Admissions Tests
Appeals
The SPA Steering Group asked us to investigate the position with regard to appeals against test results. Meetings were held with the main test bodies and consortia and desk-based research was carried out to establish what appeal mechanisms exist for each of the main UK tests - BMAT, GAMSAT-UK, LNAT, STEP and UKCAT.
BMAT
The admissions tests developed by Cambridge Assessment include BMAT, ELAT, STEP and TSA. At a meeting with SPA, representatives from Cambridge Assessment outlined plans to draft a statement about appeals. There will be three ways in which candidates can raise concerns: a request for special considerations if there is a problem on the day of the test; a results enquiry if the candidate thinks that the scores do not reflect their performance on the day; and a formal appeals process if the student is not happy with the way a request for special consideration or results enquiry has been dealt with, or if they have a complaint about an aspect of the administration of the test which is not covered by these processes, which cannot be resolved informally. The statement is currently being considered by the universities that use tests devised by Cambridge Assessment and the finalised version will be published here as soon as it is available.
GAMSAT-UK
GAMSAT-UK is a professionally designed and marked selection test developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) for medical schools offering graduate-entry programmes open to graduates of any discipline. ACER will not enter into appeals against GAMSAT results and requests for remarking will not be considered. Further information is available on the GAMSAT-UK website.
LNAT
The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) has two sections: a multiple-choice element and an essay element. The multiple-choice score is produced electronically and the essay section is forwarded, unmarked, to individual universities for their consideration. LNAT has no intervention in either the multiple-choice score or in an applicant’s essay mark, consequently appeals against test scores can only be considered by individual universities.
LNAT does, however, have a complaints procedure to deal with any issues or problems applicants encounter during their test, covering aspects of the process and the administration of the test.
LNAT has two main remedies once a complaint has been investigated. In exceptional cases, an applicant would be allowed to re-sit the test. Otherwise, LNAT would make a note of the circumstances on a "special cases" list which is made available to the LNAT universities. This would mean that those LNAT universities to which an applicant has applied will be made aware of any circumstances that may have affected their performance in the test and this can be taken into account when the multiple choice score and essay are assessed. Applicants should refer to individual university websites for further information about appeals as policies and procedures will vary from one institution to another.
UKCAT
UKCAT is run by the UKCAT Consortium in partnership with Pearson VUE. The test is delivered on computer worldwide through Pearson VUE's high street centres. The first line for complaints is through Pearson Vue. If applicants have complaints about how their UKCAT registration or check-in was handled, the testing experience or about any other aspect of the UKCAT service, complaints should be raised with Pearson VUE by telephone or email as soon as possible after the test and (if relevant) normally within two days of testing.
If applicants remain unhappy with the outcome of their complaint Pearson Vue will direct them to the UKCAT Complaints and Appeals procedure which was introduced at the beginning of the 2009 testing round. This makes it clear to applicants how incidents ought to be dealt with and the options they have if they are not happy with how their complaint has been handled.
INSTITUTIONS' OWN TESTS
To be a "good" admissions test, part of SPA’s guidance includes approval for use through the institution's relevant structures and processes. Additionally, institutions should ensure their appeal and complaint mechanisms cover queries about admissions tests.
Applicants are advised to contact the institution directly should they experience a procedural irregularity with an admissions test or if they have a query about their test result.
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Created: May 2010