Why Use a Volumetric Flask?

In order to prepare an aqueous standard solution, you transfer the solute to a volumetric flask and then you add water "up to the mark", that is, until the bottom of the meniscus lies on the "mark" when viewed at eye-level. You can quickly convince yourself of the need to view the "mark" at eye-level just be preparing your standard solution as above and then changing the angle you view it from.
But what about this need to add water to the solute in this oddly-shaped vessel called a volumetric flask?
Why couldn't you just weigh out the solute into a beaker then add the required volume of water from a pipette?
Or, if the solute is a liquid or a solution, why not just pipette the required volume into a beaker then pipette the required volume of solvent into the same beaker?

So, why not try it?

Experiment (a) For solid solutes such as sodium chloride (table salt) or sucrose ("sugar") just pour the solid into a small DRY measuring cylinder until you have 5 mL for example. Pour this solid into a 100 mL measuring cylinder. Add 50 mL of water from a pipette (you will need to keep swirling the flask while you add the water). Record the volume of the final solution. Repeat the experiment using different volumes of solute and solvent.
Repeat this experiment using sand as the "solute" and water as the solvent.

Experiment (b)  For liquid solutes such as ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or acetone (propanone) use a pipette to place 50 mL of the solute into a 100 mL measuing cylinder then add 50 mL of water from a pipette and record the volume of the final solution. Repeat the experiment using different volumes of solute and solvent.
Repeat this experiment using vegetable oil as the "solute" and water as the solvent.

If a solute dissolves in a solvent, the volume of the final solution is not equal to the volume of the solute plus the volume of the solvent. Sometimes adding a solute to a solvent results in a solution with a volume less than that of the solvent + solute, and sometimes adding a solute to a solvent results in a solution with a volume greater than that of the solvent + solute. Right now, there are no good, general theories to explain this behaviour! But it is because of this that we use that oddly shaped piece of glassware called a volumetric flask when we make up a standard solution.