bsat blog

My usual daily searches for dispatches of insanity from the test prep world uncovered what appeared to be a snooze-inducing article on the level of a triple-dose of Ambien. The History of Standardized Test Prep, a two-parter written by Jose Ferreira. I was going to include it ironically, along with a flash version of Pac-Man, in a long list of ways to waste time while you should be filling out college applications, or preparing for standardized tests. But, a funny thing happened. I read it, and the article was actually pretty cool. (I'm still going to invlude the link to flash Pac-Man because weeeeeeeee! Flash Pac-Man!)

Ferreira details how, after working in the SAT prep business, he reverse engineered the algorithm for the newly-computerized GRE, effectively giving him and a few researchers access to every question they would ever ask. Ever. He also figured our a variety of strategies to use to "game" the test that were so effective, the Educational Testing Service began to instruct test-takers to do the same thing. He also got sued. All in all its way more exciting than that SAT-caper-comedy "The Perfect Score"--and without the train wreck that is NBA-er Darius Mles trying to act.