<p>My dd took the Wednesday PSAT in October as a guest of a nearby school. She said there were some irregularities in the testing, but she didn't raise the issue with College Board at the time because (a) she was a guest, and it seemed pretty ungrateful to accept this school's hospitality and then blast its testing procedures with CB, and (b) she thought she had probably done okay on the test anyway.</p>
<p>Examples of the irregularities:</p>
<p>She was told to show up for the test at 8 a.m. She did, but they didn't start testing until 10. Then they took a lunch break in the middle of the test.</p>
<p>The students were told that they were not allowed to use calculators. My dd spoke up to say she had read the rules and calculators were permitted. The administrator said the school was allowed to set its own rules. My dd said she was not prepared to take this test without a calculator. The administrator then said the students could use calculators if they chose, but there was a different curve for those who used calculators vs. those who did not. The test began, and many students (though not my dd) chose not to use calculators because they thought they'd get a better curve. While the students were testing, the proctor apparently read the rules and announced to the students -- after at least one math section had been completed -- that calculators were, in fact, permitted.</p>
<p>This week my dd got back her scores, and they were lower than she had expected -- solidly in Commended range, and 20+ points above her sophomore scores, but not up to Semifinalist. She had been scoring well within Semifinalist range in her practice tests from the CB blue book in the weeks leading up to the test.</p>
<p>If it were you, would you raise the issue of the irregularities with College Board at this point, or would you let it go?</p>
<p>If your daughter's test results had returned with semifinalist results would you question the irregularities?</p>
<p>I think your dtr was smart to have read the rules concerning the use of calculators. It is typical that the supervisor had not. I don't think that the irregularities rise to the level that the test should be thrown out.</p>
<p>I would focus on the SATs, recs, and essays which are far more meaningful for future admission.</p>
<p>Also, a 20+ point increase in one year is a ton. Regardless of what your daughter scored on the practice tests, CB is not going to let her retest if she increased her score by that much.</p>
<p>i think you should complain A LOT to collegeboard.</p>
<p>even though it would probably be fruitless at helping your daughters' scores at all, especially at this point, the administrators at that school were just unbelievably obnoxious and to not be prepared nor know the correct rules when they are administering a test that is so unblievably important in these students' lives is absolutely irresponsible and they should not be able to get away with it.</p>
<p>think of the naive and innocent students who next year will be taking the psat at that same testing center. their scores could be lower because they were not allowed to use a calculator or because of the break in concentration or the cheating going on during the lunch break. by knowing that this testing center has irresponsible administrators, you have a duty to let the collegeboard know. the collegeboard wants its test to be taken seriously and with respect and should like to know about these irregular circumstances involving the test. students could have called up students at other schools who had finished the test and asked them for the answers in a bathroom during the lunchbreak. and i am sure that happened. frankly, i am jealous of those students. i worked my butt off during that test and took the test fairly under standard conditions and i dont think it is fair that others could cheat or even have the opportunity to cheat or even be cheated themselves by not using a calculator.</p>
<p>please, for the sake of me and all of the other juniors accross the nation who took this test, if not for the sake of your own daughter and her friends: COMPLAIN</p>
<p>p.s. let me know how it goes and good luck! :-)</p>
<p>I would say something for the sake of others. Those proctors are usually paid, so they should have a clue</p>
<p>I would preface your "complaint" with, I am not looking for anything for my daughter, but this testing location was not what I am sure CB is expecting. They started late, didn't know the rules, etc. While my D did fine, because she read the CB material and knew, for instance that calculators were permitted, the proctors did not know that. This does not make the test fair for those students taking a test that is to compare them with the rest of the country. Etc. CB seems to pride itself on fairness, etc, and if you just say you want them to know about the site, and aren't looking for anything, changes will probably be made.</p>
<p>If no one says anthing, then the same treatment will keep happening.</p>
<p>I get kind of irritated when people say "don't say anything cause it won't help you personnally" </p>
<p>so what if it doesn't help your D, it may help someone else, and that is a great lesson to teach</p>
<p>Oh no! Not a Semifinalist! What will the world come to? Not to sound insensative, but being semifinalist isn't the biggest thing in the world... Only on CC would someone parents complain that their daughter wasn't a semifinalist. Much more importantly, have her do well on the SAT... it counts more...</p>
<p>"Oh no! Not a Semifinalist! What will the world come to? Not to sound insensative, but being semifinalist isn't the biggest thing in the world... "</p>
<p>If you were a parent then you would be as angered as lgreen. And please don't post things that you yourself don't know about.</p>
<p>The point is that he should try to make sure future test administrations at that high school are fair, so other quality students won't get jipped.</p>
<p>I think that you should complain because what can you lose. At least try and see what they will say. They could figure out something for your daughter. Go for it.</p>