In the last week, ACT officials notified students in Asia that their scores on the ACT essay exam were being canceled after the essay topic was leaked just before the test. This comes just a few months after ACT, Inc. was forced to cancel the ACT exam for all takers in South Korea and Hong Kong, something that had never been done in the history of the exam.
ACT, Inc. has been struggling with reports of cheating among many overseas venues. Over the summer, Reuters reported about the issues ACT, Inc. was having with widespread cheating in Asian countries. Some of the implicated cheating dealt with tests being leaked, questions being given to students, and even of teachers and testing officials being complicit in helping students cheat their way through the test.
Students affected by the cancellation were notified that their multiple choice ACT tests in English, math, reading, and science would be scored, but their written essays would not. However, this could affect whether or not students are able to gain acceptance into American universities and colleges due to many requiring students to take the essay exam to gauge the students writing and reasoning abilities.
Officials said, “Unfortunately, events occurred which compromised the testing process for the writing portion of your test event. As a result, you will not receive a score for your writing test response/essay. Your multiple choice ACT tests—English, mathematics, reading, and science tests—WILL be scored.”
Reuters reports that a day before the ACT was to be given, they obtained a leaked copy of the ACT writing test on the subject “Fame,” given to them by an Asian source. How the test was obtained is still unknown, since ACT, Inc. has been shipping the tests in locked boxes amid the rising concerns of cheating.
The ACT isn’t the only standardized test facing serious cheating issues. The College Board, which administers the SAT, are dealing with a cheating scandal of their own in Egypt, according to recent reports from Reuters. Amidst the mounting competition for American schools, cheating was bound to arise. Unfortunately, with those leaks come huge backlashes, such as the cancellation of the ACT writing scores.
To learn more about the recently leaked ACT essay exam click here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-college-testing-act-exclusive-idUSKBN12Y2NM
To read Reuters 7-part series on standardized cheating click here: http://www.reuters.com/investigates/section/cheat-sheet/