SAT Program policies are subject to change at any time for test security or other reasons. The SAT Program will attempt to provide adequate prior notice although circumstances may limit our ability to do so.
Also:
In order to ensure the integrity of the SAT Program, the College Board reserves the right to bar any individual from registering and/or taking the SAT or a Subject Test.
Thanks for finding the relevant text. jboggs has clearly explained that adults taking the test has no effect on test integrity.
As for the first point, I would be interested in a lawyer's opinion of whether that statement provides cover to discriminate against any arbitrary group. For example, could the college board use that to say that all Latino students have been moved to May? If not, why is it OK to move just the adults?
No offense to anyone who is a tutor (presumably you @jgoggs ) - but personally I think that anything that makes tutors less effective is a *good* thing. Tutoring is just another way for wealthy people to have even more advantages. And note that I'm speaking as a "wealthy" person who has paid for SAT prep for my daughter.
The college prep industry (which I am hypocritically contributing to) is insane IMO.
@hebegebe Given that "adults" are not a protected class, I would bet that no one would consider it "discriminatory." And I would also bet that this would not fly if it were all Latinos, for the obvious reason. That would not be ok.
hebegebe2662 replies37 threadsRegistered UserSenior Member
Tutoring is just another way for wealthy people to have even more advantages.
I disagree. We can afford private tutoring but decided quickly that it was a waste of money. Everything a student needs to learn for the SAT or ACT can be learned using no more than three study guides, for $60 or less. My D got a 35 on the ACT and 2330 on the SAT using just that. .
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
@thshadow, I'm not sure why you would assume that I am a tutor, but in any case, no offense taken. As I mentioned several posts back, I will respond to points with which I disagree or to which I think I can add, but I do not mean those responses to be attacks on other contributors.
That said, you are only one of several posters (all seemingly parents) who have come to this thread with some variation of the following: "I feel no sympathy for these people who had their registrations cancelled ... because ... tutors are bad ... because ... cheating ... or ... curves or ... unfairness...."
Those are all rather interesting topics about which I have my own opinions, but they really are not the topic of this thread. Now, don't get me wrong--I obviously don't own the thread, and you and anyone else are free to discuss whatever you like. But even if you provide incontrovertible evidence that all tutors are ax murderers, that won't really change the overall point of my original post.
So, just to reiterate, the problems here, as I see them (in very abbreviated form) are as follows: (1) the College Board has taken the (as far as I know, and I'm reasonably knowledgeable) unprecedented step of unilaterally cancelling/postponing the registrations of a large number of paid and confirmed test takers only days before an administration, a move that should cause concern among all (including parents and students) who rely on the College Board and its products; (2) the most plausible explanation for this move is that the College Board is trying to reduce transparency and avoid scrutiny of its new test; reduced transparency benefits no one--except maybe the College Board itself, if there are problems with the new test.
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
Maybe they just want to ensure enough room for actual students so they don't get bumped for these other "nonessential" test takers?
Already discussed above, although easy to miss given how long this thread has become.
This explanation--that adult test takers were bumped to make room for high school aged test takers--is not a plausible one for several reasons: (1) Registration for the March test closed several weeks ago; if there had been some insoluble problem of supply and demand, it would have arisen weeks back, not five days before the test date; (2) this is the first time (as far as I know; someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that College Board has issued a blanket cancellation of all adult test takers, even though there have certainly been past occasions when demand for seats has exceeded supply; (3) College Board has transferred these adult test takers' registrations to May, when demand for seats is likely to be higher, not lower, than demand for seats in March.
HRSMom4605 replies50 threadsRegistered UserSenior Member
Perhaps a few testing centers had to close and they needed to redirect ppl at the last minute and bump some to do it. And they probably will be bumped from May too!
gettingschooled1917 replies34 threadsRegistered UserSenior Member
"SAT Program policies are subject to change at any time for test security or other reasons. The SAT Program will attempt to provide adequate prior notice although circumstances may limit our ability to do so.
Also:
In order to ensure the integrity of the SAT Program, the College Board reserves the right to bar any individual from registering and/or taking the SAT or a Subject Test."
This pretty much answered your question- they can deny anyone access for any time for test security or "other" reasons. "Other" being a very broad category. I suppose if someone had a non-refundable airline ticket, they can sue the College Board in small claims court for the value of the ticket but that sentence will probably result in a judge saying the plaintiff knew they could cancel and shouldn't have booked a non refundable ticket.
