Aspiring lawyers who sat the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) have been outraged after failing to receive their results due to a major system error.
The company in charge of administering the LNAT, Pearson Vue, allegedly offered no explanation to the students apart from an email a day later claiming results would be sent later that day (1 February).
Despite this, on receipt of the results a number of students noticed the marks were incorrect, with the score being out of 30 rather than 42, again with no explanation.
One law applicant with offers from two LNAT universities said: “Lots of students have been incredibly exasperated, and, in many cases now, extremely disappointed by Pearson’s extremely unprofessional handling of the situation, particularly as candidates were required to pay £50 to sit the aptitude test.”
Almost 40 students nationwide have contacted Lawyer2B.com, many of whom sat the exam back in November 2010, complaining about the incident, airing the uncertainty it has caused and describing it as “a day of shambles”.
Students sit the computer-based test at over 500 test centres in 165 countries around the world.
Another student who is yet to receive their result said: “I am currently in hysterics, do not know how to deal with myself, and quite frankly I am disgusted at the horrendous state of affairs of these past two days.”
A spokesman for Pearson Vue said in a statement: “Pearson VUE apologises for any inconvenience or problems caused to candidates of the LNAT test. As posted on the LNAT website homepage earlier this week, there was a short delay in the release of scores, though all scores were issued by midday on Wednesday 2 February.
All actual scores recorded by candidates were conveyed accurately to candidates at all times. A minority of candidates were sent incorrect information as to the maximum possible score; this issue was rectified as quickly as possible and all such candidates were sent a new communication with correct information as to the maximum possible score.”
LNAT was developed by a consortium of UK universities, including Birmingham, Bristol, Durham and University College London as a fair way to assess a candidate’s potential to study law at undergraduate level.
Readers' comments (13)
Anonymous | 2-Feb-2011 6:02 pm
What do they mean 'some candidates'...it was ALL candidates!!!!
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Anonymous | 2-Feb-2011 6:47 pm
I took the LNAT in its first year and it seems not much has changed: Pearson Vue are just as incompetent as ever!
In my year I rang them a week before I was due to sit because I had heard nothing about special exam arrangements after telling them about my disability. I ended up having to miss my sitting and taking the exam on a later date because they did not have adequate (i.e. ANY) facilities that I had enquired about.
I had little faith in this company then and I have even less now.
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Anonymous | 2-Feb-2011 8:27 pm
I paid 70 GBP to sit the LNAT (internationals pay 20 GBP more than the domestic fee). Pearson only had to do two thing. Facilitate the exam, and provide me with the results by the time outlined. They failed on the latter aspect. To top it off, they sent me the wrong score. I took the LNAT the first week in October, thus giving them more than enough time to get themselves together. I'll likely ask for a partial refund, even if its only 1-5 GBP. Its the principle here.
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Anonymous | 2-Feb-2011 8:42 pm
I too took the LNAT exam, and after anxiously waiting for my results, I was left incredibly disappointed on the 31st of January. I receive emails on my phone, so I was one of the fortunate individuals who did not have to keep refreshing their emails every two seconds. However, I was still left stressed, and rather angered at Pearson Vue's poor handling of the situation.
I received my first email from Pearsons Vue on the 1st of Feb, but the results were incorrect. Today (the 2nd), I received a new set of results which are, to date, my official results.
Pearson's Vue also lied and said that 'some candidates received their results slightly later' - I'll have you know that ALL candidates received their results later.
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Charles Olisanekwu | 2-Feb-2011 8:43 pm
Pearson VUE are an absolute disgrace and should not be allowed to run the LNAT anymore.
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Thomas Stokes | 2-Feb-2011 8:45 pm
Good people have payed good money for a service that Pearson Vue have not provided. I am one of those people, and I must say... to say they are so highly praising themselves makes this nothing more than an utter shambles. I will be expecting my full apology from Pearson Vue along with my LNAT Result.
Believe me when I say, I shall never go Pearson Vue again.
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Anonymous | 2-Feb-2011 8:46 pm
I myself was affected and I have to say I am very disappointed by Pearson Vue. Is it really so difficult to send out right scores from a multiple choice test. I've received an e-mail at about 2 pm telling me my score was 18/30 and two hours later they told me I had a score 18/42. No explanation why the first mail was wrong just nothing.
In my opinion a little note telling me that they've sent out the wrong information would have done it.
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Thomas Nixon | 2-Feb-2011 9:27 pm
Pearson Vue have done a terrible job. I have applied to 2 LNAT universities and it is stupendously annoying that after £50 and half a day travelling to and from a test centre, we all have to wait an extra 2 days for Pearson Vue to send a simple email. I feel especially sorry for university applicants who have yet to recieve any offers, particularly in such an obviously competitive year. Not only were the results late, but many were incorrect (as the article states).
You only need to look at how other entrance tests (such as the UKCAT) are administered to see that the LNAT system is flawed and poorly executed.
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Jennifer Staniforth | 3-Feb-2011 5:04 pm
Personally, I think that after paying £50 towards a test which is necessary for some Universities when applying to law, a far better service needs to be provided.
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Anna Jones | 3-Feb-2011 5:34 pm
I myself am extremely anxious as I still have not heard my result. I was on the telephone to them just now and was told that I had 'passed' with the 'minimum required' for universities. The mark I passed with was apparently 17.5.
How you can get a half mark in a clear cut multiple choice question perplexes me. I shall be ringing again tomorrow and hopefully will receive the correct score!
My worry now however is that universities I have applied to might not have the correct score either.
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