ETS(collegeboard) makes me so freaking furious !!

Test Preparation
1

<p>They finally sent me a letter says my sat scores that i took last time is invalid which means they cant give me my scores and they say my answers are almost same as the one who seated near me. i was hella mad at it as soon as i read it. </p>

<p>well, my first test , i knew i would get bad grades cause i didnt study too much , but second test, i really studied hard over and over and i felt like i can get much better scores. </p>

<p>but the freaking ets says they cant give me my scores.
they say "feel free to consult with other people about my test" i was like ***, how can they treat me who raised the grades all by myself rather than saying "well - done" some like that.</p>

<p>and they told me to give them substantial evidence which i can get my scores .</p>

<p>please help me guys , i dont wanna be failed by ETS. plz give me some really good ideas</p>

2

<p>Have your parents, guidance counselor or SAT school coordinator talk to them. Shake them up a bit. I feel your pain. I had the same fear, but I got lucky. </p>

<p>If you took a course, show them.
If a person of authority (counselor) can testify that you studied hard and it is mere coincidence.</p>

<p>But do not turn this into a show of your integrity or the like. This doesn't matter to them. I know, they are ---holes. </p>

<p>You can refute their accusation by countering their statistical analysis. Prove to them that the chances of similar answers is not impossible. After all, we all studied for the test, we all are taking the same test and it was graded by the same company. If the valedictorian and salutatorian (assuming they are SAT savvy) happened to sit next to each other, and are very smart, and of course have similar answers because maybe they happened to have the same test version, (their are only a few versions), then would you accuse them!?!?!</p>

<p>Also, make them feel guilty, come out outraged and insulted, "How dare you question my Integrity?" kind of stuff,</p>

<p>You have to make arguments for yourself. Do not plea saying you're a good kid, they don't care.</p>

<p>Also, request a copy of your file, so you may see what they are seeing. I remember I did, and it seemed to threaten them.</p>

<p>I know it seems stupid you have to do this, but hey thats what CollegeBoard and ETS is. Stupid.</p>

<p>I don't care about being nice right now.</p>

<p>If everything fails, they will offer you a retest or refund, or you can request arbitration, long and lengthy, and you will lose because Collegeboard funds the judge,</p>

<p>Fight for it, use verbal skills, and statistics and logical arguments (like the vale salu thing). Be very stern with them and try to seem like you will bring the President on them if they don't comply. Throw some weight around</p>

<p>Sorry for any typos.</p>

<p>I hope this works out for you</p>

<p>Ak</p>

3

<p>
[quote]
Fight for it, use verbal skills, and statistics and logical arguments (like the vale salu thing).

[/quote]

i don't know if the whole "vale/salu" argument will help the OP's case... it makes sense that these "smart" people would answer many/most of the questions correctly, but wouldn't it seem strange/raise concern if "somehow" they wound up with (a pattern of) the same incorrect answers?</p>

4

<p>True,</p>

<p>but you have to attack them on how their methods or way of invalidating is unfair or just illogical. They only say that the answer sheets match enough to raise suspicion, but I don't know if it is right or wrong answer patterns and asking that would make them even more suspicious. </p>

<p>Requesting a file- Call them and say you would like to request a copy of your file for your own review and so you can make proper decisions. They cannot deny you this right. If you do get it, you can see what scores of yours are being held, and can see what they are seeing.</p>

<p>My main idea is you have to form arguments that are logical and based on statistics. Thats one of the only ways to argue with them. Also, you can say things like, 'Interesting policy you have, based on answers. Seems to me thats unfair because any two people that happen to have similar answers can be accused by it. According to the actual facts, you do not have any proper evidence to accuse me like this. This can be mere coincidence. Were you there when I was taking the test? NO!, so how can you possible jeopardize my college career (seriously) and question my integrity? Seems to me you are stretching your authority to places you shouldn't. I am sure my senator, or my local newspaper would love to here about such a situation. It would make great headlines you know. I just cannot understand how you can argue with all my hard work, my effort and my time based on a coincidence that can easily happen, and is not solid enough to prove anything. What kind of educational company is this? I am asking that you release my scores. I have done nothing wrong, yet you penalize me. Must my life be tainted with such a thing, just because you have such an unfair, improper policy?"</p>

<p>Wait for their answer.</p>

<p>You get my point, its all about attrition.</p>

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<p>what if i talk to presidents of the company?
i dont wanna talk to the person who handles my case
shes hella dumb, and keeps giving me same excuse which doesnt make sense</p>

