SAT Test Broker Caught Selling SAT Exam Questions

4 SAT brokers have been arrested in South Korea for allegedly leaking the questions of the US based SAT tests provided by the Education Testing Service (ETS). Proctors and police officials watching the test takers caught the suspects involved in the act. The scam was simple, tear out the questions or input the questions into their scientific calculators, which are allowed while taking the exam.

Of the four involved, one was a lecturer, the other three were university students hired by the lecturer. The lecturer has confessed to his involvement, but suggested he was stealing them to use as instructional material for his students.

The officers, who were tipped off, arrested the four outside following the exam. Officers also suspect the lecturer was involved in three other SAT theft incidents.

The ETS staff of the office of integrity has long suspected brokers have been attempting to sell the questions to students, parents and even academic institutions at a premium. At this point, it is likely that the leaked questions are only being circulated in testing centers and private academies in South Korea.

One head of a private academy in southern Seoul went on record saying he witnessed one person asking others to buy stolen test sheets for the SSAT for 50 million won ($43,500). The head did not take the offer, but claimed this person was definitely a broker. This head, which asked not to be named, witnessed students and parents asking for these stolen test sheets as well.

The police have widened their investigation to check whether the four suspects have provided leaked SAT material in the past.

There is a probe in Thailand as well over a lecturer who allegedly obtained the SAT test and answer sheets from a Bangkok test-taker, then emailed them on to a couple of Korean students in the United States. The two students then took the same test 12 hours later in Connecticut.

Wealthy parents have been buying these leaked test sheets to give their children high enough scores to attend American colleges. Industry leaders are becoming increasingly concerned over this trend, especially when U.S. schools start to rethink admitting Korean students.