Now that the GRE will require test-takers to write essays, both scorers and admissions counselors will have much more accurate pictures of the ever-competitive pool of graduate-school applicants.

For many universities, the Graduate Record Examination is a major determining factor for the selection of graduate-school applicants; it is comparable to an SAT for higher education.

The essay requirement, which will go into effect Oct. 1, has two variations. According to an April 12 Wildcat article, "one essay will require students to take a position on an issue and support that position. The other will require students to critique another argument."

Skills such as these are vital for those entering the competitive and intensive environment graduate school can be. Deductive reasoning and general criticism skills are most definitely requirements for furthering one's education, both in and out of school.

Prospective master's degrees and doctoral students should be able to demonstrate those skills through clear and functional writing.

Writing skills also allow for elaboration, something the former format was sorely lacking. Some people are better at pure regurgitation of facts than others; some people are better at writing essays. Graduate students should be passably proficient at both.

Also sorely lacking in the original format was an accurate evaluation of the well roundedness of a student's education. We all have different learning styles; the new format provides verbal and linguistic learners a chance to shine.

Some people argue that the new essay portion of the test is making admittance more difficult for international students. But if people can't write essays, they shouldn't be allowed into graduate school anyway. And standardized testing, regardless of the format, is always hard on non-native speakers of English.

Graduate schools of all disciplines require the collection of research data and the transformation of that data into concise, written reports - an altogether extremely writing-and-deduction-intensive process.

The Wildcat endorses the essay addition to the GRE's format because it helps the test better reflect the education and abilities of the applicants it scores.