[markkm]

Sure, they can be problematic.

The problem isn't unique to software engineering, though. So long as there are lucrative, exclusive jobs whose qualifications include passing an exam, there will be a massive test-prep industry. Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc., etc.

[rafiki6]

Funny enough I was thinking the same thing. This really isn't any different than the test prep industry for other types of standardized tests. The only real difference is that we have to constantly be doing these tests as people working on software, whereas people in other professions tend to only need to prove they have basic knowledge once.