By: Neval Mulaomerovic, Ginnie Lo
Hosting the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for the first time in October was chaotic for the MHS administration, SAT Supervisor Jonathan Mach said. Students faced issues with poor proctoring and confusion on campus, he said.
The unfamiliarity of the site opened up problems for proctors, Mach said. Some proctors performed well while others needed assistance, causing complications for the administration, he added.
“Some of [the proctors] were brand new in the area,” Mach said. “For those [proctors] that need some help, we’re going to pair them up with someone that can help them for next time. It’s just that at a new site with lots of new proctors, you’re going to run into lots of problems.”
Proctors did not collect phones and students were allowed to put their phones away in their bags, Junior Vanessa Cho said. At other sites, proctors required students to shut off phones and phones were collected, she continued.
“I feel like it was kind of disorganized,” Cho said. “[The proctor] actually did not collect phones. He just told us to turn it off.”
Proctors decided whether it was necessary to collect phones, Mach said. It’s not a College Board requirement to collect phones, he said.
“Phones will be collected before the test, and returned before dismissal,” College Board’s Student Registration Booklet stated. “Using phones, smart watches, and certain other electronic devices is prohibited in SAT test centers.”
Most proctors were young adults or recent high school graduates, Junior Ashley Peng said. Proctors did not provide adequate assistance while administering the test, she added.
“The proctor didn’t really read the script so a lot of people were confused,” Peng said. “He said to just fill out the first page. Last time [I took the SAT at a different school], the instructions were more clear and less confusing and the proctors were more straightforward. This proctor seemed kind of confused as to what he was doing.”
Many rooms began their test after the scheduled start time of 8:00 a.m., Cho said. Students waited in line in front of their classrooms for 40 minutes before their proctors arrived, she continued.
“I saw proctors outside of classrooms after the time we were supposed to be in the classroom,” she said. “One kid came at 8:30 a.m. [The proctor] was still reading the test procedures, and he just let him in. We didn’t even start taking the test yet.”
Test centers are supposed to open at 7:45 a.m. and doors to the testing rooms must close at 8 a.m., according to the College Board website. Those who arrive after 8 a.m. will not be granted access to the testing area, the College Board site stated.
“That doesn’t mean we have to start proctoring at 8:00 a.m.,” Mach said. It means that for all the hundred students that are waiting to get in on that day, I need to get them in before 8:00 a.m. and get them on the roster. The door opening policy is anywhere from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m..”
Few complaints were received overall; they mostly came from students from other schools, Rojas said. Several students from other schools were turned away for not bringing proper identification, he continued.
“It’s not actually associated with our school,” Rojas said. “These aren’t our rules; these are College Board’s rules. It’s like the AP exam. When you take the AP exam, those aren’t the school’s rules, those are College Board’s rules. People need to understand that.”
Though students from private schools were turned away for using invalid forms of identification, Milpitas High students who forgot their ID were allowed to take the test, Mach said. This is a part of the reason why Milpitas High students are encouraged to take the SAT on campus, he said.
“The best part is if you’re a Milpitas High student, and you take the SATs and you don’t have your ID, I can look you up,” Mach said. “I can validate that you’re a student here. If you’re a student within the district here or Cal Hills or any student in our district, I can also look you up. But I don’t have access for private schools.”
MHS is planning to host the American College Testing (ACT) in the future as well, Mach said. Paperwork has already been submitted and the administration must wait for approval, he continued.
“[Hosting the SAT] is really about access for our students,” Rojas said. “I wondered why, as the largest high school in Santa Clara County, we don’t have this for our students. We also have a lot of low-income families who can’t travel to other places to take the SAT or ACT. That’s why I really wanted to make sure it got here.”