Pretty much any business can refuse service to anyone provided the group refused service is not a protected class. If you don't like it, don't do business with the College Board. Many people are choosing not to by the way.
When we closed registration last week, our analysis of registrants showed an unusually high number of individuals meeting criteria associated with a higher security risk. As a result, we have instituted a new security measure, effective immediately, which aims to ensure that anyone taking the test is doing so for its intended purpose: to apply to and attend a college or university undergraduate program, or to apply for scholarship, financial aid, or other programs that require a college admissions test.
Test takers identified as those likely to be taking the test for other purposes, and who were registered for the March 5 exam, have been transferred to May 7. They will be able to take the test then. May 7 will use a disclosed form, so there is a reduced security risk that test content will be stolen.
Of course not everyone is buying it:
Bob Schaeffer, FairTest’s public education director, said this in an e-mail: No one can be certain why the College Board is barring test prep professionals from taking the first administration of its “redesigned” SAT this Saturday, but one plausible explanation is that they fear experts will discover flaws in the new exam that regular test-takers might not notice. Given the College Board’s history of screw ups over the past year (June SAT timing/scoring fiasco, Asian test-cheating scandal, PSAT scoring delay, misleading PSAT percentile results, ongoing suspension of electronic SAT reporting, etc.) and the recent surge of schools dropping their SAT test score requirements they have good reason to fear yet another scandal.”
So whether you believe College Board or not...at least they do make an attempt to explain why the late notice and why moving the date is helpful.
(But, yes, if you are just some poor soul with a valid reason that happened to sign up for that date, it stinks.)
gettingschooled1917 replies34 threadsRegistered UserSenior Member
ACT has had the rule in place for two years. I suspect the May test will be the last time adults are allowed in the SAT.
"...senior director for media and public relations for the ACT, said his organization instituted a new policy two years ago that limited who could take the ACT “for test security and score validity purposes.” He wrote:
The restriction is one of many test security layers intended to limit the disclosure of ACT’s secure content and ensure a valid testing experience for our examinees. For individuals who provide test prep services, ACT has publically available test preparation offerings and regularly releases secure test content for public use. In terms of specific enforcement of this and other security policies, we can’t comment for test security reasons.
Asked if it was fair to say that the ACT doesn’t want test prep providers taking the ACT, Colby said: “Yes, that would be fair to say.”"
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
@ClaremontMom -- thanks very much for the article. I hadn't seen it yet, despite having searched Google news this morning in the hope of finding coverage other than the forum and social media discussions (Reddit, Twitter, etc.) mentioned in the original post. I do not agree with Bob Schaeffer's anti-test positions, but he seems to have this issue exactly right.
@gettingschooled -- I personally know of three adult test prep tutors who have taken the ACT in the last two years, so regardless of what the organization says, no such rule currently exists in actual practice.
You may be right that adults will be barred in the future. For reasons mentioned earlier in the thread, I think that would be a loss for students and parents (less knowledgeable and less qualified teachers; fewer allies to hold the test prep companies accountable), and a gain only for these test preparation companies (less scrutiny from test prep experts, whose complaints can be very influential).
I'm not really sure what point you and another poster are trying to make with those "terms"--the College Board says that it can do whatever it wants; therefore, it can do whatever it wants? I don't think you're going to persuade anyone with that line of argument.
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
Ugh, but the Washington Post article doesn't seem to understand that "disclosed form" means "released test." In other words, College Board will release the May test to the public after it is administered.
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
Wow the comments about cheating in that article are pretty shocking. I hope that they can get it under control. Maybe this is a start.
Which of the cheating incidents mentioned in the article involved adult test takers? The "Nassau County, New York" scandal involved high-school-age students paying other high-school-age students to take the test for them. The scandals in Korea and China involved theft and leakage of test books before the test dates. So no, this isn't a start.
So the following doesn't point to possible adult cheating?
National Center for Fair and Open Testing, a nonprofit organization that advocates against the misuse of standardized tests, has found that test-prep companies in Asia have been operating for years in various ways; they send compatriots to the United States to take tests and/or obtain test questions by memorizing them or obtaining them illegally, as well as by monitoring chat boards where students post questions. Furthermore, on SAT days, these firms have people sit for the test at Asian sites in time zones several hours ahead, memorize questions and take a “bathroom break” to call or text questions that can be e-mailed to clients or loaded on calculators students are permitted to use at other test centers.
