The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) has become an
essential component in most grad school applications. It is a standardized test
created by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service (ETS). They claim that the
test provides a valid and fair way to, “measure an applicant’s readiness for
graduate-level work and of their potential for success,” but this could not be
farther from the truth.
Little evidence exists that supports ETS’ claims that the
GRE is an accurate way to predict the success of a student in graduate school. A joint study
by Cornell and Yale found that, “GRE scores were not useful as
predictors for various aspects of graduate performance.” ETS counters findings
by independent researchers, like Cornell and Yale, with their own in-house studies
that supposedly support the legitimacy of the GRE. One does not require a
graduate level education to see the obvious conflict of interest in personally
funding research to support the validity of their conclusions.
Even more concerning is the test’s ability to single out
demographic populations. Some studies have shown that women and minority groups
have much lower test scores than white men. College Admission committees that
rank prospective students based on their GRE may eliminate possible candidates
based on demographic characteristics instead of their academic potential.
The GRE also increases the financial burden of college
students who are already struggling to make ends meet. The test costs over $200
and comes with a host of additional fees. ETS nickel and dimes students by
selling practice exams and recommending that they take prep classes,
potentially adding hundreds of dollars to an already lengthy bill. Once one
finishes the exam, ETS provides services that include additional expenses, such
as sending it to multiple schools or not sending it if you do not like the
final grade of the test. Despite identifying as a nonprofit, they go out of
their way to profit from students who are already severely in debt.
The GRE is a perfect example of the pitfalls that come with
standardized testing. They evaluate a student’s potential based on answering
questions on a sheet of paper, instead of their work and achievements as
undergrads. Even with increasing uncertainty towards the validity of the GRE
and other standardized tests, they continue to be an essential measure for
student success at all levels of education. A recent study
of 200 cities across the country found that Rochester-area primary schools
ranked last in academic growth. Their findings were based entirely on
standardized test results.
Despite the inadequacies found in standardized tests like
the GRE, they continue to be valued as one of the most important predictors of student
success. As a current graduate student who was accepted into college without
taking the SAT, and an MA program without the GRE, I find it extremely irresponsible
that the standardized testing model continues to determine the future for young
people across the country. Students will continue to suffer the consequences of
trusting ETS and other testing businesses who care more about a student’s
wallet than they do about their true academic potential. Until a more
comprehensive evaluation method is implemented, standardized tests will
continue to victimize generations of children all in the name profit.