Six students at a high school on Long Island are facing misdemeanor charges for cheating on the SATs in a continuing nationwide investigation into high schoolers’ latest ways to make it around the test.
Under testing policy, there are no consequences for cheaters. Many students who have cheated on the SAT are now in college and unaffected by the discovery of their methods. The CollegeBoard notifies neither the high school nor the college that the student is applying to; they simply withdraw their scores so that the student is forced to take the test again.
This is a growing problem in higher education. According to an article in The New York Times, of the 2.25 million SATs taken yearly, about 1,000 scores are withdrawn for “misbehavior,” 99 percent of which are for copying. Without consequences, these students can get around the system with little fear of repercussion and attend a college, taking the place that another more honest, hardworking student deserves.
Even just notifying high schools of cheating cases isn’t enough of a punishment; the repercussions would be too inconsistent and high schools would tend to be more lenient because they want their students to graduate and attend reputable institutions.
Colleges should, at the very least, be notified that the applicant they are considering may be attempting to matriculate under false pretenses. In fact, further action should be taken to punish cheaters because the SAT has become such a high-stakes staple of higher education in America.
Every year, students spend thousands of dollars on the newest edition of the test book, tutors and intensive Kaplan programs, and those students should not be placed at a disadvantage because of a lack of consequences for those who achieve dishonestly.
Security at test centers could be improved to ensure that students cannot send another in their place. Proctors could be more diligent in watching test-takers. Stricter consequences can and should be implemented, and even criminal prosecution should be considered in these cases. For many students, their futures depend on their SAT scores, and this is not something that should be taken so lightly by the CollegeBoard or the schools.
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