<p>Pennylane…if you look hard enough, CB does explain that the March 2013 is the first test for which the photo will be required. I posted a link earlier in this thread and another link to a CB tweet on the subject in a similar thread a couple of weeks ago. The maddening thing is that CB is deliberately trying to conceal the fact that the photo is still optional. </p>
<p>I do think that you are correct that for now students should not upload any photos at all.</p>
<p>Scubasue- I looked at the link again and I see it now. It says effective October you will be “prompted” and them in March “required”. This not very clear and I missed it. It looks like one of their vocabulary questions.
OP I see now why the jump in scores could trigger an investigation, but I do feel that kids taking the same test can grow over time and improve. The cheating incidents are unfortunate, but they are not the majority of kids. I am sorry that this has happened.</p>
<p>“It looks like one of their vocabulary questions.”</p>
<p>bwwaaahaaaahhhaa</p>
<p>Exactly! They set it up so only the top 3% of test takers can figure it out!</p>
<p>Sentence Completion: On the October test, students will be _________ to upload an appropriate picture. In March, they will be ____________</p>
<p>A) Impelled, necessitated
B) Prompted, Required
C) Incited, Demanded
D) Requested, Indebted
E) Compelled, Mandatory</p>
<p>I signed my D up for the early Nov test a couple of weeks ago. The system would not allow me to finish registration without a photo. I’ve got the “come back and finish your registration email” to prove it. We didn’t have a drivers license type photo but I got one that is face front, just not shoulders up. Now I’m paranoid about this. This is her last shot and another 70 points between CR & M makes a big difference in Merit scholarships for her. I’ll be calling CB tomorrow about loading another picture…</p>
<p>txdad…we got that same email a few days ago BUT my daughter does have a photo uploaded. That is the standard email everyone gets if they start, but don’t finish, a registration. I don’t think the photo has anything to do with it. </p>
<p>Even though it doesn’t look like it, the system will let you finish registering without a photo. When you get to the photo upload page, if you just click “continue” at the bottom of the page, you can skip the upload and finish your registration without any problems. That’s why there are so many students still taking tests now that don’t have photos yet.</p>
<p>Pennylane, that’s awesome. </p>
<p>I also like:</p>
<p>*) duped, coerced (though I get the sentence would need revamping)</p>
<p>More like “intimidated into” and “frantic” if this is not cleared up soon. I think it may be worth the $10-$20 to get official passport pictures for this.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>How do having “passport photos” help?
It just means the person went to CVS, had pictures taken and walked into the SAT test.
It doesn’t mean the person with the photos is the person who registered.</p>
<p>What I was going to ask (because I thought I saw it mentioned somewhere) was: does the CB accept a passport as ID?
Is that correct?
That, my daughter has.</p>
<p>it sounds like no in OP’s son’s case. he had a passport.</p>
<p>So essentially, it is being run by morons.</p>
<p>^^^^ Bingo</p>
<p>I meant get a passport photo taken at CVS and upload it on the registration.
There is too much left to chance when kids and parents upload their own pictures. It’s hard to standardize that like passport photos. It would be worth it for peace of mind.</p>
<p>^^^^ Oh, gotcha. Thanks.</p>
<p>patsfan, December is too late for EA and ED. He will only be eligible to apply for RD at that point. He also will not be able to get his SAT in time for rolling and early admission to the state flagships. I have spoken to College Board a few time on the phone, asked them if they would let him take it on Suday with the Jewish testers, but they will not consider it. I asked told them this was too arbitrary for children to be told on the test day that a photo was okay or not. I explained how we thought the photo the uploaded photo was excellent for identifying my son. The only issue was the technical definition of what is meant by facing forward. I was told that photos were provided that gave examples of what was unacceptable. I explained that my son’s photos did not fall into those two classes, (one very dark and unclear, the other of two people with half the abruptly cut).</p>
<p>He does not want to start practing for the ACT this close to the deadlines. If he had PLAN in his background it would be different. Every indication is that ACT is less tricky but one has to work at a faster speed on it. I don’t think it would be impossible, but at this moment trying to switch speeds when he has the SAT rythm down, scored perfect scores on two practice SAT tests and a 2380 on the third, seems unnecessary. He is trying to get his essays done now and keeping up with five AP courses.</p>
<p>Perazziman…did they say no to the Sunday testing because it’s too late to register, or because they know your son isn’t Jewish?</p>
<p>You have to have a note from a religious leader (Rabbi… etc) for religious exemption. Although the majority of testers are probably Jewish I think there are other religions as well (7th Day Adventist?). As far as I know, one can only take the Sunday test for religious reasons, and it is not offered everywhere.
I don’t think they know the OP’s religion, but that there was not a religious exemption on file.
In general, strict rules to prevent cheating are a good thing. In this case, an honest student’s goals were disrupted and that is really unfortunate. If they were not willing to take his photo, I doubt they would waive the religious exemption without prior arrangement.</p>
<p>We were able to use D2’s regular school photo, scanned the 8 1/2 x 11 (that photo that always comes in the cheapest package that almost never gets given to anyone because it isn’t THAT good…). We had tried a couple of other pictures that are more attractive before that, but they were rejected by the website because they were not detailed enough resolution. Just saying that if you happen to have that sitting around from last year (or the year before if they have not changed too much in appearance), it worked for us.</p>
<p>Pennylane…thanks for the explanation. Of course, I guess it does make sense that there has to be documentation of a legitmate religious “excuse” for the exemption. </p>
<p>At first, I thought the suggestion for a lawyer was a huge overreaction, but after reading the OPs latest post, I see that the consequences to this student are so significant that maybe one is warranted anyway. </p>
<p>OP…that being said, I DO think the ACT is your only solution to your immediate issue. Your son’s stats are higher than my son’s. After trying the SAT twice, I signed him up for the ACT and only gave him a few days notice. I didn’t tell him anything about the test and told him not to worry about preparing. He literally did not know a single thing about the ACT (we’re on the west coast–no one out here takes that test). Long story short–he did better on the ACT (significantly better on the math) than the SAT. After he saw the results, he did a one practice test from the book to get the timing down and took it a second time. Long story short: his 2nd ACT score was better in all subjects than his SAT score–so much so that he didn’t send SAT scores to any of his schools. </p>
<p>In my opinion (I’ve studied both tests in great detail now), the timing is just not going to be a big issue for your son. It can’t hurt to at least have him try it.</p>
<p>Would most people in such a situation use a local lawyer or someone in Princeton?</p>
<p>I just purchased my child’s school photos. I sent an e mail with the new SAT and ACT photo rules to inform the company of these new rules. I suggested that they include an e mail photo that meets the requirements in the packet that parents buy. Even if they charge a small fee for it, a high quality uploadable photo would be a great service and convenience to families.
I know different companies do photos for different schools, but every child gets one taken, and hopefully a low cost packet with this would make it possible for students to have one. If everyone writes their photo company, it may help.</p>