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New SAT Security Measures Mean...Real Students Get Turned Away For Nonsense Reasons
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2012
Modified Oct 7, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2012
Modified Oct 7, 2012
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Last year, an elaborate SAT cheating ring based on Long Island shamed the College Board into changing its security measures. Yesterday's administered SAT was the first to require a photo ID upon arriving at the test facility and again when returning from breaks and handing in the test. Only, for some students taking the test at Murrow High School in Brooklyn, their photo IDs weren't good enough!
Previously, security standards were pretty lax—in the cheating ring, students were able to pay entrepreneurial test takers between $300 and $1000 per test, with the paid test-takers easily taking tests for their clients (in once instance, a male was able to take a test for a female). So perhaps SAT test administrators were being extra careful—or perhaps too over-zealous, according to some students.
Midwood High School senior Prianka Zaman was taking her SAT subject tests at Murrow where she "saw one of my classmates tearfully run out of the school with her ID and admission ticket in her hands."
She was prevented admission to the test because her school ID was faded even though she had a clear photo of herself on her admission ticket. A few minutes later, I saw another student walk out of the school because she was also denied entrance.
Another friend of mine had a faded school ID, but he had another ID from a volunteer organization with his picture on it. They didn't accept it because it wasn't a state issued ID. He called his mom, who frantically came to the school with his birth certificate. They still didn't let him in.
After my test, I left the school and saw one of my friends sitting in the bench outside. Guess what? She was also denied entrance. They told her that her school ID picture was too faded and she would have to reschedule the test.
The student who had his mother bring in his birth certificate (and who is also a senior at Midwood said), "I had a SECOND ID from volunteering and they still said no because it wasn't government issued. Then my mom got frustrated so she came with my BIRTH CERTIFICATE and they still wouldn't let me in. Seriously...not even a birth certificate is valid? So now I have 2 IDs, my mother and a birth certificate. Honestly.... use your common sense! Now I have to pay a $26 fee"—on top of the $50 fee—"to take it in November. The whole SAT process is messed up." And stressful!
Zaman points out that being denied access to the test can totally throw off a student's college application process, "We have to take the regular SAT and SAT Subject tests as well. Imagine if a student who was applying early decision to the school of his dreams was denied entrance to the exam in October and already scheduled his subject tests for November. (You can't take SATs and subject tests on the same test date)." Further, she says that she and her classmates spend the summer and September studying to take the October test, to get it out of the way so they can focus on college applications in November and December, "I understand that they are trying to give everyone a fair chance, especially after the recent cheating scandals. But this is just taking it too far."
Tagged
midwood high school
murrow high school
sat
sat subject test
sat test
standardized testing
stressful
original
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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