February 27, 2008
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SAT Scores
A lawsuit has been filled by the owner of the SAT and PSAT against a Dallas-area test-prep company.
The owners of the SAT and PSAT are saying that their security has been breached and that the test prep company received “stolen copies of the SAT and PSAT, a practice exam, to give students an unfair advantage.”
Now the owners of the SAT are saying the high school students who took the prep course may have their scores thrown out. Here is the link: Link I received this story from ChIcKaRoO831
On the one hand, it doesn’t appear that the students are at fault. On the other hand, it does look like the students had an unfair advantage.
Do you think the student’s test scores should be thrown out if it is found that the test prep company had copies of the actual test?
Comments (88)
I’d say SAT’s should be thrown out period. =) I’m glad those days are gone for me -_-
It isn’t the student’s fault, but there’s something to be said for maintaining the integrity of the exam. I’d say they have to take it again at no cost.
If it’s a small enough group and the scores are not out of whack from previous SAT/PSAT scores, then maybe don’t bother.
… what do standardized tests actually prove?
Yes, although it wasn’t the students fault, they do have an unfair advantage.
rich kids have an unfair advantage over poor kids who can’t afford tutors or a good education
life isn’t fair
deal with it
well they should probably get to take new tests at the prep company’s expense because to use the scores would offer an advantage, unknown as it is, an advantage none the less.
I’m glad I don’t have to tell anybody my ACT score.
I don’t know if that’s fair…perhaps just mark the score, and then allow them a chance to (reasonably) redeem themselves, through another test or their performance in college since they started or both, if one or the other is unsatisfactory.
Even though it wasn’t their fault, they had an unfair advantage. The test prep course should apologize to the students and give them back their money. The test scores need to be thrown out unfortunately.
Haha… Standardized tests are such crap!! *Shakes fist* (I’m just bitter because I need to take the ASVAB again.)
Why not let them take it again?
Do you think the student’s test scores should be thrown out if it is found that the test prep company had copies of the actual test?
Yes– but only if the College Board could work out a timely substitute for high school students currently in the college admissions process. Ohterwise, no.
@xpureinn0cenc3 - rich kids have an unfair advantage over poor kids who can’t afford tutors or a good education
College and grades are not about fairness, they’re about performance. Students who nitpick on points like these rather than working hard themselves are pathetic.
Oh yeah, let the students take the hit for this one. How professional.
Standardized tests are bleh…
SAT is just quite nonsense.
@stargazerlillikat - I agree…if prep companies aren’t allowed to have actual copies of the test, the prep companies should have to pay for the kids to retake the test.
That’s not fair to the students… who PAID for the course and probably didn’t know it was the ACTUAL (and not just a practice) test.
I think they should be thrown out because they did have the advantage and if they scored higher than they normally would it would be unfair towards them. I think that they should be allowed to retake the test for *free* though, it’s not fair to make them pay for it twice when it wasn’t their fault. Although, it’s likely they will take it a few times anyway. I took it three times.
I don’t think the students should be penalized, but I do understand how their scores may have been skewed if they had (unknowingly) been given the correct answers. Perhaps they should allow the students to retake the SAT for free – assuming the test has already been revised in response to the ‘security breach’ and see what scores they obtain.
The scores should be thrown out and the students’ money refunded.
if they had old versions of the test, then i don’t really see why it’s such a big deal. if they had current versions of the test that were used for practice, then went in and took the *exact* same one for scoring, then i think they should be allowed to retake it for free.
Like I said when you posted this in the photo blog, there’s no real need for the SAT’s. I never took them and I’m in one of the top public universities in the country.
I don’t think the students should suffer because the company screwed up. Their scores should still count. Besides, the type of kid who would take an SAT prep course is the type of kid who was going to do well on the exam anyway.
@elvesdoitbetter - Like I said when you posted this in the photo blog, there’s no real need for the SAT’s. I never took them and I’m in one of the top public universities in the country.
Did you transfer from a junior college? All colleges that I’ve looked at in Calironia required either the SAT or the ACT.
Of course they shouldn’t be thrown out, especially if they knew before hand. It’s the new American way. You’re not only allowed to profit from yours or someone elses malefesance, it is actively encouraged. Shortcuts, all the way, and if someone gets in the way, to h-e-double-hockey-sticks with them. Me first, and if there’s a way to guarantee sucess, give it to me, I’m ENTITLED.
This has been a regularly scheduled test of your sarcasm detectors, we now return you to your lives.
