Where to complain against ETS/TOEFL test conditions

[arubaohio]

Hi everybody,

 

I just wanted to know if anyone knows a better way to complain about the iBT TOEFL test conditions.

I am aware of the fax number they give you to send a written complaint (which I already did), and some other suggestions like to complian to the attorney general (which I will do).

How about a organisation that supervises / audits / monitors ETS - does such an organization exist?

It is outrageous that such an important matter (TOEFL exam), which may and will influence one's future is not monitored by a third party.

Specifically, a couple of weeks ago I took the iBT test and the conditions were awful - the biggest of which was of course the other test takers talking lound, trying to overtalk each other.

How on Earth can someone concentrate when a bunch of persons are talking loud around you?

 

Thank you, I appreciate your help,

 

aruba

[knok]

Ms. Donna Giovannetti

Division Chief

County of Mercer

McDade Administration Building

Office of Consumer Affairs

640 South Broad Street

P.O. Box 8068

Trenton, New Jersey 08650-0068

 

Several hundred candidates have sent the complaint to NJ Consumer Affairs. They are investigate the case. Please send your complaint to this organization. Please give me your email through private message. I will forward the complaint through your email. I guess that you cannot download files at the moment.

 

Let's do it together before several millions will lost in the process. ;)

[arubaohio]

Thank you Knok,

You should have something in your inbox from me.

 

I appreciate your help.

[knok]

Did you get the files?

[arubaohio]

Yes knok, I did receive the files, I appreciate it.

Thank you!

[knok]

Please send it as soon as possible. The authorities will count at the number of the complaints. They are investigating it. Remember, no matter where you are, outside or inside the USA, you can file the complaints.

 

Forward it to as many people as possible. :tup:

Good luck,

 

Knok

[arubaohio]

Hi Knok,

 

Will do!

Another idea that I had when I read your report is to strengten your argument, in the complaint, about the noise created by the other test takers talking loud.

In the own ETS' report with the title: "Influence of Irrelevant Speech on Standardized Test Performance" report # RR-02-06, it is stated:

"Attempts to reduce distraction to an acceptable level were largely unsuccessful. The impact on actual test performance, however, was slight in the GMAT sample and negligible in both GRE and TOEFL samples.

The conclusion was that intermingling examinees with others who are taking a speaking test remains a concern, primarly because of strong negative perceptions by test takesr. More effective means need to be devised to reduce or control distraction."

What better proof can be that the conditions are not appropriate than ETS recognizing this themselves?

 

There are other instances in the report where ETS admits the above (see pg 25 for example.). The report can be fount at:

Influence of Irrelevant Speech on Standardized Test Performance

 

Regards,

 

aruba

[knok]

I feel that instead of wasting money on doing this research, ETS should spend its millions for standardized testing centers, test proctors, and equipment. It is commonsense that no one can do well in a distracting environment. Even elementary school students don't like their brothers to disturb them when they are doing their homework or talking to their parents.

 

Many test takers have advanced degrees in the USA but have failed speaking big time, not because they cannot communicate but because they feel considerate to yell and disturb others. The testing rooms usually are closed so we can hear reflection of voices. This kind of environment makes it worse. In sum, ETS should refund all testing fees to test takers who were set to take the tests.

 

ETS thought that foreigners were taking TOEFL so they could not complain. Come on!

 

If ETS did not want to invest in technology, why would it bother to set up the Internet-based test? It is the monopoly anyway. Use the paper-based test and human being to interview. Or doesn't it want to pay for wages of interviewers?

 

Everything is about money and profit.

 

Anyone has facts and data, please print it out. I would appreciate it if you can PM me.

 

I can't believe if anyone will believe research that has been done and reported by testing company itself. I don't completely believe on the Summary of Score Data reported by ETS. I have doubt that the number of those who passed might be a lot lower than the report says. I used to work for pharmaceutical companies. Any reports or clinical trials that have been collected or done by pharmaceutical companies themselves usually are not given credits by doctors or drug users. Same thing here, if anyone here keeps saying that IBT-Speaking is given in a fair condition, I am wondering that that posts may come from those who work or get paid by the testing companies. We all are educated here. We know what we have been through.

 

Yesterday, I have talked to an executive of a big organization regarding this test. He/she suggested me to get a lawyer or send fax, phone call, use all communication tools to meet with authorities but we have to have facts and data on hand.

Thank you.

[clap]

[Tienshinhan]

All these complaints about TOEFL are really depressing me. If it's really that bad in first world countries like US, just think about what the examinees from countries like India, Pakistan, Indonesia etc have to go through. Very recently, one of my friends in India told me that in some centers even the GRE/TOEFL questions are leaked prior to the examination. It's really a shame that exams like this one, which are detrimental to a student's career, are conducted in such abysmal manner.

