Gruber 2012 "Strategies for Women"

[1Q84]

When I got the page entitled "Strategies for Women", my jaw literally dropped. I had to check the cover to make sure this was actually a book from 2012 and not some cross-promotional Don Draper/Gruber satire guidebook.

Does anyone else find this as incredibly offensive as me? And he even had the nerve to say "these are questions women found significantly more difficult than men, but after learning these (patented Gruber!) strategies, they scored the same."

WHAT?! Who is this guy and what the hell is he going on about?!

[TakeruK]

I haven't seen this book before so I reacted the same way to your thread title/post as you did to the book section!

Not to justify it, but I think the reason this section exists is that studies of GRE scores apparently show that women tend to score lower than men in some sections (so I've heard claim, but I haven't personally seen the data). Again, this doesn't make this okay, but maybe it provides some context! Although that quote you wrote is outrageous!

[quicksort]

what are the strategies?!!

[1Q84]

I haven't seen this book before so I reacted the same way to your thread title/post as you did to the book section!

Not to justify it, but I think the reason this section exists is that studies of GRE scores apparently show that women tend to score lower than men in some sections (so I've heard claim, but I haven't personally seen the data). Again, this doesn't make this okay, but maybe it provides some context! Although that quote you wrote is outrageous!

I've heard that claim too... but I mean how much of that is societal conditioning and learned helplessness, due to ridiculous, published material like this?! I read a bit more of it and he used the age-old "women are more intuitive" reasoning. Since the GRE is more manly and logical, women need to learn man's way, apparently.

what are the strategies?!!

Well you'd have to buy the book for that! I can't really set down all the strategies in a 700pg book here. But they're the same as any other book, really. Almost identical to Princeton (except Princeton says it better).

Edited August 5, 2012 by ponponpon

[alf10087]

If it is backed by factual data, I wouldn't see a way that it could be offensive.

Although I would like to see the method, as intellectually I don't see how something that works for men wouldn't work for women, and viceversa.

[quicksort]

Well you'd have to buy the book for that! I can't really set down all the strategies in a 700pg book here. But they're the same as any other book, really. Almost identical to Princeton (except Princeton says it better).

haha, no...I mean, can you summarize what he thinks that women need to do differently?

[1Q84]

If it is backed by factual data, I wouldn't see a way that it could be offensive.

Although I would like to see the method, as intellectually I don't see how something that works for men wouldn't work for women, and viceversa.

But that's the thing, that kind of stuff can never be backed up by factual evidence.

The method is to read each question and use logic to figure out the best possible answer. Simple stuff. The assumption being that women naturally would never do that because they're more "intuitive" and use their "feelings" to solve problems.

Silly, right?

haha, no...I mean, can you summarize what he thinks that women need to do differently?

Oh I know. That's the thing... there are no separate strategies. It's "women, use the Gruber strategy that men already kind of know how to use because it comes natural to them!"

It's such strange marketing. For example, Princeton merely says "all people, use the Princeton strategy to increase your score!" Makes sense.

Why Gruber felt the need to have a separate section to point out to women their own logical deficiency rather than just point out that both men and women pre-Gruber will fail is beyond me.

[alf10087]

But that's the thing, that kind of stuff can never be backed up by factual evidence.

The method is to read each question and use logic to figure out the best possible answer. Simple stuff. The assumption being that women naturally would never do that because they're more "intuitive" and use their "feelings" to solve problems.

Silly, right?

Of course. What I'm saying is that if women actually do worse than men on the GRE, then there could be some basis for the argument.

Honestly, I think women probably do better than men. On average, they excel at almost every intelectual activity.