<p>I have a problem and I don't know whether or not I should file a protest/complaint (or if I'm even allowed to still because I can't find the rules for it on the website).</p>
<p>Normally, during the essay, I take the last minute to write a sentence or two for the conclusion (probably not the wisest idea). However, today, during the test, I actually only got 24 minutes instead of 25. We started the essay at 8:46 and it was supposed to go to 9:11, but instead of giving us the 60 seconds of 9:11, my proctor cut us off right at the beginning of 9:11. I explained this to my proctor, who recognized the fact that we only got 24 minutes and went to ask the person overseeing everything, but she said that according to the directions we were supposed to be cut off right at 9:11. </p>
<p>As a result, I didn't even get to start my conclusion, although I thought that the rest of my essay was decent. So my question is this: How will not having a conclusion affect my essay score?</p>
<p>I had a similar problem the 1st time I took the SAT in March. On my 25 min writing section, the idiot proctor stopped 5 mins early prolly bc he was using an analog wall clock and added incorrectly. I ALWAYS time each section with my digital wristwatch; so when he initially said “5 mins left” and my watch said “15:00,” I excalimed out, but he told me to just continue working. In the end, he ended the section when my watch was around 20 mins instead of 25. As a result, I rushed and screwed up the paragraph revision questions. Oddly enough, nobody else in the room seemed to notice. As you did, I explained his error and post-test, I filed the complaint straightaway. </p>
<p>In the end, the effort was futile, as they delayed my score and then just told me that they weren’t gonna do **** about it. Apparently the proctor’s word is truth. I ended up with 3 more wrong than I should have. BS. CBoard = BS. </p>
<p>What difference it makes is how much in total you had filled. CBoard may deny this, but in my opinion, it’s you’re more likely to get a lower school for not filling up enough space rather than not having a conclusion. A conclusion isn’t that necessary; it may cost you 1 (at most 2) points on the essay. So instead of a 12, then you’d get a 10 or 11, if you filled up the space completely. That’s the most important reason why you should have a conclusion on the SAT essay: it fills up space. If you fill it up w/out it, it doesn’t really matter.</p>
<p>basically, filing a protest = 2 week score delay + nothing in return </p>
<p>(besides comically giving you the option of CANCELLING your score, that you spent $49 and 5 hours on a Saturday for; that’s not even including the studying time prior)</p>
<p>I don’t think there is much you can do in this case. If your complaint goes through, then most likely you will have to retake the test just so you could have saved yourself at most 40 points. But, we’re only talking about a minute here. I do not feel like it warrants a retake, but if it’s significant to you, go for it.</p>
<p>Thank you so much!! I guess I won’t protest then; I left about 3 lines blank on the essay, but hopefully that won’t bring my score down too much.</p>
<p>@big, I’m not sure I understand the problem. If the test began at the beginning of 8:46, then the 25-min test should end at the beginning of 9:11.</p>