[georgiarat]

The problem is that they are all liberal! If you go to an institution like Duke a student cannot take any values other than liberal ones with them. If one makes the mistake of not conforming then the grades will suffer. Most of these so-called professors (well educated but without common sense) want to use papers because the grading is subjective and not easily challenged. That is why one always hears about the "BAD" practice of using objective tests. Thus the bias against SAT etc. The introduction of the writing sample was not to improve the test but allow graders to skew the result based on content and area from where the student was tested. Thus insuring better results for "minorities". If one looks at the correlation between scores on writing sample versus the objective portion of the test the clear skew can be validated.

[SmoothTalker]

"That is why one always hears about the "BAD" practice of using objective tests. "


Objective tests usually are bad. Students don't learn anything filling in multiple choice or T/F answers. Essays and short answer questions where the student is forced to grapple with the material and analyze it do much more for their intellectual development.