Preparing for those bubble tests has been the bane of many a student’s existence, requiring an increasing number of parents to invest in tutors. NYC high schoolers looking to attend universities and undergraduates hoping to attain master’s degrees are haunted by these tests every year all across the United States. For some time now, the question has circulated on how accurately such exams as the SAT, the GRE, the GMAT, and the LSAT reflect someone’s worth to an institution. For many of the most prestigious universities, an immaculate record takes a back seat to a standardize test score.
The Atlantic recently published an editorial citing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as a dated means of evaluating a prospective student’s potential for a master’s program. It begins with the tale of a young man from California who stacked his record full of extracurricular activity and maintained straight As almost entirely across the board. He worked part time tutoring at-risk Latino students in an elementary school and part time as a teaching assistant at Pasadena College. He’s described in the article as someone who constantly maintained a thirst for learning.
Then he took the GRE and his aspirations were stunted. He’s quoted in saying, “The GRE is like taking a cancer test that was invented in the 1940s.” The GRE is known to lead individuals down paths of success in some of the most impressive and prestigious fields in the world, ranging from astronomy to journalism to business administration, and virtually everything in between. Those who can do well on the exam can have relative confidence in expecting to find success in their dream jobs. Those who do not do well, simply cannot.
As a point of reference, consider what other countries do. Most universities in England require work experience as a prerequisite. Some require up to three years in a managerial position, while others require only one year of any type of professional experience. Some institutions do not require any experience at all, as they are designed for those just receiving their undergraduate degrees and are interested in immediately continuing their education. In this case, transcripts and references are used to determine eligibility.
Albeit, the US is known to have some of the most excellent universities in the world, which one could argue speaks towards why it is so difficult to be admitted into one. However, a counterargument is that the high cost and exclusivity perpetuated by these exams has created a false sense of prestige among US institutions. That is, some believe the increases in tuition have been the reason for certain universities to maintain their high ranking.
At the end of the day, it’s all hearsay. As it stands, this is the system in which we operate, which is why it only makes sense to invest the time and money into a private tutor. NYC students are doing it at an increasing rate every year. For more info on how to make that happen, contact us either online or by calling us at 1-212-479-0830.
