Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Educational Testing Service (ETS)'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Educational Testing Service (ETS)

  660 Rosedale Rd Princeton, NJ 08540-2218

• 

  Educational Testing Service (ETS)

  225 Phillips Blvd Ewing, NJ 08618-1426

• 

  ETS Educational Testing Service

  1800 K St NW Ste 900 Suite 900 Washington, DC 20006-2229

• 

  Educational Testing Service

  3410 Taft Blvd Rm 217 Hardin South Wichita Falls, TX 76308-2036

• 

  Electro Tech Systems

  121 S Broad St Ste 1710 Suite 1710 Philadelphia, PA 19107-4534

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My wife scheduled an english, (TOEFL) online, at home test that uses ETS's proprietary software, (i.e. a secure browser) that requires your computer to be up to their "code."They told us this, but NOT the fact that we could check this before the day of the test. The day of the test arrives, we check the computer, it doesn't pass the check. Not to worry, the message says to proceed with the test anyway. No problem. At this point, if it had simply failed, we would have had time to retrieve a computer that would have worked. (As evidenced after the fact)Instead, she waited, and commenced the test. The ******* spoke very poor English, and was difficult to understand (not the sort of person who should be overseeing an ENGLISH test!) And after spending 1 hour, trying to get the computer to work, the ******* terminated the test. Upon reaching out to ETS to reschedule the test, since it was never started, they are now refusing and saying we must re-register, and pay an additional $250!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2025

  Dear ********* *****,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you submitted a complaint regarding the ***** examination.
  
  Please be advised that Privacy laws require that requests to update or release information of a personal nature (such as identification, address, designated institutions, and account history) come directly from the test taker only. We cannot release any information about a test taker to relatives or friends. Please advise the test taker to contact ***** Services directly concerning this matter.
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We wish you continued success in your educational endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** Services
  Educational Testing Service
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/24/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this is legally accurate. I will have my wife file a complaint directly. This case is Not resolved yet, but will need to be renewed under a different name.
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I took the TOEFL iBT Home Edition on July 20, 2025. Since then, my scores have been delayed due to an “administrative review,” but I have not received any official explanation or timeline.
  
  *** ID: ********
  
  I urgently need my scores for a university deadline on July 31, 2025. I have contacted all ******** *** ******** ******************* *************.***, submitted forms, and called the hotline), but I have not received a clear update or confirmation.
  
  Telephone support gave me inconsistent and unhelpful information, and I never received a proper notification explaining the delay.
  
  I completed the test independently and followed all *** guidelines. I respectfully ask for an urgent resolution, as this delay is now affecting my academic future.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am filing this complaint to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the unjust cancellation of my TOEFL scores by ETS, despite my consistent demonstration of ability and their earlier confirmation of score validity.
  
  Background Timeline:
  • June 21: I took the TOEFL iBT at the ETS Shanghai Test Center.
  • June 29: I noticed that my score status was marked “on hold” and contacted ETS.
  • July 1: ETS responded that my test had been reviewed and the scores were now available.
  • July 4: I submitted a Speaking section score review request.
  • July 11: I received a message informing me that all my scores had been canceled due to concerns about the Speaking response not reflecting the assigned task or allegedly containing content from published sources or other test takers.
  
  Complaint Description:
  This sequence of events reflects an alarming inconsistency in ETS’s internal procedures. How could the score be deemed valid, only to be suddenly revoked after a rescore request? I have submitted comprehensive appeal materials, including practice records, performance evaluations, and test-day surveillance footage, to prove my integrity and competence. However, I have yet to receive a substantive response from ETS despite repeated follow-ups.
  
  I believe I am being treated unfairly as an innocent test taker who prepared rigorously and followed all testing protocols. ETS has failed to provide a transparent and timely explanation or offer any meaningful opportunity for redress. The opaque decision-making and lack of accountability have severely impacted my trust in ETS’s credibility.
  
  I respectfully request that ETS conduct a fair re-investigation of my speaking score, and communicate with me promptly and professionally.
  
  Desired Resolution:
  • Immediate acknowledgment and review of my submitted appeal
  • A fair and independent re-evaluation of the speaking section, or full score reinstatement

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/22/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Im a school teacher, and I signed up to take the praxis exam for my license. I took the exam last year with no problems this year I was unable to take exam on the same computer that I used last year. Apparently the browser operating system that I had was old and unable to update to the system that needed for this exam. My next step was to pay for the exam again another $130 and work with my schools IT team to ensure everything was set up . We worked with it three times last week and everything was a go.After spend The summer studying and putting the rest of my life on hold yesterday, when I went to take the exam, I was once again unable login, unable for the ******* to see my screen, even though my screen sharing was enabled.There is nothing on their website that says that I cannot use a work computer and I had already cleared the work computer with IT at myschool system. ETS and Praxis refuses to give me a refund so that I can take the test with another computer. Their call centers are clearly outside of ***************** and their call center assistance obviously work from a script. I was on the phone with them for 3 1/2 hours and they kept bouncing me back to their special bot *****.I would like to have this resolved and to take the exam that I paid for twice without having to pay for it again

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2025

  Dear ********* L ******,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you submitted a complaint regarding your July 21, 2025, appointment for the English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038)examination.
  
