<p>My D just called me quite upset. She just learned her ACT scores, and they are quite a bit lower than the previous time she took the test.</p>
<p>She had come home very upset when she took the ACT in October. According to her, the testing didn't start until 9:40, stressing her because she had a noon commitment. What's worse, there was music playing in the background that the monitors were unable to turn off, and she had a hard time concentrating.</p>
<p>Has anyone filed a complaint with ACT about testing conditions at your site? If so, what was the outcome, and did you let college admissions counselors know about the problem? We are wondering what to do about this - if anything.</p>
<p>I don't think it was fair that she had to take the test with music playing in the background. (I know some people can think with music playing, but I can't. I love silence.) It is certainly worth notifying the testing agency.</p>
<p>I would definitely complain. In terms of the lower score, unlike the SAT, the ACT has score choice, so your D can send colleges only the higher ACT score she received previously, and colleges won't even know about the lower score she received on the badly administered test.</p>
<p>Make sure, though, that the high school transcript doesn't have all her ACT scores. If it does, then sending only the high score doesn't mean much.</p>
<p>Our dilemma is that we could not get October scores today since not all are posted yet--and had hoped to have some that were improved over June in order to submit for the Nov. 15 ED deadline. Because this "not in time" is a reality we will have to submit the sub-optimal scores. But when I talked with the Admissions office about the "send June on time or October late" dilemma--they said send June and then send the others--we will look at both. So I do think that if, for example, a transcript shows more than one set and some are not your best it is not too dire. Schools know (or at least some of them recognize) there is normal variance and that there are illnesses or environmental factors that affect performance.</p>
<p>The complaint should have been made right after the test. It would have been easy to verify then. My concern is that waiting until the scores comes out sounds like searching for an excuse.</p>
<p>I don't think it makes that much of a difference even if there is a distraction during these tests. My son had to take an AP exam under suboptimal conditions, which are noted on his test scores, but no one was given a quarter for the notation. Colleges will look at the highest scores anyways, from what I am told, and if it makes your D feel better the GC can note the situation, or maybe the testing association if you talk to them.</p>
<p>I do know a close friend whose twins had adverse conditions such as your student. After a number of calls complaining they were given a make up test.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice. You're right, she should have complained immediately after the test. Well, she actually did that - but unfortunately only to friends, family, teachers, but not the ACT organization. And she had arranged to send the scores to colleges before the test, and never un-arranged that. So the scores have been sent! </p>
<p>I did call the ACT organization & talked with them. They asked that she e-mail them a complaint with as much detail as she can. They said they could verify with information that they have that the test was started much later than planned. They also said that, after their investigation, if they found the test conditions to be substandard, they will issue a letter documenting that that we can send to the colleges.</p>
<p>A girl I know took the ACT a couple months ago. A fire alarm (false alarm) went off toward the beginning of the test and they had to evacuate the building. There was no covered area for them to stand in, and they had to stand outside in the rain for awhile. All the kids were drenched. They then went in and resumed the test. She claimed that they didn't get as much make-up time as they spent outside. She was entitled to extra time, but didn't take it because she was wet, cold and uncomfortable. I know her mother complained, but I don't know that anything was done. I think there was some talk of invalidating the whole test because the kids had left the building, but it never happened. Ultimately I don't know that it affected this girl's score, as she took the ACT again in October (just got the scores yesterday), and while the individual scores varied a little, the composite was the same. However, I have to think that testing in those conditions DID affect a lot of kids, and it doesn't seem right.</p>
<p>My daughter had an issue taking the ACT as well. She took it the first time as a test whose format she was totally unfamiliar with. She did well, but had time constraints on several sections. After seeing what the test was like she wanted to take it again. All was going well until she got to the reading section. The timer had started and the kids started their reading, and the girl in front of my daughter's cell phone started ringing. The girl reached under her seat and shut the phone off and apologized. The monitor got up and told the girl she had to leave. The girl and the monitor argued for a minute and he eventually escorted the girl out. Needless to say it was a distraction to everyone in the room, they lost time and focus. My daughter lost 6 points from the first test to this test in the reading area. The monitor did not give them any extra time due to the confrontation with the girl. It ultimately did not matter to her as she got into the schools she wanted to!</p>
<p>If you read cc after tests are taken you will see numerous complaints. Some kids are assigned rooms that do not have desk tops large enough to lay down the answer sheet.</p>
<p>My own son told me that the windows were all open in his test center. It was a highly unusual day regarding the weather. He told me that the wind was howling the entire time. It drove him nuts. I told him that he needs to deal with it, and that he can just retake the test. He is a junior.</p>
<p>My D had a similar problem with a SAT subject test. We followed all the steps we were supposed to (complained by phone and in writing right after the test). After not getting a response on how to proceed, I kept calling and getting told they would get back to me. After she got her test score, much lower than any practice tests she took, I was more adament and asked to have her scores cancelled. They then told me it was too late, we would have had to cancel the scores before she got them. They even confirmed that there were testing disruptions, but essentially said, "Too bad." I pursued the matter, having my call escalated (they are very reluctant to do this and tried telling me that they were the "highest" level person I could talk to). I finally very seriously threatened legal action and said I would organize with all the other parents and students who were frustrated with the College Board and miraculously, her scores were cancelled. I don't know about the ACT, but College Board must realize that they need to start taking their customers seriously.</p>