As you probably know, standardized tests are a big deal. They are the benchmark used to determine whether one measures up to the standards of a specific grade or level. Millions of teenagers take the SAT or ACT when preparing for college, for example, and colleges, in turn, use these results to gauge their potential. That's how it normally works...unless you're a dropout like me.
At some point, I would have said not having to take the SAT was a good thing. The test is biased, or at least it used to be, and the questions are phrased a bit...oddly. Passing the test has as much to do with familiarizing yourself with the format as much as it does with knowing the actual content. But I digress...
Columbia University's School of General Studies, knowing that many of its students will have a gap in their education, administers its own exam. The General Studies Admission Exam, or GSAE, is given several times a year in locations up and down the East coast. I knew I had to take it in order to have a complete application, so near the end of March, I registered for the nearest exam. My test date was Saturday, April 14th in Orlando, Florida. I was excited, anxious, and had no idea what the hell I would be tested on.
No Math, Captain!
Since the GSAE is based on the SAT, the school suggested that anyone taking the exam should buy an SAT prep book and study. I ordered
this book from Amazon (which is excellent, by the way) and was ready to study...until I saw the math portion.
Have I mentioned how much I hate numbers? Perhaps "hate" is too strong a word. I'm merely uncomfortable with numbers. I can do basic math, I can even throw around a few polynomials, but something about seeing it all laid out always fills me with a sense of panic. Imagine how I felt when I thought I had to cram four years of the stuff down in two weeks. Oy!
The good news is, I didn't. Apparently, Columbia believes that reading and writing are the strongest foundation you can have and, therefore, their GSAE consisted of the reading and writing portions of the SAT. Reading? Writing? My best subjects? Oh, it was ON!
I took the diagnostic test and spent an hour each week trying to strengthen my weaknesses: I can't remember what they were now, but most of it was due to test format. I even bought a SAT vocabulary game I played twice a day. It was the best investment I made considering three of the words I learned popped up during my actual test.
The Actual Test (dun dun dun!)
On Friday, April 13th, my mother and I loaded up our car and drove the two hours to Orlando. I don't remember much about the night before the exam, other than that I worried and watched a ton of Spongebob to get in my "happy place."
The day of the exam, I woke up at 9am and ate my room service breakfast, two eggs and sausages, way too quickly. I don't suggest people do this, as indigestion and examinations don't go well together. I went downstairs to the exam room nearly and hours early. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't get lost--although how the hell I would get lost going from the fourth floor to the first is beyond me--and took the opportunity to get to know the other applicants. Don't ask me about any of them because I can't remember.
The exam itself was not as bad as I was expecting. It was exactly like the reading and writing portion of the SAT with a bonus essay question that was to be graded holistically. The good things is that, like the SAT, leaving questions blank doesn't count against you; answering them incorrectly was. That was a hard lesson to learn as I usually have a "try try try" mentality, but in this case, blanks are better. I was also pleased to come across two words from my SAT vocabulary game. Thank you, Mind Snacks!
So How Did You Do?
I don't know! Unlike the SATs or other exams, Columbia will never tell you how you did or release your grades to anyone. I've heard that some people can get a tiny bit of feedback on how they did overall, but I never received any. I can only assume I did well since I got into the school.
If I had to do it all over again, I'd study smarter and take more diagnostic exams throughout my studying to continually improve my weaknesses. If any potential GSAE takers are reading this, buy the SAT prep book I linked to (I don't get any money from recommending it). It helped tremendously.
