Florida high school student who scored 1230 on SAT hires a layer after she is accused of cheating

A black Florida teen has hired a prominent civil rights lawyer after the College Board accused her of cheating on her SAT test when she managed to raise her score by 330 points. 

Kamilah Campbell first took the standardized test in March and scored a 900, ultimately deciding that she needed to do better. 

The 18-year-old student – who has a 3.1 GPA and aspires to go to Florida State University to study dance – decided to study, see tutors and even took a free online SAT prep program in order to boost her score. 

Kamilah Campbell first took the standardized test in March and scored a 900, ultimately deciding that she needed to do better

The 18-year-old student - who has a 3.1 GPA and aspires to go to Florida State University to study dance - decided to study, see tutors and took a free online SAT prep program

The 18-year-old student – who has a 3.1 GPA and aspires to go to Florida State University to study dance – decided to study, see tutors and took a free online SAT prep program

By October, Campbell took the test again and scored a 1230 but her excitement was short lived, as the testing company claimed her scores were invalid. 

‘They tell you that you need to practice and work and study to do better but then when you do better they question it,’ she said, according to CBS News. 

The Educational Testing Service, who facilitates the test, sent a letter to Campbell claiming that there was ‘substantial evidence’ that the scores were invalid.   

‘Our preliminary concerns are based on substantial agreement between your answers on one or more scored sections of the test and those of other test takers,’ they added, CNN reports. 

‘The anomalies noted above raise concerns about the validity of your scores.’ 

By October, Campbell took the test again and scored a 1230 but her excitement was short lived, as the testing company claimed her scores were invalid

By October, Campbell took the test again and scored a 1230 but her excitement was short lived, as the testing company claimed her scores were invalid

According to Zach Goldberg, a spokesman for the College Board, 'the letter never references score gains as a reason for her scores being under review' (stock)

According to Zach Goldberg, a spokesman for the College Board, ‘the letter never references score gains as a reason for her scores being under review’ (stock)

‘Because it improved for over 300 points, so they’re saying I improved basically too much and that’s skeptical for them,’ Campbell added. ‘They are not looking at it as if, “Maybe she focused and dedicated herself to passing this test.”‘ 

Campbell couldn’t apply to the school of her dreams as a result of her scores being held. She has missed the deadline to apply for SAT score-based scholarships as well. 

According to Prep Scholar, the average SAT score at the university is a 1260. 

The school technically has a February 1 deadline.

 Alums from FSU have rallied behind Campbell and have tapped Ben Crump, a prominent lawyer and graduate from the school, to represent the young woman

 Alums from FSU have rallied behind Campbell and have tapped Ben Crump, a prominent lawyer and graduate from the school, to represent the young woman

‘She stayed up late nights, she stayed up early mornings, studying. She received extra tutoring because she set a goal in her head she wanted to reach and she accomplished that goal. She deserves to be honored,’ the student’s mother, Shirley Campbell, explained to WPLG 10. 

Alums from FSU have rallied behind Campbell and have tapped Ben Crump, a prominent lawyer and graduate from the school, to represent the young woman. 

Crump is working to ensure that his client can get her scores from the College Board in time to apply for the Florida State dance program. 

During a Wednesday news conference, Crump declared that the company had two weeks to respond. 

According to Zach Goldberg, a spokesman for the College Board, said that the process typically takes four to six weeks. 

ETS develops and administers the SAT and other programs on behalf of the College Board.

Goldberg did make note that ‘the letter never references score gains as a reason for her scores being under review.’

'She stayed up late nights, she stayed up early mornings, studying. She received extra tutoring because she set a goal in her head she wanted to reach and she accomplished that goal. She deserves to be honored,' the student's mother, Shirley Campbell, explained

‘She stayed up late nights, she stayed up early mornings, studying. She received extra tutoring because she set a goal in her head she wanted to reach and she accomplished that goal. She deserves to be honored,’ the student’s mother, Shirley Campbell, explained

During a Wednesday news conference, Crump declared that the company had two weeks to respond. Goldberg claimed that they typically respond in four to six weeks

During a Wednesday news conference, Crump declared that the company had two weeks to respond. Goldberg claimed that they typically respond in four to six weeks

Campbell and her lawyer are now taking part in a ‘consistent, established procedure to assess the validity of scores,’ Goldberg said. He added that they will have ‘the opportunity to provide relevant information, which is used to help make determinations about the validity of the test scores following a complete investigation.’

Daisy Gonzalez-Diego, a superintendent at the Miami-Dade district where Campbell attends school, has also asked that the ‘disturbing’ situation be handled quickly by the testing company. 

‘Although this is a test administered by a private entity, and not M-DCPS, we feel a moral obligation to intervene,’ she said.  

And while the whole experience has been disheartening for the teen, she remains undeterred. 

‘I am proud of myself and I need my scores released,’ she declared. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk