My HS screwed up the PSAT administration.

Test Preparation
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<p>I'm so upset right now...</p>

<p>I graduated from a top 10 high school in Jamaica. I graduated two years younger than my peers with the highest honors within my class.</p>

<p>Now I go to one of the WORST high schools in NYS. The graduation rate last year was 59% and the projected graduation rate of this year's senior class is ~10%. Even with the high levels of grade inflation the students still can't make a C average in any of their classes. I could rant on and on about the sub-par academics at my school but I have already accepted that.</p>

<p>This is what really pi**ed me off.</p>

<p>Even though I procrastinated and delayed my PSAT studying, I began getting serious last week and spent the entire weekend (including Columbus Day) indulging my Barrons & Kaplan Prep book. I did a practice test last night and finally broke 200 (I believe this is enough to at least get commended). Confident that I was going to get higher than any student in my class (more than half of them came this morning and forgot that we had the PSAT) I strode proudly into the exam room. The proctor began reading the instructions. She read the part about how much time we had for each section and then stated that we are required to do the sections sequentially, and once time was up for one section we had to move to the next section. To my horror she said we will disregard that rule and we [the students] are free to skip between sections. Her words pierced my gut; I bled invisible blood.</p>

<p>So when we were told to begin, for the first 10 minutes there was moderate silence (silence in my school is very different from the definition of silence elsewhere. What is considered silence in my school is similar to the cheering that goes on at a sports game). While I was working diligently other students were chatting and playing music from their cellphones. The proctor kept on threating to send students out of the exam room (everyone knew they were empty threats). Students began banging the desk and chanting "F*** the PSAT". When they realized that I was still working one student came over to me and said "n<em>*a you a nerd, gimme that" and grabbed my answer sheet [I was sitting directly in FRONT of the PROCTOR]. A struggle pursed and it resulted in my answer sheet being passed around the exam room with numerous students reproducing my answers onto their answer sheets. Then the LAZY A</em> PROCTOR FINALLY got up and took my answer sheet from them and gave it back to me. For the rest of the exam students continued in their vulgar behavior and some of them went to sleep [this girl beside me took one look at the question booklet and slept through the entire exam].</p>

<p>After the exam was over I stormed to the principal's office and demanded her audience with her and I was told that I needed an appointment. Outraged, I kicked open her door and went in to see her...unfortunately I interrupted a meeting :( After being threatened with a suspension, I explained my case and she told me to talk to the GC. My past encounters with the GC has taught me that nothing would get done if I reported it to him. However, with great reluctance, I did so anyways. After explaining my plight he just said "I'll write a letter to collegeboard about it". I nearly fainted. It's not collegeboard's fault that the kids in the school are rotten. I expected immediate disciplinary action against them but alas, they weren't even given any form of warning, yet when I walked in on a principal's meeting they push suspension forms in my face.</p>

<p>Any ideas what I should do? I am terribly upset about this whole situation and would ultimately like to have a chance to resit the PSAT.</p>

<p>In my high school in Jamaica, we did standardize tests that were scored by regional & international examination boards and the behavior that was exhibited today would, under no circumstances, be tolerated. Students would have their tests rendered invalid and receive a suspension from the exam board (they would be barred from taking future exams for X years).</p>

<p>I feel like crying, and guys aren't suppose to cry :( :( :( :( :'(</p>

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<p>Students are not free to skip between sections. </p>

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</p>

<p>Contact:</p>

<p>Office of Testing Integrity
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Phone: 800 353-8570 (toll free in U.S. and Canada)
or 609 406-5427
Fax: 609 406-9709
E-mail: <a href="mailto:tsreturns@ets.org">tsreturns@ets.org</a></p>

<p>And contact your Regent: [NYSED::Board</a> of Regents: Current Members](<a href=“http://www.regents.nysed.gov/members/]NYSED::Board”>Current Members | Board of Regents)</p>

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<p>if you graduated, why are you back in HS lol? That’s the real question.</p>

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<p>Jayjay90, </p>

<p>exactly what I was wondering.</p>

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<p>Thanks aigiqinf.</p>

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</p>

<p>Jayay90, juniormints, how many 15 year olds do you see walking around a college campus?</p>

<p>Regardless, that is not the issue that being raised in this thread. If you want to scrutinize the NY state law that requires any child below the age of 17 to be enrolled in a school full-time, go start a new thread.</p>

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<p>***! I would have cussed out everyone in that freaking school! What kind of high school is that? If you reported this you could probably get all of these people fired. If I were you I would get them fired, then laugh at them and when you are a CEO you can go visit your classmates when they are 30 at the local fast food chain.</p>

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<p>Seriously though take it up with the testing administration and contact college board, I don’t know if you will be able to retake PSAT though.</p>

