Failed Tests

It's one of those things that most people don't question, but go along with. The college entrance examinations like the SAT or ACT have been around for a long time, and their validity is taken for granted. But, now a U.S. university president has come out pointing out that these standardized tests are not that useful in helping to choose who is "college material" and who is not. In a very cogent criticism of the tests, he has called for their rejection, in favor of a different kind of test that will really measure a student's skills for doing good work in college.

As someone who has had some contact with college students, including at the graduate level, I couldn't agree more that the system for admitting students on the basis of those test scores is deeply flawed, and needs to be revamped towards one that focuses on analysis, interpretation and writing skills at a high level.

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