I didn't prepare for the SAT or GRE.
This is the way it seems to have been intended, way back when these assessments began.
One thing that is sad is if people have to invest large amounts of time into preparation
Some may feel sadder if this was not allowed... citing a broad array of reasons why they may need a feel to cram and "catch up" to make up for lost time.
whether it is unfair that some have the ability to do so and others don't
Some may say that using a book (as mentioned by previous posters) is a method of test prep accessible to all?
The reality is that many people do find it hard to score well.
The tests are meant to identify academic differences.
being able to take the SAT in seventh grade was a wonderful experience for me because it was the first time I felt like I had any sort of recognition for having academic ability. It is hard to see differences when everyone is doing the same grade level work and these out of level tests can be very useful.