[Tienshinhan]

Hey guys, do you really think that all this complaining is going to change any thing. I really doubt this. They needn't change their system just because of a few complaints.

[Hobicat]

 

Many test takers have advanced degrees in the USA but have failed speaking big time, not because they cannot communicate but because they feel considerate to yell and disturb others. The testing rooms usually are closed so we can hear reflection of voices. This kind of environment makes it worse. In sum, ETS should refund all testing fees to test takers who were set to take the tests.

 

ETS thought that foreigners were taking TOEFL so they could not complain. Come on!

 

 

I'd like to ask a question in regards to the complaints that have been filed lately.

 

Your main point is the unfair test conditions and how that affects particularly the speaking section.

 

At the same time people seem to be enraged (to put it mildly) that the passing score is too high (26).

 

But you are talking about two different things here. Even if ETS made a big time effort to greatly improve test conditions, for example by assigning every applicant their own test room, then the problem with the passing score would still be there.

 

Do better test conditions correlate with significantly better test results? That would be nice, wouldn't it? And maybe everybody would reach that magic 26 all of a sudden. But then again, if that was the case, there would be no reason to protest against that arbitrarily chosen passing score for the speaking section in the first place.

 

So bascially what you're asking for is:

 

- better test conditions AND

 

- a lower passing score.

 

A lot of people, including myself, appreciate your initiative for change but I have doubts that it will cause ETS or NABP to drastically change anything.

 

If better conditions means higher scores then why should they lower them?

[Tino]

Better conditions is NOT the point. The point is REASONABLE conditions! Now the test center conditions are horrible, and completely unmonitored by ETS. It is a total joke. We are not asking for a Ferrari, just a car that is not already on fire.... haha

 

Further, test conditions affect everyone, not just medical professionals. The NABP and other boards requirements are seperate issues. What about all the students who cannot get a test date in time for admissions, or whose test score is lost, or whose score is greatly impacted by horrible conditions?

 

ETS will change if there are enough complaints. Either individuals or a state governement can file a lawsuit, and the court can order ETS to change. It happens all the time. The only difficulty here is that so many of the people affected prefer to do nothing, or feel that their efforts will have no effect. Sad....

 

As for NABP, I think they can at least be convinced to accept an alternative to the TOEFL, such as IELTS. And a successful suit against ETS would push that through quickly.

 

Tino

[knok]

Thanks, Tino. You're the person who knows best about terrifying, horrible, and annoying testing conditions. Many American friends told me that everything must be done in the justice system.:tup:

[Hobicat]

Better conditions is NOT the point. The point is REASONABLE conditions! Now the test center conditions are horrible, and completely unmonitored by ETS. It is a total joke. We are not asking for a Ferrari, just a car that is not already on fire.... haha

 

Further, test conditions affect everyone, not just medical professionals. The NABP and other boards requirements are seperate issues. What about all the students who cannot get a test date in time for admissions, or whose test score is lost, or whose score is greatly impacted by horrible conditions?

 

ETS will change if there are enough complaints. Either individuals or a state governement can file a lawsuit, and the court can order ETS to change. It happens all the time. The only difficulty here is that so many of the people affected prefer to do nothing, or feel that their efforts will have no effect. Sad....

 

As for NABP, I think they can at least be convinced to accept an alternative to the TOEFL, such as IELTS. And a successful suit against ETS would push that through quickly.

 

Tino

 

 

Hi Tino,

 

I took the TOEFL iBT this last June and I can't complain. So it seems test conditions vary from place to place.

 

However, I do agree with you that test conditions need to be reasonable at every test center in order to get reasonable scores, or at least the score that everyone deserves. And hopefully that will be the case soon.

 

What I'm trying to say though is that even with reasonable test conditions, the hurdle of scoring 26 points (at least for FPGEE takers) in the speaking section remains.

 

Asking for better conditions - rightfully so - has nothing to do with lowering minimum scores. Because if better conditions do improve the overall performance for all test takers then where is the incentive for the NABP to lower their requirements?

 

Thanks for your input.

[tse_2005]

Hey guys, do you really think that all this complaining is going to change any thing. I really doubt this. They needn't change their system just because of a few complaints.

 

 

Hi guys

 

I wolud suggest we should contact to respective SENETOR OR CONGRESSMAN who can take care of this matter because this thing is going of the hook and nobody cares about this.

 

Give your opinion on this matter too.

[arubaohio]

@ Hobicat,

Dear Hobicat it looks like you like to start arguments all by yourself (you state something, than you argue against it, yourself). Who said anything about decreasing the TOEFL barriers? Knok didn't, I didn't.

All it is debated here is the simple fact that if anyone talks loud near you it would be very difficult for most of the people to concentrate, and hence to be the best that they can be during a test.

I admit that some geniuses, and you might be among them, may not be affected by noise, but this is not my case.