I’d say that they should throw them out.
Throw them all out, and make students take the ACT. It’s a much better exam that is much more accurate.
I think the SATs should be thrown out.
you know whats sick? I grew up in Plano, TX…my roommate/best friend went to Karen Dillard’s prep school…they better be careful with this….= There are going to be LOTS of angry parents. and no I don’t really think that they should be throwing out the test scores. Growing up in that area and by investigating students GPA’s and grades…you -will- know if the kids are good students. Its not hard to pick out the good versus the bad. The grades are frighteningly accurate. Alas, some of us always wished it was easier to get in the top 10% of the school, but you had to have over a 4.0 to do that.
@ms_skeptic - They prove how well you can do on standardized tests, is what they prove.
For real “fairness,” yeah, the scores should be thrown out, but they should really investigate first. It won’t make a difference if the stolen tests were only given out in one city, and besides, there’s several different versions of the test and the probability that enough students got the exact same version as their prep test is too slim to make a difference.
It’s bizarre, but the PSAT scores in this situation are more important than the SAT scores; PSAT scores need to be examined carefully to determine the selection index for National Merit, while SAT scores are looked at more in terms of a range and are only a part of the college admissions qualifications.
SATs they really need to get rid of these horrible tests.
If they’re thrown out, they should be allowed to take them again for free because I highly doubt the students had any idea of what was going on.
what’s really interesting is – how much of a difference did it really make, scorewise
it would be in the two companies interest to let them take the test again
Yes, definitely.
Make the kids retake the test.
I certainly disagree that standarized tests unfairly hinder poor kids. If it wasnt for the SAT, I would not have gotten scholarships.. which in turn, I would not have gone to college.. as my mother was too busy buying drugs to be concerned with her kids. If anything, the SAT helps bright disadvantaged kids by allowing them to demonstrate that they can hold their own against more affluent students.
When I went to take the LSAT, the prep programs such as Princeton Review and Kaplan will waive the cost of the program ($1200) for students that can demonstrate financial need (all they need to show is that they qualify for a application fee waiver).
They absolutely should not throw out the test scores -_-.
I just took the SAT last month, and throwing out my 1904 would just turn me into even more of an angsty teenager, and the world doesn’t need that. (I’m sure I can say the same for MANY other students.)
i don’t think that some don’t understand that some people can’t retake the test.they’re scores are on college desks being looked at right now. and some people have been accepted into their school of choice. it’s too late for seniors to retake the SATs and now if they have to retake it or their scores thrown out, the colleges have to reevaluate the student. and depending on their score, they may, or may not, get reaccepted into the school.
might i add that this all happened because an angry worker at KD got mad and threw a hissy fit.
and i’m under the impression that people think that the tests they took were the OFFICIAL test they took as the SAT we’re one in the same. they’re not. they’re not “dead” copies that have been released, but they had been used and would not have been used again, but haven’t been released in public.
@huginn - often if you transfer too (in california). i provided mine and they helped despite transfering years later.
i would say yes…i worked hard to get my scores as high as they were, with out cheating. and i hate cheating.
absolutely. its like handing the kids the answers, is that really fair?
@Doug_Glendower -
“Of
course they shouldn’t be thrown out, especially if they knew before
hand. It’s the new American way. You’re not only allowed to profit from
yours or someone elses malefesance, it is actively encouraged.
Shortcuts, all the way, and if someone gets in the way, to
h-e-double-hockey-sticks with them. Me first, and if there’s a way to
guarantee sucess, give it to me, I’m ENTITLED.
This has been a regularly scheduled test of your sarcasm detectors, we now return you to your lives.”
Sooner or later, America will pay the price for its laziness and become China’s puppet. And when it happens (and if I’m still around) I’ll move to either the Republic of Texas ( ;p ) or Russia.
But to answer the question, Yes they should have there scores thrown out. I also think that the SAT should be thrown out too, but I highly doubt that will happen. Because people are to lazy to think up something else to repace it with.
in a way, i want to say “yeah they should.” but i’m about to take the act test soon. and i would be so angry if they threw my test out. all that work… studying… hours… and hours.. of studying things i’ll NEVER need… and then to have to RE TAKE the test.. all that stress… AGAIN… yeah, i have mixed emotions on how i feel.
