WSJ article on more students especially the affluent get extra time on SAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one should get extra time. It is just a scam for the wealthy to push their kids above the others.

In real life you don't get extra time.

at work, I give extra time all the time.

Where do you work? I don't know many professions where you just get extra time. I would be curious

I’m a lawyer and we get extensions all the time. And there are almost no “quick you only have 3 hours but certainly not 4.5 hours!” drills.

If so many kids need more time, just extend the amount of time the rest takes. It should still be curved to the same distribution.

Figures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one should get extra time. It is just a scam for the wealthy to push their kids above the others.

In real life you don't get extra time.

at work, I give extra time all the time.

Where do you work? I don't know many professions where you just get extra time. I would be curious

I’m a lawyer and we get extensions all the time. And there are almost no “quick you only have 3 hours but certainly not 4.5 hours!” drills.

If so many kids need more time, just extend the amount of time the rest takes. It should still be curved to the same distribution.

Good lord, because your clients pay for your extra time!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College Board approves 94% of requests??? So there is no real investigation? Who ever said it was difficult to get extra time accommodation is full of hog wash. A 94% approval rate is not an indication that it is difficult to get approval.

College board requires proof of diagnosis for accomodations. Once you have a qualified diagnosis, who is the College Board to say that the kid's diagnosis isn't valid? Getting an evaluation to get a diagnosis is an $$$ multiday process. All of you people implying that parents and kids are faking should count your lucky stars that your kid doesn't have a learning disability or other learning challenges.

I am a parent whose child has been tested for delays, though not HS age yet. I have posted on the SN boards. So that where I'm coming from.

I certainly believe that there are students who need the extra time and who have true LD. They need it, and it's a shame that their need for it will be questioned. But I also think it's an area that has a high potential for abuse.

There are parents like those in the college admissions scandal who will intentionally abuse it, and know very well their child has no LD. They did it in this scandal, and I don't think it's that hard to do. Coach your child to act a certain way, they will get a diagnosis. Especially if you have money, you can do this.

I also think there are other parents who I don't think are intentionally faking it, but who just can't seem to accept that their child is anything less than the best. If the child is not top of the class, mom or dad is having everything tested up the wazoo, doctor shopping, and I think if you put enough effort into it, you can probably find someone who will diagnose your child with something -- low processing speed or ADHD. It's not like there's a blood test for these, it's all a judgment call interpreting symptoms.

I also think there is under-diagnosis in low SES communities. It takes money to get these diagnoses, time to get all this testing done, and certain know-how about the system and how to apply for it. Private schools and schools serving an affluent community are on the lookout for LDs, they help students get the help they need through the system. Probably not so much in lower-performing schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College Board approves 94% of requests??? So there is no real investigation? Who ever said it was difficult to get extra time accommodation is full of hog wash. A 94% approval rate is not an indication that it is difficult to get approval.

College board requires proof of diagnosis for accomodations. Once you have a qualified diagnosis, who is the College Board to say that the kid's diagnosis isn't valid? Getting an evaluation to get a diagnosis is an $$$ multiday process. All of you people implying that parents and kids are faking should count your lucky stars that your kid doesn't have a learning disability or other learning challenges.

I am a parent whose child has been tested for delays, though not HS age yet. I have posted on the SN boards. So that where I'm coming from.

I certainly believe that there are students who need the extra time and who have true LD. They need it, and it's a shame that their need for it will be questioned. But I also think it's an area that has a high potential for abuse.

There are parents like those in the college admissions scandal who will intentionally abuse it, and know very well their child has no LD. They did it in this scandal, and I don't think it's that hard to do. Coach your child to act a certain way, they will get a diagnosis. Especially if you have money, you can do this.

I also think there are other parents who I don't think are intentionally faking it, but who just can't seem to accept that their child is anything less than the best. If the child is not top of the class, mom or dad is having everything tested up the wazoo, doctor shopping, and I think if you put enough effort into it, you can probably find someone who will diagnose your child with something -- low processing speed or ADHD. It's not like there's a blood test for these, it's all a judgment call interpreting symptoms.