Also...Scores were withheld after every single SAT administration in the 2014-2015 school year in Asia amid reports of cheating — and some scores from the January test are being withheld as well as investigations into cheating proceed. The same problem has marred SAT administrations overseas for years; for example, the scores from the entire May 2013 administration of the SAT and SAT Subject tests in South Korea were canceled because of a leak of questions.
Are you reading the same article?
Why are you so unwilling to admit that there are clear issues with tutors taking these tests designed for students?
Are you a tutor?
If not, what's the deal?
jgoggs208 replies22 threadsRegistered UserJunior Member
We weren't discussing "adult cheating," @2018eastorwest; we were discussing whether cheating involved adult test takers. See my post right above yours--that is exactly the language that I used there; it is also the language I have used throughout this thread. So, which of the scandals involved adult test takers? And yes, I want specific examples of cheating, not anyone's vague musings about how things might have been done.
Why are you so unwilling to admit that there are clear issues with tutors taking these tests designed for students?
Because this thread is now four pages long, and so far literally no one can articulate what those "clear issues" are. Those who try quickly make it clear that they simply do not know what they are talking about. (See the multiple well-intentioned but uninformed posts about "curves" in previous pages, for example.)
Meanwhile, among knowledgeable people, a consensus seems to have formed that the College Board is simply trying to avoid transparency and accountability. Not only will it not release the March SAT (i.e., it will not make it available to the public after scores are released) but it will pretty much literally not let any adult see it, ever? As I have said already, there is simply no argument that this outcome is good for anyone other than the College Board.
tammy2122 replies1 threadsRegistered UserNew Member
So what kinds of "flaws in the new exam" do test prep experts think they are being prevented from discovering? I am curious as to what they think they might discover in a 4 hour long exam that they are not going to get the test booklet for and are promising not to discuss with anyone else. It would seem to me that other than glaring issues like last June's time mess up this could only be determined by statistical analysis and evaluation of questions, so how could they do that anyway?
Replies to: College Board is cancelling people's paid and confirmed registrations for March SAT...
SAT Program policies are subject to change at any time for test security or other reasons. The SAT Program will attempt to provide adequate prior notice although circumstances may limit our ability to do so.
Also:
In order to ensure the integrity of the SAT Program, the College Board reserves the right to bar any individual from registering and/or taking the SAT or a Subject Test.
There you go.
Thanks for finding the relevant text. jboggs has clearly explained that adults taking the test has no effect on test integrity.
As for the first point, I would be interested in a lawyer's opinion of whether that statement provides cover to discriminate against any arbitrary group. For example, could the college board use that to say that all Latino students have been moved to May? If not, why is it OK to move just the adults?
The college prep industry (which I am hypocritically contributing to) is insane IMO.
That said, you are only one of several posters (all seemingly parents) who have come to this thread with some variation of the following: "I feel no sympathy for these people who had their registrations cancelled ... because ... tutors are bad ... because ... cheating ... or ... curves or ... unfairness...."
Those are all rather interesting topics about which I have my own opinions, but they really are not the topic of this thread. Now, don't get me wrong--I obviously don't own the thread, and you and anyone else are free to discuss whatever you like. But even if you provide incontrovertible evidence that all tutors are ax murderers, that won't really change the overall point of my original post.
So, just to reiterate, the problems here, as I see them (in very abbreviated form) are as follows: (1) the College Board has taken the (as far as I know, and I'm reasonably knowledgeable) unprecedented step of unilaterally cancelling/postponing the registrations of a large number of paid and confirmed test takers only days before an administration, a move that should cause concern among all (including parents and students) who rely on the College Board and its products; (2) the most plausible explanation for this move is that the College Board is trying to reduce transparency and avoid scrutiny of its new test; reduced transparency benefits no one--except maybe the College Board itself, if there are problems with the new test.
Already discussed above, although easy to miss given how long this thread has become.
This explanation--that adult test takers were bumped to make room for high school aged test takers--is not a plausible one for several reasons: (1) Registration for the March test closed several weeks ago; if there had been some insoluble problem of supply and demand, it would have arisen weeks back, not five days before the test date; (2) this is the first time (as far as I know; someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that College Board has issued a blanket cancellation of all adult test takers, even though there have certainly been past occasions when demand for seats has exceeded supply; (3) College Board has transferred these adult test takers' registrations to May, when demand for seats is likely to be higher, not lower, than demand for seats in March.
