Valley students to get second chance at SATs

Harding's principal said the retest actually may benefit some students.
By RON COLE
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
WARREN -- Nearly 160 Mahoning Valley high school students who took the SAT college entrance exam nine weeks ago will take it again today because of the anthrax scare on the East Coast.
The answer sheets to the tests taken Oct. 13 at Warren G. Harding High School are stuck in a New Jersey post office that remains closed because of anthrax contamination.
In all, the answer sheets for 7,800 students at 89 test centers nationwide are in the post office in Trenton, N.J., which was closed Oct. 18.
Although the test was given at Harding, students from high schools throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties took the test at the site.
The College Board, which administers the national test, set aside today as a testing date for students whose answer sheets are missing.
"If the answer sheets show up after [today], the makeup day, then the student will get the better of the two scores," said Greg Christman, Harding teacher who administers the exams.
No big deal: Harding principal Bill Mullane said the foul-up should not seriously affect students' chances of getting into the college or university of their choice.
He said most colleges and universities have told the students that they will wait for the new set of scores.
"I don't really think it's tragic by any means, just a pain in the butt," he said. "For anybody who took it and didn't plan to take it again, it's not exactly an enjoyable situation, but certainly it shouldn't have any long-term affect."
In fact, Mullane said the retake gives students a chance to post even higher scores.
"To an extent, it could even serendipitously kind of work to someone's advantage," he said.