Vitiate

Vitiate; meaning to corrupt, put wrong, spoil, or make worse.  Upon further GRE research I have found that the programs that I really want to do post-PC, I mean the ones I’m studying my ass off for, have recently decided that the GRE is now “optional”.  In other words; obsolete, nugatory, superannuated, and/or obviated.  <Insert imprecation here!> Furthermore, I’ve also recently read that they’ve changed the scoring of the test, among other things.  Now, instead of verbal and quantitative each scored out of 800, they are now each scored out of 170.  While this may not seem to be very important, it means I have NO IDEA what I’m shooting for anymore - NO IDEA how to compare my previous GRE tests and NO IDEA what a good score even is.  It’s very disorienting.  And so, my initial motivation to kick ass on the GRE has been vitiated (dunno if I’m actually using that word correctly, but the GRE doesn’t test on that, so I’m sticking to it). 

But regardless, I am continuing on with my 30 day challenge.  I had to take a few days off for a little weekend get-away at the lake, but I think I’m officially on day 12 and going strong.  I took a full length practice test today and only missed 10% of the math questions, which is almost on target (now that I’m making up what a good score is, I’m shooting for 5-8% missed on math), but I missed 17% of the verbal.  What are getting me are these new multiple-multiple choice questions.  They’re dumb.  Oh, and reading comprehension.  That’s always been dumb.  But on all the verbal and quantitative sections I finished with 15 minutes to spare consistently.  Maybe this first test in the book was just super easy to increase our confidence, but if that’s what all the tests turn out to be, I’ll definitely have the time to make sure I’m getting correct answers. 

In conclusion, the GRE is dumber than ever.  Somehow, the GRE Powers That Be have come up with ways to make standardized testing even more esoteric and useless.  And for that, they shall burn in hell.  But at least I’ll probably have a decent score and end up with a worthwhile career that no one will curse me for.  So, suck it.