You would think the testing companies could easily fix the issue of test recycling. They just don’t do it.
This particular issue did not relate to test recycling.
Trying to develop and get two tests to have equal concordance/weighting across all subtests items so the scores would be considered equivalent would be a challenge. Not saying they shouldn’t try, but it would be very hard, Then you’d have the challenge of people claiming the tests were unfair because the scores on any particular administration were unequal… Well, we can hear it now.
I’ve followed this pretty closely and I’ve seen nothing to suggest that, actually.
@jym626 - that wouldn’t be necessary. They’d just have to do what they already do: equate the tests (with curves); this is their job, after all, and they already produce several tests a year. Their revenue is mind-boggling, they’re tax-exempt “non-profits,” so they really have no excuse.
There would be lots of complaints that one was easier than another
But it wouldn’t be–if a test is easier, the curve equates it; if a test is harder…the curve equates it. This is how they do it for every exam. There might be complaints, but none with merit.
“This is the first known cancellation of an ACT test administration in an entire country.”
I’m still trying to wrap my head around that official statement made by ACT spokesman Colby.
Correct me if I’m wrong (maybe I’m misinterpreting that statement), but shouldn’t the ACT know for a fact if in the past it has cancelled a test in an entire country?
That statement implies that if ACT canceled a test in a whole freaking country in the past, ACT is not aware of it.
What?!
The best of all solutions. All students of all countries? Include countries in Europe and Canada?
This “testing in US only” may also encourage only the rich students of other countries to attend schools here. Win-win to the schools here.
Are you like the Vice President of Test Security at the ACT or something? You sure seem to worry about a handful of kids cheating and have a lot of excuses to reject every other idea except for your own.
Have you yet read the 14 pages of threads that pop up when you type “Asia cheating” in cc?
The good has many enemies. I’m going to go ahead and choose not to include the perfect among them.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
I am assuming that the back and forth snarky comments (you know who you are) have come to an end, as they have no place on this thread. As is the case with every thread here, one should correctly assume that nobody’s mind will be change, regardless of the skill of the debate. So please refrain from banging the same drum. Several posts have been deleted.
A lot of people (especially here in CB) seem to assume that every foreigner asian cheats. At least that is what the media seems to imply with the constant cancellations in test recently in Korea, China, etc.
However, before all that, I will like to remind you all, that tens of thousands are taking the test globally and usually the cheating scandal that results in the cancellation is only through a very small subset of students. In fact, a few years ago (very recently though), Korea had its SAT cancelled. In the news that time, I believe that known cheaters were really only like a couple dozen. Maybe even only like 2 dozen (~24) of students.
Technically, 24 students in comparison to tens of thousands is not much. And it truly isn’t! However, it seems many times the media tends to ‘overblow’ the proportions when it comes to cheating.
It’s entirely possible that the recent ACT cancellation could have leaked only to like 2~3 students. Please mind this before making assumptions of foreigners. Unfortunately, unlike USA, both the ACT and SAT are ready to easily cancel the whole testing in a country through such excuses.
In fact, I believe even in the US there is constant cheating scandals in the ACT and SAT. However, as ACT and SAT is for US colleges (mainly), the media tends to overlook the fact that even americans in US soil cheat. In other words, if ACT and SAT were to follow the procedures they do on foreign nations to ours, it is entirely possible SAT and ACT would consistently be cancelled in the US.
Having said that, yes, there seems to be a lot more pressure to cheat in Asia than in the States. However, please before posting do realize that there are many parents (including american citizens) abroad who is currently worrying for his/her child simply cause maybe 8 people were able to get the exam information early.
Tens of thousands suffering a fate simply because those students do not live in USA currently is an unfortunate event.
And before we all start pointing fingers at foreign nations and labeling as cheaters, please do research the top US universities right now. Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Columbia, etc. etc. are all currently facing massive issues with cheating scandals on finals week due to something called the “Internet”.
Yes. Americans in US soil cheat too. Gasp! Please, don’t forget that people are people at the end of the day before making assumptions.
I feel many parents here are unaware of the fact that many foreigners are just like them and have honest sons or daughters. I am sure you would feel enraged and upset right now if you realized your local testing center (and anywhere nearby within a 15 hour drive) was cancelled simply cause maybe (possibly) 1 cheater was found.
Where is the evidence that only 2 dozen of “tens of thousands” are cheating? There are reported large scale chating rings that now spurred an industry to corral them.
And this isn’t CollegeBoard (CB) here.
There is none. CB does not release any data.
I just remember watching the news in a korean news channel long ago (when I was in Korea) in which the korean government tried to help catch those small hagwons (after school learning place) but ultimately failed (there seemed to be lots of hushing up probably by CB).
And during that time, the korean government seemed to find only like one hagwon having the test for the month beforehand.
However, as it is entirely possible there could be more hagwons, yes, it is enitrely possible more could have cheated.
Unfortunately, as finding cheaters are so hard, it seems the fact that the test was leaked is enough evidence for a test company to cancel the whole country.
If you are operating off something you heard on the news long a ago, you may have a lot of catching up to do.
This is at least the 2nd time in as many weeks that I’ve read posts claiming that citizens of the US aren’t really Americans, just descendents of former immigrants. US citizens are full citizens. It doesn’t matter where they came from or how long ago they came here. Foreigners can claim all they want that they’re the same as we are and that we don’t have any more right to be in this country than they do. I think US Immigrations and the Department of Homeland Security might disagree with you.
@AccCreate - I don’t think it matters how many people are involved in a cheating scandal. If the integrity of the test has been violated it needs to be cancelled.
Of course there are cheaters all over the world. However, the cheating has been occurring frequently in Asia lately.