Since research shows that these scores are not a good indicator of academic success in college, I don’t see that it is important. It is a problem, however, for those granting scholarships who use these scores as a cutline for applicants. The scores are also used to gain admission points in some academic programs. A common third use is to determine who needs to take remedial classes in math, reading and english prior to enrollment in college level classes. (I think most colleges also have alternative exams for that purpose, making the need for the ACT/SAT scores really questionable.)
All a test score does is show how you did on one particular day at one particular time. Results can be scued by a student’s health that day, the weather, outside noises, prior preperation, education level at schools attended, motivation and attitude. All it tests for are how many answers you can recall for that particular subset of questions. It doesn’t measure how smart you are or what study habits you possess.
I feel the whole admission test mentality is flawed.
Yes, they should be thrown out. If those kids were going to the school I wanted to go to and were accepted because of such an advantage, I’d be absolutely furious.
no… students didn’t know anything about it. it’s not like this prep class advertised the “stolen” test. if the SAT/PSAT board did that, then they’d be facing lawsuits of their own.
Then what? Are they never allowed to take it again? Do they change the entire test again so those few can retake it?
yes. Make them take it again. after all, none of us got to have the real thing as a ‘practice’ test before we had to take that damn thing.
I say let them retake the test for free.
AND ACT or SAT, both are crap. I even had to take the GRE – these have nothing to do with anything. How does having “astute” verbal skills make me a better counselor when using big words my clients do not know wont help? How does making me solve complex algebra and calulus problems tell you how I will write a paper for college? The GRE was manytimes more irritating than the SAT or ACT ever was… and it cost me $115 bucks at the time! (and then I ended up going to s seminary where I did not need it.. urg, lol).
Daniel (doubledb)
Yes.
yes, there is a high risk of an unfair advantage, and what is wrong with having their scores thrown out? Just take the test again. There’s no reason for their scores to change drastically, if it is really reflecting their current knowledge and academic ability- and if their scores take a huge dip, it just indicates that they probably *did* have too much prior knowledge of the test.
I think something must be done about SAT prep courses anyway, what a joke. The purpose of ”standardized” testing is the try to quantify and then measure knowledge, and if you do everything in your power to increase your score without increasing what the test measures, you are making it meaningless. Loopholes for the loss. I probably would have scored much higher if I had taken a prep course, but that would be akin to lying about how academically qualified I really am.
For everyone who hates the SATs and standardized testing: I agree with the sentiment that schools and -teaching- should not focus on impersonal, fact-memorizing based test taking, but what is the alternative for an objective measurement of knowledge for colleges and the like to use as a reference?
SATs are just a load of bull anyway. They don’t prove anything except that you can take –yet ANOTHER– standardized test.
Regardless, you need to take them for most universities.
I’m taking SAT prep from my school. I sure as hell don’t want them to throw out my SAT scores because I took that practice test! That’s so unfair. At least refund the money so those of us who don’t have unlimited resources can afford to take the damn thing over.
Yeah, they just want them to pay again to take the stupid exam…
They should just at least get their money back if their scores are gonna get thrown out….And take the ACT instead.Glad I never have to take the SATs everrrr agaaaain.
Yeah, I would throw out the scores. For the ones already in college, though, it’d be really stupid for the college to throw them out.
ha, glad I’m done with those…
Shit happens, just make them retake it at no charge. It’s un advantage.
If their scores are not valid, will they get their money back?
The SATs are ridiculous in the first place. A college should look at a student’s report card/transcript and NOT one score on a stupid test.
That being said, while the students themselves were not at fault their scores were skewed because of an unfair advantage and they should have to retake the test.
meh
well…..yeah
duh
i could have scholarship money if my test score had been higher
not fair
and i really wish people would stop saying they are crap tests
can you really think of a better way for colleges to asses ability i thousands and thousands of applicants
i don’t really like them…but they are not crap…
and plus, if you have already studied for the sat once…it shouldn’t be such a big deal to take it again…The sat is not like the act…it is about potential ability
bleh…complainers…just do it.
its not that big of a deal
shit happens
i guess i agree with boatyboat
@misty_kleinman - and i really wish people would stop saying they are crap tests
can you really think of a better way for colleges to asses ability i thousands and thousands of applicants
My feeling of the issue is that the test is intellectually justified for its purpose, and that all nay sayers here just happened to perform poorly on the test.
@jada_marnew - The SATs are ridiculous in the first place. A college should look at a student’s report card/transcript and NOT one score on a stupid test.
