Two years ago, a computer glitch on the GMAT damaged thousands of business school applicants' scores.

Computer-based testing centers have also proved costly. ETS recently announced that it will shut down nearly half of its overseas test administration centers in the next year, reintroducing the paper-based exam in those areas.

Testing officials recognize that computer-based testing isn't feasible in remote areas such as Africa, where connectivity is questionable and power reliability is scarce.

"We're not really retreating from computer testing," Yopp said. "We're being pragmatic and sensitive to access needs. Internet connectivity is not universal. If we rely only on the Internet, than we won't reach all the people."

Still, Yopp believes that computer-based testing will eventually replace paper-based exams.

ETS is targeting Internet-based testing in the next couple of years. Internet-based testing could alleviate costs for administering tests in large volumes.

"If it's on the Internet, we won't have large fixed costs as we have with the test centers," he said.

But security, access concerns and bandwidth constraints must be addressed before standardized tests will be offered on the Internet.

"I can't imagine how (Internet-based testing) wouldn't create more security problems," Schaeffer said. "As long as there are high stakes tests, there are going to be ways that technology can be breached."

In the meantime, ETS stresses that admissions officers shouldn't put such a heavy emphasis on standardized test scores.