The Big Test by Nicholas Lemann

You probably haven't heard of Henry Chauncey. However, if you have, then you understand the distinct vision he had for American society fifty years ago. Basically, it was to "mount a vast scientific project that will categorize, sort, and route the entire population. It will be accomplished by administering a series of multiple-choice mental tests to everyone, and then by suggesting, on the basis of the scores, what each person's role in society should be - suggestions everyone will surely accept gratefully." The vehicle in which he would accomplish this feat,  is an organization called the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Have you heard of it? They are the creators of standardized tests such as the SAT, LSAT, and GRE - among others. 

The Big Test, is a book about the creation, development, and issues concerning ETS, and how it shaped and refined not only the American educational system, but, society in general, and the way we now view education. It's a fascinating read, full of dark rich history concerning race, intelligence testing, and the implications revolving around college admissions.

"They did, however, believe they were destroying a nascent class system and building a fluid, mobile society. In retrospect, this was vainglorious - you can't undermine social rank by setting up an elaborate process of ranking. Fifty years later, their creation looks very much like the one it was intended to replace."

Nicholas Lemann, a frequent contributor to national magazines, was national correspondent of the The Atlantic Monthly from 1983 to 1998, and is now a staff writer for The New Yorker.