Many high school students are under so much competitive pressure. They are sometimes taught that if they don't have a 4.0 GPA, score in the 99th percentile on admissions tests, and demonstrate leadership in sports and participate in clubs, they won't get into college anywhere. Even highly credentialed professionals get caught up in this.

ACT and SAT each have their own parts of the country. The GRE has its lock on graduate admissions. And so, one could blame the companies, but really, economically, they have no incentive to change things very much because they're getting the business.

However I had a chance encounter with an admissions officer of Stevens Institute of Technology who so impressed me by his erudition and enthusiasm for the school that I changed course and entered Stevens Institute.

ACT and SAT each have their own parts of the country. The GRE has its lock on graduate admissions. And so one could blame the companies but really economically they have no incentive to change things very much because they're getting the business.