TESTSCORES

September 28, 2011|By Brad Lendon, CNN; editedby Praetorian
7 arrested in allegedSAT cheating scam in New York

Authorities have arrested seven people in an, high schooland are investigating whether the cheating extends to other schools. SamuelEshaghoff, 19, of Great Neck, New York, was arrested Tuesday on felony fraudcharges that could result in four years in prison if he's convicted, the NassauCounty District Attorney's Office said.

Six students face misdemeanor charges. Their names are notbeing released because they are minors.

Prosecutors allege Eshaghoff impersonated sixGreat Neck North High students between 2010 and 2011, charging between $1,500and $2,500 to take the SAT test for them.

Eshaghoffwould take the test at schools other than Great Neck, where proctors would notbe familiar with the students' identity, and present fake, unofficialidentification, prosecutors say.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Ricesaid authorities uncovered the scam after hearing rumors of cheating, comparingthe test scores of suspects to their school grade-point averages, and finding a"wide gulf" in the cases of the six suspects.

The district attorney's office said it isinvestigating possible cheating scams at two other Nassau County high schoolsas well as possible further instances involving Eshaghoff.

Eshaghoff's attorney, Matin Emouna, said hisclient pleaded not guilty in the case.

And he said cheating on tests is something thatshould be handled in schools, not in criminal courts.

"At what point are you going to draw theline?" Emouna asked during a phone interview with CNN Wednesday. "Noone has had a case like this in the U.S., and I think attorneys are going tohave a field day with it."

The victims in the case are other students whoare denied admission at the colleges of their choice by the students whocheated, Rice said Wednesday on CNN's "American Morning."

"Honest kids should not be bumped out ofcollege slots by kids who cheated," she said.

Rice called on the Educational Testing Service,the nonprofit entity that administers the SAT nationwide, to establishprocedures to combat cheating, including photographing students as they takethe test and attaching the picture to the answer sheet.

"We need ETS to tighten security they haveat these test centers," Rice said.

She also called on ETS to inform colleges ifcheating is suspected. ETS currently deals with suspected cheating by cancelingtest scores and offering refunds, retests or arbitration, according to thedistrict attorneys office.

Rice said authorities have no evidenceimplicating parents in the cheating scandal.

Great Neck North identifies itself as ahigh-performing high school, with a 97% graduation rate and almost 97% ofstudents planning to pursue higher education.

The mean scores achieved by Great Neck Northstudents on SAT tests in 2010 were well above the national average, accordingto the profile.

Eshaghoff, a 2010 Great Neck North graduate,tested in the 97th percentile, Rice said. He is now enrolled at EmoryUniversity in Atlanta after attending the University of Michigan for hisfreshman year, the prosecutor's office said.

The next SAT test dates are this weekend, andRice said authorities will be vigilant.

"These arrests should serve as a warningto those taking the SAT this Saturday that if you cheat, you can face seriouscriminal consequences," Rice said.