Comments on: Cash goes fast when it comes to standardized tests

By: Carnival of Personal Finance #212: Independence Day Around the World Edition | Darwin's Finance

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:05:44 +0000

[...] with a mission presents Cash Goes Fast When It Comes to Standardized Tests, and says, “Detailed breakdown and ruminations on how much I’ve spent on standardized [...]

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:27:17 +0000

$4000 for just one person – that’s quite a bit of a money-making machine considering how many students take (and retake) standardized tests.

By: Another cost of studying: “coffee money” « Well-Heeled, with a mission

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:44:12 +0000

[...] 6, 2009 by wellheeled When I was preparing for my test, I’d frequently go to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, or Borders to [...]

By: paranoidasteroid

paranoidasteroid — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:59:24 +0000

I am one of those people who is really good at standardized testing. It is one of the few things I am better at than my sister (who is now getting a PhD in engineering, the smartypants!), so I cling to it.

By: 5 things I won’t cheap out on « Well-Heeled, with a mission

5 things I won’t cheap out on « Well-Heeled, with a mission — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:06:15 +0000

[...] test prep classes (almost $1,000). Mom paid for the other 1/2 of test prep as a graduation present. I also took my test twice at $250 per sitting. $500 seems like a lot of money to spend on anything else, but for my test I didn’t even [...]

By: rhealitycheck

rhealitycheck — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:44:10 +0000

Well, I generally think most things in education are classist. I always thought (and perhaps I’m wrong) but public schools exist to bring a more level playing field to our education system, though I don’t believe it has actually worked out that way. I actually grew up in Houston where they have magnet programs to even out diversity in the schools and I think in some ways it helps but in the long run the system has failed. But this is all probably too big to be discussed as just standardized tests, I mean it’s the whole educational system from grade school through graduate school. Though I do think it’s a bit more fair after you get through undergrad because you can apply for waivers if you don’t make earn enough for all the tests/apps to get into grad school.

By: wellheeled

wellheeled — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:35:18 +0000

Hmm – I agree that standardized testing can get expensive (especially for pre-professional programs such as law or business school).

As for classist – I don’t know. Test preparation has absolutely helped me (and probably many others) get a better score, and money definitely buys access to better education and preparation – but that’s by no means limited to standardized testing.

For example, a middle-class or upper-class family will be the ones who can afford to live in a good school district or afford to send their kids to a private school. Their kids will be more likely to receive admissions into the top colleges. What’s the difference between spending $$ on SAT tutors vs. spending $$ to live in a better school district? How about parents that send $5,000 to send their kid to an archeological dig in Egypt and the kid write a brilliant essay on her experience and get into Harvard – is that classist?

In my view, if test preparation is “classist”, then everything education and opportunity-related is in a sense “classist”. I mean, there’s no denying the benefits that come from growing up in a middle or upper-middle class family.

By: rhealitycheck

rhealitycheck — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:06:58 +0000

Oh man, I didn’t even know the full score was 2400 nowadays. And I have always thought standardized tests were unnecessarily expensive. As is the test-prep that goes with it. I mean isn’t that rather classist? Just a thought.

By: OneGirl

OneGirl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:38:51 +0000

How do you remember the costs of your exams? I think I remember the AP tests being $125 or so, but considering if you place out you don’t have to take the college courses, 125 is totally worth it. I have no idea how much PSATs or SATs cost. My parents paid for that.

I’m glad you’re finished with your test. Congrats!

By: psychsarah

psychsarah — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:32:52 +0000

It’s too depressing to think about how much money/time I’ve spent being tested. Even though in Canada we don’t have to do the SAT, I’ve done the GRE, EPPP and a jurisprudence exam for my regulatory body. Just those three (and the test materials to go with them) cost a small fortune. Thankfully I’m free of them forever!!

By: J

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:20:17 +0000

I’m one of those people who you hate–I think that standardized testing is fun! I took a total of two PSATs, seven AP tests, the SAT I once in high school and twice in middle school, and at least 10 or so SAT IIs and did well on pretty much all of them, very very well on some. I don’t think I studied for any of those, at all (other than your typical class-prep for the AP tests). I took a LSAT diagnostic a few years ago, though, and only scored in the 90% cold so I’d have to prep to do well on that. I still thought that the test was fun, though.