Colleges do look at grades. The SAT is a standarized tool for comparision of students from different high schools. It is but one component that goes into the wholistic assessment of a high school student’s potential for college.
@captain_jaq - SATs are just a load of bull anyway. They don’t prove anything except that you can take –yet ANOTHER– standardized test.
You can’t do well on the SAT’s without mastery of Algebra. You can’t do well on the SAT unless you’re sufficiently literate (with a fat vocabulary).
Doing well on the SAT’s means comptency towards the sort of skills indictive of college readiness.
Standardized test are a joke. But that is not what you asked here. Should their scores be thrown out? No. I don’t believe that they should. Why punish them for something they had no knowledge of? But if they are thrown out, the kids should have the option to take the test again at no charge.
Now back to them being a joke. I was too poor to take a standardized test (here in the north we do the ACT) or to ever see a tutor in high school for my difficulty understanding mathematics and science. And what happened? I get punished by not being able to attend a four year university, and I have a hard time in the community colleges here because the ones that I can afford are not that great (straight out of high school i got my own job and residence and such, making decent enough money to not qualifty for aid, but still not enough to afford school.) And I think its a joke that kids would be kept from attending a university and getting a quality education simply because they are poor test takers. If one expensive little test is going to keep them from being successful, thats a problem.
@goodbyedinner - SAT is just quite nonsense.
The experts who determine college admissions disagree with you. I bet you that you’re fully incapable of demonstrating exactly how they’re “nonsense.”
@stargazerlillikat - often if you transfer too (in california). i provided mine and they helped despite transfering years later.
Oh no, I was just wondering. Some girls I knew got into UCLA without having ever taken the SAT’s. (They were local junior college transfers).
The SATs and other such tests are rigged anyways towards a white, middle class, male education system, let the students have all the advantages they can
I feel so bad for these student’s. I would pissed. I honestly have no idea what I would do…
who cares. although some of my friends probably saw those tests. they took it last year and several went to karen dillard test prep.
When you think about it, the whole thing is about memory retention of what we have learned. They may have copies of the test, but the answers are still their own. So no, the results should not be thrown out.
Shouldn’t be thrown out if the kids are in college making good grades already. For the ones that are not in college, make them retake it, for free. Explain that the kids nor the parents have done nothing wrong, just the company, and you are not at fault for that.
yes yes… no no…
yes.
its not the students fault. but maybe they should be allowed to retake it. the company should have the pay for it and maybe have their company shut down for a while.
You’re playing the system here, in precisely the way the XANGA lords wanted to prevent, but eh. I applaud you. I’m on a mission!
I’m just commenting here so you can get more credits.
I have very few credits, myself – so you’re getting cheap minis from now on!
*hugs*
No, I have a couple of friend who went to the test-prep center, and they never had any unfair advantages.
>.> The whole lawsuit seems like a jealous argument to me.
They should have the students re-take the test.
Something like that happened in the nursing licensure exams here over two years ago. A review center leaked the test questions to their students. All the examinees of that tainted exam had to go over it again.
To punish them by voiding their scores? No, that wouldn’t be right.
No, because the SAT doesn’t matter *that* much in the overall admission process anyway. Not to mention many prestigious universities have rather low SAT averages…IMO.
wow. are they stupid? it doesn’t even matter because there’s so many versions of the test.
Of course the results should be thrown out. Some people had the test in advance and got an unfair advantage.
no. they have old GRE exams to study for it (but they’re 10 years old instead of 2 years old). they also give us test tips, most common questions, etc.
wow… they’re lucky, or more unlucky.
i don’t think it should be thrown out, especially if it’s not the students’ fault.
Absolutely. As a student who has taken the SAT twice, I want to make sure that my knowledge of the test is as good as anyone else’s. SAT scores aren’t everything, but many colleges see them as such, and I don’t want a cheater to get into a college I am vying for. >:(
the students should not be punished; however, perhaps the SAT etc producers should be! In free mkt econ – they were resp for security. We need alternative tests – we have them, so why are we so dependent on only one measurement? There needs to be a broader standard of measurement anyway.
True, the stats on the test itself are compromised. Not just that of these students. Throw the whole test out…..make a NEW one, and/or use alt measurement. For ALL
Yes, but they should be able to retake it free since the kids who weren’t at fault shouldn’t have to pay for the security breach and you can’t tell who had the advantage and who didn’t.
I don’t think so much emphasis should be given to standardized tests anyway. Looking at their accomplishments during school to actually determine what kind of student they are.