CollegeBoard rescinding test score

[faststudi88]

Hello, this is my first post to the forum. I recently took the English Lit CLEP at my local testing center. During the test (about 45 minutes in) somebody pulled the fire alarm. Luckily, there was no fire, but I still lost 20 minutes during this time.  I decided that I was not going to go ahead and try to pass the exam, but wait and pay for another voucher. When I got home, I tried to pay for an exam, but I couldn't because the website said my initial exam was not completed.  While I was doing this, the proctor at the testing center called and said that they had somehow paused the exam. I then went back to the testing center and completed the exam. I passed w/ a 68, and was called the next day by the CollegeBoard since the testing center had filed an incident report. On this call they told me that I could keep my score. Today I got another call from the CollegeBoard, and they are saying since they cannot account for the 1 hour I was gone (when I was home trying to buy another ticket), they are going to "cancel" my test score. They did advise me that I could take the test again in 3 months.  I am at a loss at this point and wondering if anybody else has gone through this, and if so what you did about it.

[MNomadic]

Wow. That's some BS they're trying to pull. I would take the issue up to someone higher. They told you conflicting things. I would state your case and stand firm that if you can't keep the passing score(which is something they should make happen for you) then you should at least be able to take the test again sooner. Also, will the testing center refund the fees you spent there?

[Tedium]

I'm sorry. I think if you would have stayed at the testing center the entire time you may have been able to get them to let you retest or take your original score. What probably happened is the testing center put in the incident report and College Board called and asked if you were in their presence the entire time. When they said no, you got the second call.

That's such a bummer, though. The least they could do is let you test again sooner.

[alexf.1990]

I'm sorry. I think if you would have stayed at the testing center the entire time you may have been able to get them to let you retest or take your original score. What probably happened is the testing center put in the incident report and College Board called and asked if you were in their presence the entire time. When they said no, you got the second call.

That's such a bummer, though. The least they could do is let you test again sooner.

I think this is the best route to go. Don't push for your last test to count, just ask to retest sooner. You scored a 68, so its not as though you're going to have trouble during the retest. Tell the College Board that you worked really hard on the test and it took alot out of you, blah blah blah. You should initially push to have the first test count, then meet them in the middle at being able to retest immediately.

[eriehiker]

Also, tell them that you posted it on this site and that we are all waiting to see how they fix the situation.

[Tedium]

Also, tell them that you posted it on this site and that we are all waiting to see how they fix the situation.

I get the feeling that wouldn't change their minds lol.

[clep3705]

"Tell the College Board that you worked really hard on the test and it took alot out of you, blah blah blah." They don't care about that at all. They only care about exam integrity. You left, you weren't under the observation of the proctor. It's unfortunate you have to retest, but you need to understand their perspective.

[faststudi88]

Wow. That's some BS they're trying to pull. I would take the issue up to someone higher. They told you conflicting things. I would state your case and stand firm that if you can't keep the passing score(which is something they should make happen for you) then you should at least be able to take the test again sooner. Also, will the testing center refund the fees you spent there?

They said they would refund fees. CollegeBoard has not yet gotten back about testing sooner.

---

Hello, this is my first post to the forum. I recently took the English Lit CLEP at my local testing center. During the test (about 45 minutes in) somebody pulled the fire alarm. Luckily, there was no fire, but I still lost 20 minutes during this time.  I decided that I was not going to go ahead and try to pass the exam, but wait and pay for another voucher. When I got home, I tried to pay for an exam, but I couldn't because the website said my initial exam was not completed.  While I was doing this, the proctor at the testing center called and said that they had somehow paused the exam. I then went back to the testing center and completed the exam. I passed w/ a 68, and was called the next day by the CollegeBoard since the testing center had filed an incident report. On this call they told me that I could keep my score. Today I got another call from the CollegeBoard, and they are saying since they cannot account for the 1 hour I was gone (when I was home trying to buy another ticket), they are going to "cancel" my test score. They did advise me that I could take the test again in 3 months.  I am at a loss at this point and wondering if anybody else has gone through this, and if so what you did about it.

This is frustrating. Did you try to personally talk or negotiate with them?

I did. When they first called I was very upset, but I called back and was given an email address.  It feels like I'm going in circles with them at the moment....

[greencouch]

They're unlikely to reinstate your score, since students cannot have access to outside materials during the course of the exam. Unfortunately, they have no way of ensuring this in your case since you were off-premises for an hour.

I had something similar happen to me, but the testing center paused the exam as soon as alarm bells went off. Our items had to stay locked up as we were evacuated, and I was able to complete the exam up once the incident was over about 20-30 minutes later. (In my case, it was an actual small fire in the building.)

Honestly, the testing center is at fault here for not revealing that they were able to successfully pause your exam while you were still on the premises. Ideally, they should comp the cost of your re-test.

It's a crappy situation. I agree with others that you should push for an earlier re-test opportunity.

[cookderosa]

hopefully you'll get a sooner date. In the meantime, if you haven't, you could go in and take (pass) the Analyzing Interpreting Literature exam. It's going to use the skills you already have and will come in as a different literature course. If your college allows this *instead* of the lit test you already took, you can be done, but if not, then this will add to your credits.