Though not given much attention, one aspect of the massive SAT-Hollywood scandal is the fraudulent use of accommodations. Students without learning disabilities were somehow deemed disabled by parents, and presumably, doctors. It’s worth unlocking the hidden world of accommodations to understand the scale of the accommodations fraud:
Accommodations policies were not designed to be easy to exploit; in fact, no testing company makes the policies for applying for accommodations easy to follow.
The applications are 15-20 page, multi-part forms that require multiple signatures from doctors, documentation of diagnosis, and personal statements explaining how you are functionally limited on your exam.
Rejections are common- often for lack of documentation from a qualified professional.
Additional information is often required, but the appeal process is usually limited to a matter of a few business days.
Disability accommodations are critical for those who are eligible and have a functional limitation that impairs their ability to test under regular, timed conditions. But so hard to access.
We work closely with Ginsburg Advanced Tutoring, LLC to help students with disabilities not only by rigorously preparing them for their exams, but by assisting them with their accommodations paperwork. It’s not an easy process to adhere to, and it’s even harder to cheat it.
So, I’m shocked that this scandal could happen, especially on such a massive scale. Further, my concern is that this fraudulent scheme may taint the image that students have of the accommodations process.
A scandal like this shouldn’t deter an honest SAT student with a real learning disorder from getting whatever accommodations their real doctor recommends. So if you need accommodations, contact us and we'll help you apply. You’re no cheater. They were.