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<p>Seems like a potential lawsuit to me. Might want to consult an attorney. Obviously, the administration at your school does not respect your rights. They might take things like this more seriously if they hear from a lawyer.</p>

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<p>

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<p>Well, it depends on the college. My son, who turned 16 on Monday, started college in August here: [Home</a> — Bard College at Simon’s Rock - The Early College](<a href=“http://www.simons-rock.edu/]Home”>http://www.simons-rock.edu/) So at that college, there are a good number of 15-year-olds walking around the campus.</p>

<p>But now to the problem at hand: I suggest you call the College Board ASAP. Tell them about the situation (but leave out LAZY A** when you do). See what they recommend you do. </p>

<p>Some schools offer the PSAT on Saturday; you’d have to scramble to find such a school at this late date, but you might want to ask the College Board about this, too.</p>

<p>The College Board is likely to want some corroboration, I would imagine, regarding what happened when you took the test.</p>

<p>Good luck to you!</p>

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<p>By the way, the college board specifically states that it will work with students to schedule an alternate testing date if a junior is otherwise unable to take the PSAT. I would think that if the college board found your school’s test results to be invalid, they might allow you to take it again under that ability.</p>

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<p>It may be in your best interest to attend a college instead of staying where you are. There’s the City College of NY, Columbia, NYU, etc. I’m doing high school and my first 2 years of college in only 4 years, so I’ll graduate from college at 20. Being younger will be different, but after you earn your grad degree you’ll be old enough as it is. =)</p>

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<p>phxfire, I go to a really crappy high school :S If I told you half the stuff I have to put up with on a daily basis you wouldn’t believe me.</p>

<p>boomie, until Obama socializes law I can’t afford a decent lawyer :S</p>

<p>owlice & aigiqinf, its not that I haven’t thought about going to college its just that at the present moment I can’t, due to my parents negligence to file their income taxes. Therefore I cannot apply for financial aid and I can’t afford Columbia/NYU/private school tuition. I could probably make the instate tuition at CUNY schools but I just moved to NY last month so I wouldn’t qualify for instate tuition.</p>

<p>I will contact collegeboard, but not yet, I want to see what my guidance counselor will do about the situation first.</p>

<p>I go to a school of approximately 2000+ students. The PSAT was administered in several different rooms so I’m not sure if what happened in my exam room happened in other rooms. I wouldn’t want to do anything drastic and compromise other students who probably sat the exam under the required conditions.</p>

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<p>what u do is phone college board and ask give them the situation. then, the collegeboard might void all of the tests from the school. and ask them for u to take it again. take action by yourself. get it noticed. send it in newspapers and college magazines. criticized the school in every way until they meet your demands. dont give any empty threats cuz they will suspend or expel u. take action and say u have freedom of press and speech. they cannot harm u.</p>

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<p>I do think you should notify the CB and maybe other authorities about the situation in your school, it sounds horrendous. But regarding the PSAT, there is really no need to worry about trying to take it again. If you think you will only break 200 and not reach the NY cutoff for semifinalist (218 this year), then you will not be eligible for the National Merit scholarships anyways. For college purposes, the SAT is important but not the PSAT. You can find another school to take the SAT without these problems.</p>

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<p>Also, calmly give them the facts.</p>

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<p>I’m pretty sure this year’s Saturday test date is THIS Saturday, so if you want to try to retake the PSAT under better circumstances, I suggest you get moving on this. I think you should have called the College Board immediately.</p>

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<p>***! I would have cussed out everyone in that freaking school! What kind of high school is that? If you reported this you could probably get all of these people fired. If I were you I would get them fired, then laugh at them and when you are a CEO you can go visit your classmates when they are 30 at the local fast food chain.</p>

<p>^
lmao</p>

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<p>Call the Office of Testing Integrity. NOW. You need to let them know what happened. Hell, if you are too scared to call (or don’t want to get your school/classmates in trouble), just give me the name of your school (PM me if you want) and I’ll tip them off.</p>

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<p>Damnnnnn that sucks. i would have cussed them out like phxfire too!</p>

<p>yeah do what everyone else is saying. That’s complete b.s.</p>

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<p>Right…but honestly OP, you write your case like an essay…so boring and formal dude…losen up.</p>

<p>Make sure you ain’t writing like that on your college essays…</p>

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<p>Yeah. Do call collegeboard right away. You might want to write another PSAT this Saturday.</p>

<p>About your school, you had better delay complaining that until you hear from the collegeboard. If CB lets you take PSAT one more time without fussing, you mihgt leave your school alone for the sake of getting good rec letters. I hear no teachers/gc write good rec letters for troublemakers- legitimate or not. You could do it after graduation, maybe? </p>

<p>Best luck</p>