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<p>Presidents? you can't be serious.
As much as I sympathize with you, I don't understand why you are so stubbornly ignoring people's advice to bring in the heavy guns, starting with your parents.
Make sure they (and you) read this:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/422995-i-think-i-m-going-puke.html?#post4970677%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/422995-i-think-i-m-going-puke.html?#post4970677&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Hmmm, so the CB was intersted enough in your jump in scores, to dig out the scores and actual tests of those sitting around you to compare the wrong answer pattern with? that is interesting-do the proctors have a seating chart and send that into the CB? hmmmm</p>

<p>Why are you still doing all the communicating here...what about your parents, someother relative, your counselor, etc? You DO need the big guns </p>

<p>What DID you do to get a better score...if you bought test prep books, did you charge them or keep the reciepts> did you study with anyone else? do you have the books? did you talk to your GC after the first set of tests and tell them what you were going to do to improve? have you taken other tests that reflect your knew scores></p>

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<p>i have a lot of books now but they dont care about it, and i already asked my councellor to call them, but it didnt make any changes . thats why im still doing this...</p>

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<p>btw, akahmed have you done this before? have you said that to them?</p>

<p>im not sure if your advice is right</p>

10

<p>Yes, the proctors have a seating chart and various other forms of information. </p>

<p>If you didn't copy the other person's answers, document how you studied between the two administrations of the test.</p>

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<p>You (or preferably the ADULT you have representing you) need to find out if this "other person" was taking the same version exam as you. Were you seated close enough to each other that it was actually POSSIBLE to read their answer sheet?</p>

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<p>fireflyscout has a good point- when I took the SAT years ago, some of us were sitting in library cublicals, no way could we see anyone else's test....</p>

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<ol>
<li><p>How can it be ruled out that that "other person" did not copy your answers?
Rephrasing fireflyscout - how were you positioned in relation to each other?
Find that out.</p></li>
<li><p>Do you have an ADULT who speaks/write fluent English who could represent you?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you still have your scratch work / notes you've made when studied?</p></li>
</ol>

14

<p>I can only sympathize for you, I know what it's like to take the SAT and the whole preparation process. I can only hope that everything goes well.</p>

<p>Like the others have said, you need to fight with some representatives.</p>

<p>If you really did not copy the other person, he/she probably copied his/her answers off you and you definitely need to appeal.</p>

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<p>The first thing you should do is ask to see your file. Also read through this, it looks very helpful and reliable:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.princetonreview.com/college/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=319&TYPE=LOBBY%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.princetonreview.com/college/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=319&TYPE=LOBBY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>The people who run these investigations are pretty good at them. They do this full time. They should be giving you every opportunity to explain. They have heard righteous indignation, challenges to the way they run an investigation, reasonable alternate explanations, etc., so I don't think akahmed's strategy suggestions hold anything they haven't dealt with before.</p>

<p>Relax, take a breath, and listen carefully to what they say. You will have your "day in court" before the investigation is closed. It is possible that the other student's paper initiated the investigation.</p>

<p>If you go on the assumption that the CB is money-hungry blood-sucking corporation (seems to run through many of these threads), you also need to accept that they would not throw money on an expensive investigation if they didn't have what they felt were legitimate concerns, risking even more expensive litigation.</p>

<p>With them, it's not personal, it's business. Try to keep it that way on your end.</p>

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<p>Can you recall anyone that probably cheated off you? If you did, then you know what to do.</p>

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<p>I must say I didn't say those exact words because my situation was different, my answer sheet didn't math anyones, I just had a 350+ point increase in my M + C. My main argument was that I took my previous test two years ago and a jump that high was understandable. I even asked if I took a 7th rade SAT and a senior one next and I had a 800 point increase, wouls it apply, she said yes.</p>

<p>I know my language to this whole situation seems strange and improper, as is this whole policy, but sometimes you have to give them a hard blow. If you keep calling them with a longing and sad tone, they will plow you. But if you use your rights and tactics, you can shake their cages.</p>

<p>Believe me, be harsh if you have to. This is your career we are talking about.</p>

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<p>


And what was their second piece of evidence?</p>

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<p>Nope, they based three extra weeks of anxiety and torture on a good study period. The next assumption for them then would be someone took it for me, which they could not prove, and evidence clearly stated I did take it myself (my handwriting). Yeah ... I don't really like this policy.</p>