100+ students have to retake SAT exam after given wrong test in Greenwich
GREENWICH, Connecticut (WABC) -- More than 100 students will have to retake the SAT exam after they were mistakenly given the wrong test.
There were 114 students who took the test Dec. 2 that was apparently used in October 2021.
The College Board informed school officials that the problem prevents them from accurately scoring the test because they don't use previously issued tests "to protect the integrity of the process."
Officials with Greenwich High School said of the 114 students who took the test, 77 attend the high school.
"While this is a College Board process, we care deeply about our students and we should not have relied upon College Board to message swiftly," said Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones. "We fully understand how stressful this is for our students to be faced with taking the SAT again when they should be winding down for the break."
Jones said she has contacted the College Board to better understand how the mistake happened but she says their response has not provided a clear understanding.
Student Charlotte Oh broke down in tears when she went online to check her SAT score and found a notice telling her she was scheduled for a makeup exam on Dec. 16.
"I was at practice when I found out and I just started crying, I came home, I was very upset," Oh said.
Melissa and Carney Hawks' daughter is one of the impacted students.
"We just felt badly for her. It was her first time and she actually came back feeling really good about it, so we were just really disappointed," Melissa Hawks said.
Students who were impacted by the exam mistake can take a makeup test Saturday, but many parents say it comes with too little notice, especially for private school students who are already on holiday break.
The next available date is in March, but that's a new digital version students say they're unfamiliar with, and a three-month delay impacts recruited athletes like Oh.
"For college coaches they want to be seeing your test scores and I've been telling coaches 'I'll give you my test scores as soon as they come in,' now I basically have nothing to give them," Oh said.
Having to retake the exam is bad enough, but parents say more upsetting has been trying to get answers from the College Board.
"An hour the first call, an hour two days ago and today I spent another hour. Still no. They say 'it's escalated, it's in code-red, we'll give you answers Mrs. Oh,' nothing," parent Karen Oh said.
The College Board released the following statement:
"Unfortunately, we discovered there was a misadministration at Greenwich High School for the December SAT. Students can take the makeup test on paper this weekend or the digital SAT in March. We understand the frustration of students and parents and apologize for the inconvenience this has caused."
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