Also:
In order to ensure the integrity of the SAT Program, the College Board reserves the right to bar any individual from registering and/or taking the SAT or a Subject Test."
This pretty much answered your question- they can deny anyone access for any time for test security or "other" reasons. "Other" being a very broad category. I suppose if someone had a non-refundable airline ticket, they can sue the College Board in small claims court for the value of the ticket but that sentence will probably result in a judge saying the plaintiff knew they could cancel and shouldn't have booked a non refundable ticket.
Pretty much any business can refuse service to anyone provided the group refused service is not a protected class. If you don't like it, don't do business with the College Board. Many people are choosing not to by the way.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/03/01/college-board-moves-to-stop-test-prep-providers-from-taking-new-sat-on-march-5/
(emphasis mine)
Of course not everyone is buying it:
So whether you believe College Board or not...at least they do make an attempt to explain why the late notice and why moving the date is helpful.
(But, yes, if you are just some poor soul with a valid reason that happened to sign up for that date, it stinks.)
"...senior director for media and public relations for the ACT, said his organization instituted a new policy two years ago that limited who could take the ACT “for test security and score validity purposes.” He wrote:
The restriction is one of many test security layers intended to limit the disclosure of ACT’s secure content and ensure a valid testing experience for our examinees. For individuals who provide test prep services, ACT has publically available test preparation offerings and regularly releases secure test content for public use. In terms of specific enforcement of this and other security policies, we can’t comment for test security reasons.
Asked if it was fair to say that the ACT doesn’t want test prep providers taking the ACT, Colby said: “Yes, that would be fair to say.”"
@gettingschooled -- I personally know of three adult test prep tutors who have taken the ACT in the last two years, so regardless of what the organization says, no such rule currently exists in actual practice.
You may be right that adults will be barred in the future. For reasons mentioned earlier in the thread, I think that would be a loss for students and parents (less knowledgeable and less qualified teachers; fewer allies to hold the test prep companies accountable), and a gain only for these test preparation companies (less scrutiny from test prep experts, whose complaints can be very influential).
I'm not really sure what point you and another poster are trying to make with those "terms"--the College Board says that it can do whatever it wants; therefore, it can do whatever it wants? I don't think you're going to persuade anyone with that line of argument.
Which of the cheating incidents mentioned in the article involved adult test takers? The "Nassau County, New York" scandal involved high-school-age students paying other high-school-age students to take the test for them. The scandals in Korea and China involved theft and leakage of test books before the test dates. So no, this isn't a start.
National Center for Fair and Open Testing, a nonprofit organization that advocates against the misuse of standardized tests, has found that test-prep companies in Asia have been operating for years in various ways; they send compatriots to the United States to take tests and/or obtain test questions by memorizing them or obtaining them illegally, as well as by monitoring chat boards where students post questions. Furthermore, on SAT days, these firms have people sit for the test at Asian sites in time zones several hours ahead, memorize questions and take a “bathroom break” to call or text questions that can be e-mailed to clients or loaded on calculators students are permitted to use at other test centers.
Also...Scores were withheld after every single SAT administration in the 2014-2015 school year in Asia amid reports of cheating — and some scores from the January test are being withheld as well as investigations into cheating proceed. The same problem has marred SAT administrations overseas for years; for example, the scores from the entire May 2013 administration of the SAT and SAT Subject tests in South Korea were canceled because of a leak of questions.
Are you reading the same article?
Why are you so unwilling to admit that there are clear issues with tutors taking these tests designed for students?
Are you a tutor?
If not, what's the deal?
Because this thread is now four pages long, and so far literally no one can articulate what those "clear issues" are. Those who try quickly make it clear that they simply do not know what they are talking about. (See the multiple well-intentioned but uninformed posts about "curves" in previous pages, for example.)
Meanwhile, among knowledgeable people, a consensus seems to have formed that the College Board is simply trying to avoid transparency and accountability. Not only will it not release the March SAT (i.e., it will not make it available to the public after scores are released) but it will pretty much literally not let any adult see it, ever? As I have said already, there is simply no argument that this outcome is good for anyone other than the College Board.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2016/03/College_board_transfers_march_SAT_takers_to_May.html