Somehow I missed it, but those you-know-whats apparently require the GRE English Literature test. Note on the "English" part, okay. For I shall tell you many reasons for why this is a very good reason to not apply. Another reason is that awful sentence. But I digress.
Why the GRE English Literature Test can crawl in a hole and die:
- This test is in addition to the GRE general test, which is already quite awful. I'm not sure if I complained on this blog (in addition to my other), but the ETS pretty much denied me disabilities accommodations. They didn't "actually" do it- just requested a very unreasonable (and my disability advisor says illegal) amount of paperwork. That test is ableist, sexist, racist, and other "ists" in a bad way. It is also super expensive- $160. So, how much is the English subject test, you ask? Oh my, an addition $140-$160 according to ETS. Which puts my Berkeley application at about $300 to apply to. Yuck.
- The English subject test is described as follows: "Each edition of the test consists of approximately 230 questions on poetry, drama, biography, the essay, the short story, the novel, criticism, literary theory and the history of the language" (emphasis mine). By "the language," I assume they mean English. Yet one of the texts they claim to draw from is "the Bible." I wonder- which Bible? I assume not the Jewish one. Oh, and what language was the Christian Bible written in originally? English?! That is certainly the suggestion. But if we are opening it up for works in translation, I'd sure like to see some secular literature.
- The test, like so many things in US society, is divided into British, U.S. American, and "other." Nice.
1 comment:
Really, a little dramatic??? I was a bit shocked with the last comment. President Obama may be reading this blog!:)m
Post a Comment