CRAP ARCHIVE

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

The Great GRE Scam


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.