taking someones SATs for them, for a fee

[JonPKibble]

The SAT black-market is just one more reason that a college education isn't worth nearly what it used to. Back in the day you had to EARN YOUR WAY IN, believe it or not.

[AnyAce]

I think that taking someone else's SATs is wrong, but am not posting to change the OPs mind.

As to the point about not being able to make it in college, I agree with OP that that is just false. If you can get in, you can pass (an unfortunate sad truth, IMHO).

Harvard's average GPA is a 3.41 (better than a B+) as of a couple years ago and 90%(!) of students graduated with honors (it is now capped at 60%, which is still ridiculous IMHO).

See: Grade Inflation

"Harvard University was criticized in 2001, when the Boston Globe reported that more than 90 percent of Harvard’s students graduate with honors.

Rojstaczer reported that Harvard’s 1999 average GPA was 3.42. As a result of the widespread criticism, Harvard attempted to deflate its high grades by limiting to 60 percent the percentage of students graduating with honors. Data from 2002-2003 shows these efforts proved ineffective; 47.8 percent of the grades received still fell in the “A” range and the mean GPA remained steady at 3.41."

I went to Princeton for grad school and met plenty of self-important undergraduate assclowns who didnt know much, so I think something similar is going there. (There were of course plenty of bright students as well).

My 2c.

AA

[RacersEdge]

You are a POS if you do this.

Ever think of the person whose acceptance letter gets turned into a reject because of your behavior?

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
and if any professional poker players want to debate the ethics of this, i would think about the people you win money from.

[/ QUOTE ]

If they have analogy sections on the test, you will suck at it.

[chisness]

good thing they took that out!

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
I went to Princeton for grad school and met plenty of self-important undergraduate assclowns who didnt know much, so I think something similar is going there. (There were of course plenty of bright students as well).

[/ QUOTE ]

You should see the outrage here over our new grade deflation policy - max 35% A's in classes, 55% in independant work (by department). all the overachieving asshats with no actual intellience act like its going to ruin their lives.

[lacticacid]

[ QUOTE ]
questions for you:

1. How much would you charge for this? Assume the person paying is wealthy.

2. Any other advice? I can't think of any specific questions.



[/ QUOTE ]

I did it for someone in High School, about 10 years ago. I scored better on there test - well I put together my best total test. Tied the highest math and verbal that I had scored for myself.

The way I looked at it the kid was only hurting himself. He was going to flunk out of college anyway. Even with the 1440 he still didn't get in a great school.

His ID looked 95% like me. It was enough for the people giving the test. I got $500 for it. $200 for taking the test, and the bonuses were $50 for over 600, 650, and 700 for each section.

I'd do it again - I like standardized tests.

[InchoateHand]

[ QUOTE ]

You are a POS if you do this.

Ever think of the person whose acceptance letter gets turned into a reject because of your behavior?

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah, because that is how it works. Good insight man, good looking out. I can tell you know a lot about higher education in America.

[gumpzilla]

I think this is pretty true. At prestigious undergraduate institutions, getting in really is most of the battle. Failing students seems likely to reduce the all-important 4-year graduation rates, lowering a valuable U.S. News and World Report metric; students with mediocre GPA's will impact job placement numbers poorly. The college's brand power must be protected, thus grade inflation. As an undergraduate, my advisor once told me that he needed to submit paperwork to some central organization if he wanted to give a student a grade worse than C-, which was the minimum passing grade. While this isn't the real issue, so much - out and out failure is less the problem than the disappearance of C's, when it comes to grade inflation - I think the disincentive to fail students is representative of a lot of those issues.

[RacersEdge]

Yes, colleges don't have unlimited space - so thats how it works. It's the same argumnet as racial quotas - someone gets in, someone else gets bumped. If anything, this is even worse.