I also think there is under-diagnosis in low SES communities. It takes money to get these diagnoses, time to get all this testing done, and certain know-how about the system and how to apply for it. Private schools and schools serving an affluent community are on the lookout for LDs, they help students get the help they need through the system. Probably not so much in lower-performing schools.

1 in 3 kids? That is ridiculous and shows that the system is not working and how easy it is to get accomodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one should get extra time. It is just a scam for the wealthy to push their kids above the others.

In real life you don't get extra time.

at work, I give extra time all the time.

Where do you work? I don't know many professions where you just get extra time. I would be curious

I work for a big contracting firm doing IT project management... time, scope, cost...

time is often extended...

I would rather wait for the best engineer to give me his design then have somebody who I know has the same credentials but is not as good give me his. Of course the best engineers are a little ADHD, maybe Aspie and often OCD.

Often I have to say "good enough" and deal with them being not so happy because it is not perfect.. we don't waterfall we are agile so ...

I don't' care... I want the best design.

[Anonymous]

This kills me.

My son has extremely low processing speed associated with his severe ADHD, and has always had an extra time accommodation. We also live in an expensive zip code. Are the two related? Yes, because the most educated tend to be the most wealthy and had we been less on the ball, we might never have understood that his issues were diagnosable and we might never have requested an extra time accommodation.

But of course some people will say that somehow we manufactured our son's special needs and that he does not deserve them. How I wish they could walk in his shoes just for a day!

[Anonymous]

In the WSJ article: New Trier HS in Chicago
- 25% of kids have accomodations
- school brags on website the high scores
- College counselor believes there is abuse of system but says policing is up to College Board and ACT as they approve the requests. He is quoted “the word is out and you go to so-and-so” for evaluations


So please don’t tell us it is difficult to get approvals and the diagnosis is multiday and one has to jump through hoops.

[Anonymous]

Again, this is why we need the adversity score on the SAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the WSJ article: New Trier HS in Chicago
- 25% of kids have accomodations
- school brags on website the high scores
- College counselor believes there is abuse of system but says policing is up to College Board and ACT as they approve the requests. He is quoted “the word is out and you go to so-and-so” for evaluations


So please don’t tell us it is difficult to get approvals and the diagnosis is multiday and one has to jump through hoops.

The problem is the fake doctor not the accommodation.

[Anonymous]

My DC is vertically challenged and would like to be admitted to a top school via the athlete route. Please tell me where I can an accommodation that would force the basketball team to lower the net. My DC is really really good in shooting and make all the baskets - just need the net to be lowered...

[Anonymous]

Why not give all of the test takers extra time. If they finish early, they can leave. If they need the extra time for whatever reason (maybe undiagnosed LD) they will have it along with the test takers who need the additional time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is vertically challenged and would like to be admitted to a top school via the athlete route. Please tell me where I can an accommodation that would force the basketball team to lower the net. My DC is really really good in shooting and make all the baskets - just need the net to be lowered...

They have that, it's called D3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not give all of the test takers extra time. If they finish early, they can leave. If they need the extra time for whatever reason (maybe undiagnosed LD) they will have it along with the test takers who need the additional time.

Because those with the “true” accomodations don’t want that. They just want their kid to get the extra time to “level” the playing field...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not give all of the test takers extra time. If they finish early, they can leave. If they need the extra time for whatever reason (maybe undiagnosed LD) they will have it along with the test takers who need the additional time.

I agree, everybody should have extra time... but they can't leave when they are done. They have to sit there until everybody is done. That is how extra time works.

People who don't need extra time don't benefit from extra time. It's a cost issue and scheduling issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not give all of the test takers extra time. If they finish early, they can leave. If they need the extra time for whatever reason (maybe undiagnosed LD) they will have it along with the test takers who need the additional time.

Because those with the “true” accomodations don’t want that. They just want their kid to get the extra time to “level” the playing field...

That is not true. Extra time for people who don't need it don't help them.

I can give your child my glasses also.. not biggie. They can also use the ramp at school instead of the stairs.