<p>We have had a series of frustrating issues with Collegeboard over the last two years, but yesterday was the prize winner. First, we have to drive 60 miles for my D to take the SAT because they only offer the test once a year in our town. But to make it worse, this time they had no test booklet for my D! She is a senior and was trying to take her last two SAT IIs. Her test center had been changed BY COLLEGEBOARD because the original center was flooded in Katrina. We dutifully printed out the revised admit ticket with the new test center and arrived at that test center at 7:30. The people there said that she was not on their roster, and although her ticket clearly said she was at the right center, they made her stand aside. They took all the other people and the standbys and then told my D there were no more SAT II booklets. Sorry. That's that. No test. All that studying, all that driving and on top of that missing a soccer tournament. Doubt if Collegeboard will care a bit; they are Collegeboard--they don't have to.
(Thanks for listening)</p>
<p>csshm:</p>
<p>Oh, no! I know many colleges have said they will be flexible toward students affected by Katrina. Your D should contact the colleges to which she wants to apply right away and let them know what happened. Notify the CollegeBoard also and see if there is the possibility of an alternative exam that could be proctored. They do have all sorts of different versions for students taking the test in different time zones. I know they can be irritatingly unresponsive, but it's worth a try. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Wasn't there someone in charge of the center test site who could call and try to straighten out the problem?
Or couldnt you call yourself from there?</p>
<p>I'm so sorry! That is very frustrating! Please call CollegeBoard and let them know what happened. Have them fax or send you a letter acknowledging that it is THEIR mistake, then contact the schools with this info. I hope it all works out.</p>
<p>She was writing it to vent. She SAID (Thanks for listening). A post such as hers will get comments that may be helpful. The rest of us understood the point. I guess you missed it.</p>
<p>What is a 17-year-old doing on the Parents Forum anyway if you are not going to make helpful comments? </p>
<p>My sympathies to the OP. I rather suspect someone screwed up at the test site (not in the College Board staff) if someone with an admission receipt for that site wasn't seated and stand-bys were. Definitely ask College Board what to do next, and complain that the local test center staff didn't examine your child's registration confirmation.</p>
<p>One more point: what about the ACT? Isn't that the more common test in your region?</p>
<p>The op said her daughter was taking the SAT II's- so I don't think she'd find the ACT equivalent for a specific subject test. How maddening for you and your daughter! ( We did find the ACT organization a bit more user-friendly than the College Board, overall).</p>
<p>I agree, the College Board is frustrating to deal with. Their website is a good example. One organization shouldn't hold a monopoly in something that so affects college acceptances.</p>
<p>Oh, thanks for reminding me that the OP's daughter was trying to take SAT II tests. That, presumably, is dictated by the requirements of some college to which she is applying, but then what the other replies have said about colleges understanding the plight of people in the Katrina aftermath region would apply. Talk to College Board, talk to the colleges, and see what the best possible plan B is. Moral of the story is to take the SAT IIs early if aspiring to go to a college that requires them.</p>
<p>You may want to have your daughter call the colleges in question and ask if a January test date would be OK. Many are making accommodations for Katrina-affected students and that seems like a reasonable accommodation under the circumstances.</p>
<p>Personally, I think that--under the circumstances described here--the College Board should</p>
<p>a) issue a MAJOR apology AND refund the fees they collected</p>
<p>b) RUSH a copy of an alternate SAT II exam to the principal of her school to be administered by a guidance counselor proctor at a mutually agreeable convenient time within the next few days. </p>
<p>(This alternate version provision is already in place for other reasons. I've previously posted about the fact the College Board will let students petition to take the exams a few days late in an individually proctored arrangement by a guidance counselor, in the case where they have some kind of unforeseen schedule conflict due to a sports championship or important academic tournament. So they must already have an alternative version available for that purpose, which could be used here as well.) </p>
<p>It's not clear whether it was the College Board headquarters or the test site administrators who screwed up here. It doesn't matter which one is at fault, because the test site administrators are acting as "agents" of the College Board, and the College Board has an ethical responsibility to mitigate the harm caused by their agents.</p>
<p>It really isn't difficult for the College Board to offer a remedy that is much better than waiting until the next administration in late January. (Actually, there are relatively few sites that offer the test in January. In our area, there are lots of sites in December but very few in January.)</p>
<p>She shouldn't have to wait until late January! She's reviewed for the SAT II tests now! And she shouldn't have to drive 60 miles each way again either.</p>
<p>From the facts described here, the College Board has a duty to make things as right as possible.</p>
<p>We had a similar experience. Our son and another boy were given a subject test rather than the SAT I, despite bringing it to the attention of the proctor multiple times. We worked it out directly through the College Board, and the boys were given a replacement date within one week. Act quickly. Don't give up. OB</p>
<p>This is a situation to CALL. Do not e-mail. Stay on hold as long as necessary. Be relentless.</p>
<p>Also, you may want to ask the head of your Guidance Department to call on your behalf. When we had a problem last year, he was able to get through to a rep for our region and resolve the problem. The GC had a name to contact, which helped. Good luck!</p>
<p>We live in an area which had an anthrax scare at the post office post 9/11; 100's of seniors in my area had their tests sitting in a post office for weeks while the building was being scrubbed down. The colleges were great about the delays.... you should contact the colleges directly about this.</p>
<p>I want to echo that colleges can be flexible. Remember that they are in the job of admitting students as well as rejecting applicants. Also consider that the colleges will probably not get around to looking at these scores for some time.</p>
<p>In my D's admission cycle two years ago, some of the messes approached comical proportions - missing stuff that was sent; stuff that was forgotten, and so forth. What was comical was how long it took colleges in January to just figure out what they HAD received and get it filed. Remember that the first week of January makes most admissions offices look like a war zone, what with all the stuff that gets sent in late December (and with office shut down from Dec 24 until after new year.)</p>
<p>Be assured that the admissions offices WILL be understanding. And if one is not, ask yourself if you really want your kid there for four years then? I think not.</p>
<p>Update: I called Collegeboard Monday morning and was told it was the Center's fault if the administrator let standbys in before my daughter, who had an admission ticket. I was told someone would call me back immediately. The week has passed, and I have not heard a word from Collegeboard. To make the whole thing more comical, today, December 8, my daughter received a UPS envelope from Collegeboard advising her that her test center for the December 3 test had been changed. Foolish me, when I saw the envelope from ETS, I thought it was an apology! Instead, more idiocy.</p>
<p>Was there any internal date on the letter that advised you of the test center change?</p>
<p>csshsm - I know this isn't funny to your daughter, but it's almost like a Three Stooges comedy. I do hope everything gets straightened out soon!</p>