Standardised Testing

I really hate standardised tests. I guess I don't know too many people who love them, but I particularly dislike them.

I decided to register for the GRE after all. More on that later.....

First: why I hate standardised tests.

1) I don't do well on them. Well, I guess I can't hold this against them- but I must admit I'm biased.
2) I don't believe the tests accurately measure, well, anything. I believe that these tests accurately measure neither intelligence, nor academic success (which are not the same). I know that my SAT scores did not very accurately predict my ability to achieve in university (as represented by my GPA). Example: the vocab tested is not really revelent or useful- it tests your ability to memorise words rather than your ability to reason. Now, I'm not saying these tests are all bad- after all, there are general trends of people who do well vs ppl do don't well. What I mean is that intelligent people who do well in university often do relatively well on these tests vis-à-vis people who have below average intelligence and/or do poorly in school. But it doesn't really test your ability to reason or analyse. (A noteable exception to this is the ACT- which is an entirely self-contained test. You don't need to learn/memorise any single fact- you just need to unpack what'S already there). Alas, I ramble. My point: knowledge tested on these tests, in particular the SAT and GRE, is largely esoteric and irrelevant. If anything, in the words of the princeton review people, these tests test nothing more than your ability to take standardised tests.
3) They are elitist. I'm not even talking about the "elite" vocabulary used (which can be an issue). I'm talking about how expensive these tests are! The GRE for example costs $175!!! Not including, of course, review materials. This is hardly accessible for people on limited incomes (ie, students). These tests are produced by a corporation, which is out to make money- not to serve any sort of community. Thus- they can charge whatever the want, for the aim of making a profit. The fact that almost all graduate schools in the US make this fee necessary for most people wanting to go to graduate school.

So- if these tests are so stupid, then why did I decide to take the GRE?

Well- it's about keeping my options as open as possible. I think I would ideally still like to do my graduate degree in Europe or Asia. But the simple fact is- most of the world's best graduate programmes are based in the US. It's an undeniable fact.... and they all require the GRE! Eliminating all US options would be greatly limiting myself. The other thing is that a strong performance on the GRE can help me find scholarships, and will bolster my chances at getting into a graduate programme.

So, I plan to review hard, and hopefully do well on the test. It's about making the most of a crappy test.