A college entrance examination? (#32; Topic E)

In today's Washington Post, there is an essay ("Writing wrongs") by one self-described as a former "free-lance editor for a college application consulting firm." For $150-200 paid to her firm, she would provide "needed proofreading help." For $399, she would serve as a "comprehensive" editor, producing an essay (an "aspiration") as the basis for the college applicant's writing his/her own essay -- though, invariably, that "aspiration" would be submitted, verbatim, by the applicant as his/her own essay. The former editor raised objections, resuling in the firm's not sending her new "clients." To my way of thinking, this approach to writing college-specific essays is either redundant or inadequate bordering on being unfair. It is redundant because, essay writing is already covered as a subject in the SAT -- why do it again? If it is worthwhile redoing, it would be inadequate. In China, each college conducts its own proctored entrance examinations, combining, in effect, SAT and college-specific essay-writing in one round. There is no "aspiration"; there is no outside help of any kind -- all applicants must use their own brain-power to compete. Fair and square. After all, civil examination, allowing unheard-of talents from remote area to shine, originated in China, millennia ago -- it is still going strong. Why not emulate what is the best and the fairest?
Posted at 12:30 pm, Sunday, January 15. 2006