Some of us here at The State Press are nearing the end of our bachelor's degrees. In fact, some of us have even been able to stretch these four-year programs into a Van Wilder-style, six-year-bout with way too many credits that have nothing to do with anything.
But for those of us that just can't get enough education, there's the option of graduate school. Yes, this means going back to school after completing a four-year degree - or however long it may take to finish your undergraduate studies.
We at The State Press came across an article today in The New York Times about revamping the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE.
According to the article, people were cheating on the tests by memorizing answers and questions posted by earlier test takers. This was all possible because the previous test consisted of a large question bank that determined what questions would be asked based on what answers were already given. Basically, people could take the test, get the same question they had already seen and memorized and tailor their answers accordingly.
So what does this mean for all you knowledge-seeking book junkies? Well, it means that not only will these tests be taken only 30 times a year as opposed to almost every day, but also that the test will be more standardized, with unrepeated questions, decreasing the likelihood for cheaters to worm their way into grad school.
Down here in the basement of the Matthews Center, we say right on. With instances of cheating on the GRE from around the world, we think that a little revamping of the graduate school entrance exam is a good thing.
By moving the test toward more critical thinking questions instead of a less-telling test of memorization skills, the new GREs might better ascertain the potential of a student's mental aptitude.
Getting accepted into grad school should be determined by your overall aptitude after your undergrad years; not how to memorize, but how to comprehend and interpret.
And for those people trying to cheat their way through, we say boo to a lame attempt to slither your way through higher education. Seriously though, what gives? If you're smart enough to figure out a way to cheat on the GRE, why do you need to fudge the test in the first place? Instead of "stickin' it to the man" by beating the system, use what's between your ears for yourself for the eventual betterment of society in general.
However, these cheating peoples' petty attempts to slip through the cracks of higher education have actually helped the rest of us out.
Now the GRE will be safer, as far as cheating goes, and will test what we have actually learned instead of what we have just memorized. So, bravo to those cheaters, because their immoral acts to cheat the system have finally paid off, at least for those of us who actually care about our education.
