Flagged SAT scores...

<p>He has taken the test both ways, twice with standard timing and the June test with extra time. His best total verbal/math total is 1250 with standard timing. He was having trouble getting through each section and couldn’t go back to check his work. This was happening in the classroom as well. </p>

<p>The diagnosis is a visual processing problem, and the timed situation exacerbated it. We had a full battery of testing done (at our expense) by a psychologist that confirmed the visual processing problem. This information was sent in to the College Board SSD office and he was approved for extended time and additional breaks, for which we are grateful.</p>

<p>I realize that some of you don’t think it is fair, but it is allowed so we took advantage of it once the diagnosis was confirmed. It levels the playing field, and if he knows the material he should have the time to draw on it. </p>

<p>Some students could get the extra time and STILL not be able to do the math or read the selections. My son does know the material. He, I think, has proven it.</p>

<p>It quite fair as long as it is disclosed IMHO. Good luck with the results and you should take into consideration how you will handle the situation in your choice of college, of course. 1250 is a very respectful score for a goodly chunk of colleges where there would be support for a slower reader if you are not comfortable with the LD dx going forward. Many kids barely make it through the sections and have little time to go back over their answers, that is typical on a timed test.</p>

<p>FWIW, my son does fairly well on his SAT scores (>1400 math+cr), but he told me he had hard time finishing the tests (leaving a few blank) and definitely had no time to go back and double check any of his answers. If he has some extra time, I am sure that he can get much better score too. It seems to me, it is very hard to draw a line here to what is fair. I guess we all try our best to put the best foot forward.</p>

<p>Agree ttparent, I think that is why it is important to look at the entire picture with regard to planning with the kids. A student who is meticulous who inherently needs to check and recheck or a slower reader could drown with certain college curriculum. Putting the best foot forward at a given moment on a given day is always important, but the OP needs to take these new scores in context as do the colleges regardless of how the CB ultimately handles the situation.</p>

<p>I am in full support regarding extra accommodation for the SAT. It is after all supposed to be but one of many tools a college uses to gage if a kid is admitted. How well he’ll do in college and after should be their goal. (BTW: I doubt that there’s much correlation between SAT score and ultimate success in life as things like desire, motivation, inquisitiveness, perseverance are not measured by a multiple choice test.)</p>

<p>Isn’t it kind of blatantly obvious 50% more time will correlate with higher scores in every situation?</p>

<p>The SAT isn’t supposed to be a test where you can re-check every answer.
A 1250 (out of 1600), doesn’t show a disability as much as a regression towards the mean. </p>

<p>Just because somebody doesn’t consider it fair doesn’t warrant extra time.</p>

<p>But hey, I am not the psychologist she is paying to confirm the diagnosis.</p>

<p>In regards to another poster, colleges do NOT know if a student used extra time. It was that way in the past but the test seemed like a scarlet letter in college process, like it should be in my opinion, and scores used with extra time are not disclosed.</p>

<p>I’m no fan of the College Board and not disclosing extra time is another blot in my opinion. And really, if you think about it, if you need accomodations in high school the underlying issues don’t magically disappear between high school graduation and starting college. I wonder, though, if high schools report kids who have IEP accomodations when they submit transcripts etc. to the colleges. Seems like they should, also, otherwise how can those records be in context? I just assumed everyone reported that info somewhere in the process.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I’m personally in favor of extended time for those who need it—I’m not a psychologist, and I’m sure there are a wide range of LDs that might prevent a student from working effectively. However, this particular situation (and your description of it) intrigues me. Almost all students struggle with timing. When I took the SAT for the first time, I rarely had time to check my work—in fact, I left three questions blank in a math section because I didn’t have time to finish (and I’m a pretty strong math student: 5 on Calc BC in my junior year, taking multivariable calc through EPGY this summer, etc.). I scored a 1490/2170 (which, I admit, is a bit higher than a 1250 M+V), but 1250 is still a very respectable score. After the test, I was disappointed with my time issues, but I just went on and practiced extensively with the time limits in order to get accustomed to taking the test. And, by golly, it paid off—1540/2340 in June 2009. My point is that an average score (and 1250 is well above the average for M+V) and time issues (which everyone has) are not sufficient reason to cry “LD.” However, I’ll stop speculating as I am not a trained professional.</p>

<p>Good luck to your son.</p>

<p>Well the average (out of 1600) is a score of 1000. A score of 1250 is above the average. I am not trying to be nosy or anything, but how does this condition affect the ability to take a test?</p>

<p>For the standard SAT Reasoning test I am never able to finish all the sections. I missed >10 CR question last test simply because I could not finish on time. And I also know my material; I just have to have enough time to draw on it.</p>

<p>I’m not LD myself, so it has to be explained to me as well. As I understand, it takes my son longer to be able to read because his eyes/brain process the words in a different way than, say, mine. His dad is dyslexic, so he must have some form of dyslexia. He does know the material, and just to, as I said, level the playing field he gets more time in order to put the words and numbers in the right place. Fair? I see it both ways. And, yes, he has a good score now. We were hoping for better.</p>

<p>My LD kid is high IQ dyslexic. It does run in families.</p>

<p>I have a question for some clarification. If one can see his/her scores on the collegeboard website, does that mean that they are not flagged? If your scores are flagged, is it possible to see the score, or does it just say that it is delayed?</p>

<p>If it really is a case of dyslexia, I have no problem with extra time being given (I do think it should be reported, though). If it’s just an issue of his brain taking longer to process information… well, that probably applies to everyone who struggles to finish sections within the allotted time, which is most of the testing population.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I don’t know for sure, but I think if you can see your scores it means they’re not flagged.</p>

<p>I think I have dsyliaxe…sometimes when I read a word from a line below jumps up and I read it as part of the sentence, or other times i just switch the letters around in the word. I think there was a statistic that said that 1 in every 10 people have dyslexia.</p>

<p>Good luck with the CollegeBoard issue - they are very frustrating to deal with. I find it amazing that a private for profit organization has so much power over the college process.</p>

<p>CB is not-for-profit…or so they say.</p>

<p>oh pleaseeeee -___-</p>

<p>ya know what, i’m gonna get extra time for my next SAT so that i can finally reach 2400!</p>

<p>^</p>

<p>You should. That is what my friend did. He went from a 1420 to a 1580 (out of 1600).</p>

<p>Might as well corrupt a corrupt system.</p>

<p>wow, i need to find a psychologist pronto!!</p>

<p>WorriedJuniorMom,</p>

<p>My daughter’s scores were also delayed, which I agree, was really frustrating. She didn’t have extended time, so her situation is different in that respect. We initially thought it might be because she switched test locations, as she got in as “stand-by” at a closer location. She also increased her score by quite a bit, but I don’t know if that was a factor.</p>

<p>Bottom line, she got her scores a few days later, and that was that.</p>