None of the Above: The Truth Behind the Sats (Culture and Education Series)

Rating:
Summary: get into the minds of the people who write the tests...
Review: I read this book when I was in 8th grade, before taking the PSAT or SAT or any achievement tests -- it helped me so much, because it gave me a framework to understand what the tests are actually designed to measure (*not* scholastic aptitude as such)... when it came time to take the tests, I already knew that I was being tested on my ability to read the testwriters' minds and figure out how they were trying to trick us! Knowing that saved a lot of heartache, and also made it easier to answer the test questions and improved my scores.

Rating:
Summary: highly recommended
Review: This book blows the cover of respectability and objectivity that has benefited ETS for decades. It exposes the company for what it is: a deceptive, revenue-hungry, socially-irresponsible organization. ETS calls itself a "non-profit institution" but this is shown to be a smokescreen. It is non-profit in the purely accounting sense in that it has no shareholders (it was founded by a grant by the Carnegie Foundation), but the company does everything it can to maximize revenue after costs. The employees pay themselves exorbiant salaries, and the campus includes tennis courts, riding paths, a golf course and a hotel! Also, the company does not even have an honest mailing address: all it has in Princeton is a mailbox! There is no relationship at all between ETS and Princeton University.

David Owen's book actually goes much further, and explains how the tests themselves are deeply flawed. They are not measures of aptitude, but are in fact highly coachable (a fact ETS has tried to hide for years). This book is a must read for anyone interested in the truth behind ETS and standardized tests.

Rating:
Summary: So Boring
Review: This book was on my summer reading list. I read the first few chapters and have concluded that all this book does it Critisize the ETS and the SATs. We all know everyone hates the SATS and they are not fair but why do i need to hear two more people (the authors) whine and moan about something no one can help. I could really care less about some of the issues discussed in the first few chapters such as where the money the ETS makes goes. Again, i really dont need to read other peoples opinions about the SATs. I thought this book would be factual rather then critical.