SAT error may cost hundreds of students in Hanoi precious points

Trung Hieu, a 12th grader, was taking his second shot at the test and wished to score 1450 out of 1600 to apply for the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, one of the top schools in Vietnam.

Hieu successfully completed the Reading and Writing sections of the test. However, at 11 a.m., while doing the Math section, the computer suddenly displayed that Hieu had already submitted his answers. He still had five unanswered questions left.

"There were still 15 minutes left. Several others in the exam room encountered the error as well," Hieu said, adding that the five unanswered questions could cost him 80 points or more.

Nguyen Ba Dat, an SAT teacher in Hanoi, had the same issue while taking the exam at a different venue. He said those in the exam room have only spent 10 minutes on the second module of the Math section when the error hit, meaning they lost around 25 minutes left of the test.

"I'm sure that no one has finished the module yet," Dat said, adding that as Math is seen as a strong subject for Vietnamese students, the error may significantly impact their results, especially those using it for university admission.

The SAT, a standardized test often used by U.S. universities as one of the criteria for admission, includes the Reading, Writing and Math sections. The total time limit for the test is around 134 minutes, with 98 questions to be answered. The maximum score is 1600. The exam is held seven times a year, specifically in March, May, August, October, November and December.

In Vietnam, several schools have been using the SAT for admission in the past three years.

Phan Minh Duc, founder of SAT Future Class, said the exam in March is the most popular one as many requires it for university admission in the fall. Few choose to take the exam in May due to its close proximity to the high school graduation exam in June.

"If the exam is canceled, or if scores are too low, what should the students do? It would be a great loss for them," Duc said.

A representative of IIG Vietnam, which organizes the SAT test in the country, on Saturday said that College Board, which owns the SAT test, informed them that the system error happened globally. IIG is now waiting for a response from College Board on measures to ensure students' rights.

Duc said the test should be retaken for free for those affected by the error, while those who have nearly finished the module may have their scores retained.