College Board Error
 

As if high school seniors aren't stressed enough....


http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=vi7jotbab.0....06tHh9g2zA6YIw

I've heard horror stories about that, whether it be the SAT, LSAT or other tests. I've also heard cases where schools mistakenly sent out acceptance or rejection letters.

I had thought those were all myths/urban legends, but I guess things like that really do happen.

If I understood the article correctly, the College Board will report the higher scores for those who were affected by lower scores, but not those who got higher scores.

Did everyone else read it that way?

While I understand the public relations of that, is it really fair since the higher scoring students may get spots in colleges over those who may really deserve them -- whether their scores were affected negatively or not?

That's a tough one.

I saw this on the news last night. I couldn't believe that this happened. I feel so bad for the students.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I know that my score, while respectable, influenced where I applied. But then again, I took both ACT and the SAT because Ohio schools tend to like the ACT more and schools in PA prefer the SAT. Both scores were close, but my ACT was higher.

Christ, this sucks. I know that ACT scores influenced the financial packets I was offered at Otterbein and at Bethany, i can only imagine what would have happened with an error in my score.

Both of our kids who went to college took both.

I wonder if some of the kids who were affected by this took both and that helped tip them off to the problem?

Or, possibly their scores dropped off from the PSAT or something.

I guess it could be that great students just knew when their scores seemed too low.

I took both and my scores were not commeasurate. I did well on the ACT, but scored a lot higher on the SAT - it played more to my strengths. (In other words, the SAT converted to ACT was several points higher than my actual ACT score.)

This is the official announcement online at the College Board site. They are ones who develop and administer the SAT and SAT II subject exams. I don't know who runs the ACTs.


http://www.collegeboard.com/student/..._2005_sat.html

I took both and did much better on the ACT. DA, I saw that too - I hope they do get it all resolved and give EVERYone his/her due credit.

ETA: Ok - it looks like it wasn't all testtakers and they mean they're contacting the students whose tests had to be revised. That makes a little more sense.

I can see how that could happen. I think both of ours were pretty equal between the tests.

You mention "converting." Is there some kind of rough scale to do that? Or is it just kind of understood that SAT XXXX=ACT XX?

Just curious.

I do find standardized tests troublesome on a number of levels, but they helped, scholarship and otherwise with ours.

All in all, I'm glad to be past all of this since our youngest graduates in May.

I know at least in my high school (and hometown, for that matter), very few students took the ACTs.

I'd imagine if your scores dropped off signifcantly from the PSATs, that would have been the big red flag.

Whatever happened, it's not good to put students through this during what can be a stressful time already.

I grew up in a Boston suburb and nobody took ACTs back then At that time most schools on the East Coast only accepted SATs. Now it seems to be different. The college couselors at my senior's hs told us junior class parents that the ACTs were an easier alternative to the SAT.

My child and the majority of her classmates in the AP classes did not take ACTs but only SATs (and of course SAT IIs if one was applying to private colleges). One set of exams for which to prepare was enough.

The High School Class of 2006 was also the guinea pig year for the new SAT. It's a very long test (3.75 hours).

I just tried PMing you - please clean out your PM box.

Since I grew up in a Boston suburb and wanted to go to school in Ohio, it was suggested that I may want to take the ACT depending on what my score on the SAT was. It turned out that my SAT score was high enough for acceptance to where I went. But before it was suggested, I had never even heard of the ACT and hadn't realized there was an alternative to the SAT.

UGA's admissions department was guilty of this last month. I forget how many kids were sent acceptance letters by mistake, and then the school had to call and retract the offers. Yikes.

Yes there was a conversion chart. I think it may have been part of the application materials provided by the University, rather than something from ACT of SAT. Illinois had an ACT score requirement (minimum) and so I think they included the conversion for those who had taken the SAT rather than the ACT because they would only accept ACT numbers.

That is the way it was for us as well (growing up in CT). The only time we heard about the ACT was if we expressed interest in going to a school that required it. Beyond that, it was SAT and SAT IIs all the way.

Is it just because of the internet that we are hearing more and more about these kinds of mistakes? Are is something happening in the systems?

Was it something like this?

http://www.ccsd.edu/south/Guidance/satconversion.htm

Hey, Thanks. That is very interesting. I've never seen it before.

Yep PJ, that's it. Thanks. :)

It was 112. Apparently, their scores were far from what they needed to get in.:eek: I wonder if someone will try to sue them for "mental anguish".

Hey Carnation,

Obviously I don't understand the overall financial dynamics of major university, but would it be a huge problem to just admit the 112 and raise the freshman class size on a one time only basis?

I understand there are academic standards involved, but it is not the fault of those who have already been accepted. Statistically, some percentage will flunk out, some will drop out and some will do better than expected.

What might the total impact be?

Interesting point of DeltAlum.

1. I would also venture that not all 112 would actually attend.

2. Colleges always say they can rescind applications if 3rd and 4th quarter are subpar. Perhaps if the student still shows poor grades, the offer could be pulled back in June.

I have heard that the 112 were really at the bottom of the admissions pile and if they'd accpted them, they would've had trouble from the hundreds of non-accepted people who were in between them and those who were accepted.

You mean they were athletes?

Hey, just kidding! Couldn't help the cheap shot.

I thought that the College Board folks had said that the mistakes weren't huge in terms of their overall scores -- like just a few points.

But, I understand your answer.

Reported now it was because of Moisture that caused the Problem!

They Screwed Up Period.

Does this mean that those that took The Test were in any %?

112 number of People is not going to make a big deal to any College, let alone spread over Many!

Give them Admission and let it go at that!:rolleyes:

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think we're talking about 2 different stories.

The College Board issue adversely affected .4% of October testtakers nationwide.

UGA positively affected 112 undeserving students by offering them admission.