 

@ Knok

Dear Knok what I was trying to say is the fact that even ETS admits in their report that the conditions are not appropriate - even if I had to pick those paragraphs from their report - it should be clear to anyone that a problem exists. I understand your point of view that the reports from some company auditing itself is not credible, because of the likelyness that they "sugar coat" the truth.

However in this case they themselves ADMIT that they have a problem and the test conditions are not appropriate.

Otherwise you hit the nail in the head in your posting.

 

Thank you everybody,

 

aruba

[knok]

@ Knok

Dear Knok what I was trying to say is the fact that even ETS admits in their report that the conditions are not appropriate - even if I had to pick those paragraphs from their report - it should be clear to anyone that a problem exists. I understand your point of view that the reports from some company auditing itself is not credible, because of the likelyness that they "sugar coat" the truth.

However in this case they themselves ADMIT that they have a problem and the test conditions are not appropriate.

Otherwise you hit the nail in the head in your posting.

 

Thank you everybody,

 

aruba

 

I agree with you but if you read carefully, it says that distraction does not affect validity of the exam. Moreover, it says that mothods of detecting distraction are effective and ETS will try to reduce noise level. It does not say that it will get rid of the distraction. It is called, "Sugar Coat" as you say. :)

 

How can ETS control environment when a majority of test centers are not standardized? Sources of noises started from test proctors listening to music on the computer without headphones, discussion of passport problems with other test takers, shouting of other test takers who have loud voices, to the echoes of microphones.

[Hobicat]

@ Hobicat,

Dear Hobicat it looks like you like to start arguments all by yourself (you state something, than you argue against it, yourself). Who said anything about decreasing the TOEFL barriers? Knok didn't, I didn't.

All it is debated here is the simple fact that if anyone talks loud near you it would be very difficult for most of the people to concentrate, and hence to be the best that they can be during a test.

I admit that some geniuses, and you might be among them, may not be affected by noise, but this is not my case.

 

 

I am not stating, I am quoting what's been said in this forum about test conditions and the score in the speaking section.

 

"26 is too high - inappropriate - does not reflect one's ability to speak English...." and so forth.

 

 

But if you have no objections to the score as it is, fine.

 

Good luck with your endeavours.

[arubaohio]

I agree with you but if you read carefully, it says that distraction does not affect validity of the exam. Moreover, it says that mothods of detecting distraction are effective and ETS will try to reduce noise level. It does not say that it will get rid of the distraction. It is called, "Sugar Coat" as you say. :)

 

How can ETS control environment when a majority of test centers are not standardized? Sources of noises started from test proctors listening to music on the computer without headphones, discussion of passport problems with other test takers, shouting of other test takers who have loud voices, to the echoes of microphones.

 

Knok, I read carefully, and as I said I had to pick the paragraphs favourable to us. I also surfed the web to see if there are any regulations/rules with regard to Universities/schools test environment, and I couldn't find any.

All I found was Universities policies that said students are not allowed to yell on the hallways, during tests etc - but no regulations.

So what do we have, against ETS? Nothing! Just complaints of a number of people.

And you are still, purposely, missing my point, so I will state that once again: one company that admits - even if I had to pick the paragraphs - there are problems with the way they are doing things, hints that the problems are actually bigger, and and any person with common sense should see that.

 

aruba

[arubaohio]

@ Hobicat:

Dear Hobicat than you must have posted in the wrong thread, 'cause nobody said anything about the passing score in this one.

Thanks

[knok]

I got your point. ETS just admits it but it has an exception in favor of itself. I agree that only using a common sense is enough to judge the testing conditions.

 

ETS tried to use academic research to reduce the costs of creating of testing centers.

 

The complaints were sent to the justice system. That organization has lawyers to investigate our case. Don't worry. Problems will be solved. [clap]

[arubaohio]

I got your point. ETS just admits it but it has an exception in favor of itself. I agree that only using a common sense is enough to judge the testing conditions.

 

ETS tried to use academic research to reduce the costs of creating of testing centers.

 

The complaints were sent to the justice system. That organization has lawyers to investigate our case. Don't worry. Problems will be solved. [clap]

 

 

Knok, C'mon man, forget about the "exception in favor of itself". Let's say you are an impartial auditor auditing ETS, what do you think when you read on page i) under "Abstract" (which is supposed to summarize the whole report) this:

"More effective means need to be devised to reduce or control distraction."

Am I missing something?

[knok]

No offense. ;)

 

I am not going against you. Ha..ha..[clap]

[Hobicat]

@ Hobicat,

Who said anything about decreasing the TOEFL barriers? Knok didn't, I didn't.

 

aruba

 

Yes, he did. Do the research. The thread isn't far from here.

[arubaohio]

Yes, he did. Do the research. The thread isn't far from here.

 

@ Hobicat

Why didn't you post in that thread, then? Or you were in the mood for some philosophical discussion :), in general?