A teenager in Florida denies an SAT firm’s claim that she cheated on the test after her test scores improved by 300 points, according to the Miami Times.
Kamilah Campbell said the Education Testing Service does not believe that she could have increased her score by so many points in a year. The testing is service is examining her Oct. 6 scores, per reports.
“They said there’s no way I can improve from a 900 to a high score like this,” said Campbell, who scored over 1200 on the standardized test. “They are saying I had to either cheat or have prior knowledge to the test.”
Campbell, who lives in Miami Gardens and attends Michael M. Krop Senior High School, said she sent statements from her language arts teacher and study partner. She also sent pictures of the books she used to study.
The high school senior said she first took the test in her junior year and scored 900. Campbell, who has a 3.1 GPA, said her scores were below the requirements for Florida State University, so she began taking tutoring classes at Khan Academy and studied five hours each week to improve her score.
“Preparation for the October SAT was an important process that I took very seriously,” she said.
In a letter obtained by the Miami Times, Education Testing Service said Campbell’s scores were invalid after it conducted a preliminary review.
She said that she would most likely miss the January application deadline to apply to Florida State University’s summer term since a review of her scores can take up to four to six weeks.
“I studied to achieve my dreams, and I know to achieve them. I had to be focused and dedicated. And I won’t let ETS or anyone take my dreams away from me,” she said during a press conference on Wednesday with her attorney Benjamin Crump, according to Miami’s Local 10.
