Update On March SAT Issues

After the timing crisis affecting March 8th SAT testers occurred, the College Board sent the following message to affected families:

We’re reaching out because you were impacted by a technical issue that caused your March 8 SAT exam to be submitted automatically before your testing time was over. While this issue has been resolved for future tests, we know this was a frustrating and stressful experience for you, and we are sorry. You will receive a full refund of your registration fees for the March 8 test and a voucher for a free SAT registration for future administration. In the coming days, we’ll also follow up with options for a March 22 makeup administration if your test center can offer one. As for your March 8 exam, you have two options: 1. If you want your score from this test canceled, you do not need to take any action. 2. If you have already completed your test when you saw the submission/”Congratulations” screen, you may choose to keep your score. We assure you that any questions answered before the test auto-submitted were fully captured and will be reflected in your score should you want to keep it. Please note that if you choose to keep your score, you must contact Customer Service by March 20 via the form at www.sat.org/inquiry and select the topic “Scores,” alternatively, you can call customer service at the number(s) listed below. Additionally, if you choose to keep your score, you will not be eligible for a March 22 makeup exam. Regardless of your choice, you will receive a full refund and voucher for free future registration. We will be in touch via email next week with information about processing full refunds, providing vouchers, and, if applicable, makeup testing.“

When asked for a comment, the College Board responded with:

We’re reaching out because you were impacted by a technical issue that caused your March 8 SAT exam to be submitted automatically before your testing time was over. While this issue has been resolved for future tests, we know this was a frustrating and stressful experience for you, and we are sorry. You will receive a full refund of your registration fees for the March 8 test and a voucher for a free SAT registration for future administration. In the coming days, we’ll also follow up with options for a March 22 makeup administration if your test center can offer one. As for your March 8 exam, you have two options: 1. If you want your score from this test canceled, you do not need to take any action. 2. If you have already completed your test when you saw the submission/”Congratulations” screen, you may choose to keep your score. We assure you that any questions answered before the test auto-submitted were fully captured and will be reflected in your score should you want to keep it. Please note that if you choose to keep your score, you must contact Customer Service by March 20 via the form at www.sat.org/inquiry and select the topic “Scores,” alternatively, you can call customer service at the number(s) listed below. Additionally, if you choose to keep your score, you will not be eligible for a March 22 makeup exam. Regardless of your choice, you will receive a full refund and voucher for free future registration. We will be in touch via email next week with information about processing full refunds, providing vouchers, and, if applicable, makeup testing.“

On March 13th, the College Board sent the following to affected families: We know you were impacted by a technical issue during the March 8–9 weekend SAT® administration that ended your test before your testing time was complete. We understand this has been an incredibly frustrating situation for you after you worked hard to prepare for the test, and we apologize.

This email is an update to the email you received over the weekend about next steps and includes information about new options for you.

You don’t need to take any action right now, but here’s what happens next.

By the end of this week, we will issue a full refund of your registration fees to your original form of payment, and we will also apply a voucher to your account for a free registration for a future SAT administration.

Also, by the end of this week, you will receive an email with a preview of your score from your test. Previewing this score will allow you to make an informed decision about whether to keep your score or take a makeup exam if it’s available in your area on March 22 (March 23 for Sunday testers).

By March 19, you will receive an email letting you know if a makeup exam is available to you. If a makeup isn’t available, we will share information about your options.

If you decide to keep your score (by opting out of the March makeup exam), you will get your official score no later than March 26. If you instead take an available March 22 makeup exam, your March 8 score will be canceled, and you will receive your makeup score within two weeks.

Again, we understand this issue has created a very difficult situation for you, and we are sorry.

If you have any questions, you may contact Customer Service at www.sat.org/inquiry or 866-756-7346, or +1-212-713-7789 (international). Customer Service hours are 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET, Monday–Friday.

Ji Gilbreth, a parent of a junior, found this response inadequate. “If the student wants to keep the R/W part, it is unclear if they will score the math section and how they will address on the score report that the student didn’t get to complete that section. They still do not acknowledge the fact that March 22 may not work and if it doesn’t, the student will have to wait til the May or June exam when AP exams, final exams are going on and the student might be rusty with SAT or have to prioritize SAT prep again over school work, AP tests, end of year sports tournaments, concerts/recitals, etc. They need to offer multiple dates for the retake, preferably in the month of March

As a parent, I strongly feel that College Board should:

-let the students keep the March 8th R/W score and if the student didn’t finish the math section, do not score the math section (and they need to put a big asterisk that there is no math score due to a technology issue by the College Board)

-AND they should let students ALSO take the March 22nd or whatever makeup date(s) offered since the student didn’t get to take the math portion at no fault of their own.

Adam Ingersoll, who originally broke this story, is pleased with this decision. “College Board has improved the remedy initially offered to students affected by the March 8 timing glitch. Most importantly, students will NOT have to cancel their scores blind in order to have a shot at the May 22 retake possibility. CB has created a special process to let students preview their scores before making that decision. And, while it could be more explicit, the message belows seems to make clear that cancellation will NOT be the default; rather March 8 scores will stand unless proactively cancelled by the student.

He wonders whether students who already cancelled their scores will be able to retract this decision.

This was a massive error of the College Board’s own making and their initial response was panned as inadequate by parents, students and the college admissions community. It is a good sign that they are adjusting their response to better meet the needs of students and families.