Beware. College Board can change your test center without effective notice.

Make sure you reprint your ticket within a few days of your test. My son had his test center changed without effective notice. He had a ticket to the original test center, but was not admitted. He was then told that he should have received an e-mail in the summer identifying the change. This one cryptic e-mail went to his bulk folder.
There were 30 other students in his situation, and the CollegeBoard staff lied to all of us and told us to go quickly to the other center where they will start the test late. They just lied to get rid of the angry crowd, because when we arrived the other test center 30 miles away had not heard from the other center. He was not allowed to take the test. SAT’s offshore call center was unable to help. And SAT’s top tier customer service refused to offer a makeup exam in a timely fashion.

How would they contact you if not through email-were you expecting a mailed letter or phone call instead? While I am sorry this happened to you, it highlights the importance of checking email frequently, including spam folders if one hasn’t modified the settings for college board addresses.

I’m sorry this happened to your son. I’m also glad that he has gotten the very clear message that he needs to check every single email including wierd looking ones in spam and junk because in the college process these days, just about everything comes via email. I’ve known many many students and parents who missed critical emails regarding needed health insurance waivers to questions on a scholarship application, missing info that can come from off best email addresses that look like spam or advertising. After my first kid, I set up a college email account just for college stuff that the kid applying to college, me and DH would check daily. Our personal emails were just overly inundated with garbage as well as household and personal stuff so that the college things would too easily get lost.

So take this as a very important lesson learned. Have to really check ALL emails carefully in case it’s something important. Certain things are non negotiable and once lost, that’s it.

In fact, many kids miss vital info by not carefully checking email and spam. Some parents have them set up a unique email address just for college related communications. Think about it.

Sorry, but I wouldn’t agree that notifying you of the change via e-mail, the mechanism used for all other communications, was not effective because it was filtered out and ignored on your end. College Board, and all schools with which you are communicating, should be whitelisted.

My son’s testing center was changed after registration and he (and I) received an email about it as well as a new ACT entrance ticket in the mail noting the change. I wonder why you didn’t get something mailed to you too…?

UGH. Really wish we could get rid of the College Board and save aggravation and money!