least. Each test was created for different reasons. The SATs were created in 1923 and originally was administered to Americans due to the “declination of education as racial mixing continued at an alarming rate.” From there it test changed as did the reason it was used for scholarship and assesment for applicants coming out of high school. Thankfully, the ACTs, created in 1959, were a rival to the SATs on the gorunds that the ACTs actually tested what was learned in school rather than cogitative reasoning. The history of SATs and ACTs are quite intertwined because of this and today both tests are in route to losing footing as a requirement for applicants. This makes a veteran student happy to see such absurd tests be removed as barriers to pursuing education.
The most recent exam I personally took was the GREs. As a test, I feel the GREs has more footing than the SATs and ACTs as exams. The GREs were created in 1949 to fairly assess an applicant’s educational level on verbal reasoning, quantitative skills, and analytical writing, and be used to help inform education policy as the needs of stakeholders and educational institutions changed. At least the reasoning for the exam has a solid foundation in providing useful data to both the applicant and stakeholders. However, I strongly believe that they are unnecessary when presented with other criteria from your time as an undergraduate and/or professional in your field.
All these tests claim to provide some quantifiable information that can correctly assess if someone is meant for higher education. I would argue that these takes have one major flaw and that is it cannot assess the character of the applicant. You could have a genius submit perfect scores but have the dedication and responsibility of a four year old which would ultimately led to failure for said individual. This is most likely the reason all the other important components (recommendation letters, references, transcripts, personal statements, interviews, etc.) exists. OVerall, I’m happy to now see some institutions stand up and look beyond what these standardized exams report when being a better overall individual is what truely matters when it comes to doing something great in higher education.
SIDE NOTE: In my opinion, the Educational Testing Services (ETS) must have the worst website I have had the displeasure of using. Granted I took my GREs about 2 years ago and the website may have been fixed but you know it is bad when the common joke of taking the GREs is if you successfully registered. All because the website had major function issues.
Sources:
- SATs: History of the SAT – PBS
- ACTs: History of the ACT Test
- GREs: Manhattan Review
Thanks for reading!
Tim