<p>I have a friend who currently has some pretty ridiculous accommodations. He has no real "mental" issue per say, but has way below average handwriting, and "slow-processing" of questions. </p>
<p>With the SAT he gets:
~ 1.5X the time on each section
~ Ability to type up test
~ The test is not the same test, it's a previous test within the past 5 years. </p>
<p>With the ACT (today):
~ 5 hour block, with no time restriction on each section, meaning he can revisit each section as he chooses. </p>
<p>I wouldn't say that it's abusing the system, but he is an intelligent kid. Because of this, he got a 12 essay and time to check each section. I find myself in a similar but lesser boat - I have mild ADD, I have below average handwriting (typing would greatly increase readability)... What are your opinions on such accommodations? While it would be shameful to apply for them myself, I can't help feeling a bit jealous...</p>
<p>I feel that is definitely abusing the system… quite frankly, my handwriting is completely unreadable unless I slow down considerably. I took the ACT and SAT under normal time conditions though and did fine. Extra time for handwriting is positively absurd.</p>
<p>I think everyone should have an open time limit. There is no reason to have a time limit for each section of the test, it just encourages text anxiety and making silly mistakes.</p>
<p>I completely agree with Vehicle. Time constraints killed my Math score. Does being quicker at answering questions make you “smarter” than someone else? I don’t think so. At least not in an overarching way.</p>
<p>I will have to agree too. Math is no problem, but I find reading the problem. I am very good a comprehending in the reading section, however I prefer to read the entire passage. Not to mention, I would say I am a terrible skimmer. And for the SAT to be a big factor in the admissions process, it definitely does make me anxious while take the test.</p>
<p>How exactly does one go about getting these accommodations?</p>
<p>thequestionmark, you need to understand that chances are very good there are other issues present that you do not know about. for instance, i know from experience that collegeboard will give the typing accommodation only with documentation of dysgraphia. plain old bad handwriting is not good enough. there is a huge difference between the two things. inability to write more than a few sentences is not the same as not liking to write more than a few sentences. this person has disabilities much more severe than you are aware of. the time-and-a-half accommodation is the SAT standard ADD accommodation.
also, you should know that the college board, and to an even larger extent act, is historically incredibly stingy in the distribution of accommodations. I am sure this person was turned down at least two or three times before he was finally granted his accommodations. the process of being turned down and reapplying takes years. people do not persevere so long if it is not truly a necessity for them to have the accommodations.</p>