  We understand that you completed the necessary system checks and followed the pre-test instructions prior to launching your exam and any inconvenience you experienced during the exam launch process and the interaction with the *******.
  
  As outlined on the PRAXIS website **************************************************************************************************** you are using a device owned by an organization (work or school), you must have full administrator rights in order to install and configure the ETS Secure Browser properly. Additionally, security settings such as firewalls or VPNs may still interfere with the browsers performance, even if the system passes the initial checks.
  
  While pre-test system checks focus primarily on hardware compatibility, they are not designed to detect all software or network-based restrictions. Firewalls, antivirus programs, or administrative controls can still block necessary screen-sharing or test launch functions at the time of the appointment.
  
  In your case, records show that the required permissions for the test platform could not be granted due to local security settings. This prevented the test from launching successfully.
  
  While we understand you are dissatisfied with the outcome, your case has been thoroughly reviewed by the ************************** who have confirmed that we have taken all steps possible to respond to your request. We regret that we remain unable to comply with your request for a free makeup test.
  
  Should you wish to take the exam again, you may register and pay the applicable test fee.Please note that you do not need to wait 28 days from your original test date to retake this exam.
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We wish you continued success in your professional endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  Praxis Services
  Educational Testing Service

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/22/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  It's been ten days since I finished my TOEFL test, and the scores are still not available and "under administrative review". ETS always advertises that the score can be released in 4-8 days, and I feel like this is kind of deceptive advertising. I didn't see any progress. I want ETS to released my scores as soon as possible. Thanks for your attention.
  
  My ETS ID is ********.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dear BBB,Im writing to formally raise a concern regarding an online Mentor Prep Course I purchased on from ETS on Monday, July 14th through ETSs platform (Order#: 25657052),After using the course for less than 48 hours, I found the material to be unhelpful, with no measurable benefit or improvement in my performance. I reached out on July 16thwithin the 48-hour windowto request a return and full ********* my surprise, I was informed that refunds are not issued, regardless of the dissatisfaction or the quick turnaround of my request. This seems both unfair and contrary to basic consumer rights, especially considering the course was entirely digital and no proprietary content was retained by me upon cancellation.I am seeking your assistance in resolving this matter. I believe I am entitled to a refund under reasonable consumer protection standards. I made a good-faith purchase and gave the product a genuine trial, only to find it did not deliver as advertised or as expected. Please let me know how this matter can be rectified, or what the next steps should be in filing a formal complaint.Thank you for your time and attention.Sincerely,****** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2025

  Dear ****** *****,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you submitted a complaint regarding the Official GRE Mentor Course you purchased on July 14, 2025.
  
  Our records indicate that the Order Services team has recently been in contact with you regarding your concern.
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We wish you continued success in your educational endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  GRE Services
  Educational Testing Service.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2025

  
  Complaint: 23614230
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Im requesting a refund. I purchased the Mentor Prep course because the course sells itself as mentoring and preparing you for the GRE. There is zero mentorship, zero teaching (which there should be because it is a class) The so called course is solely sample questions. If it said Sample Questions, I would not have purchased it. It said Mentor Prep Course and it is none of those things. I was misled. I gave it a fair shot of two days, it was not what was promised, so I requested a return/refund within a timely manner. Please refund me, thank you.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2025

  Dear ****** *****,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you rejected our answer concerning the Official GRE Mentor Course you purchased on July 14, 2025.
  
  As previously communicated, all course details including the format, content, and terms of use were clearly outlined at the time of purchase. This information is available in the Terms and Conditions and can also be reviewed on the official GRE website here: Official GRE Mentor. We would like to clarify that all candidates who choose to purchase test preparation materials are responsible for ensuring they select the correct product.
  
  Additionally, as stated in the GRE Information Bulletin ****************************************************************************************************************;(Page no.7), test preparation materials and related services are non-refundable.
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We wish you continued success in your educational endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  GRE Services
  Educational Testing Service.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/28/2025

  
  Complaint: 23614230
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The course I purchased was misrepresented on your website. It did not deliver what was promised or implied, plain and simple. If it had delivered what it promised, why would I want to return it and get my money back? I would be a satisfied customer, but I'm a dissatisfied customer because I was misled. I still am very much in need of a prep course, and will have to purchase a different one elsewhere, but I will certainly not trust any of your courses to deliver what they imply/promise after this terrible experience. I would like a refund for the course I purchased so I may put that toward a different more effective course. Your course markets itself as one that will help improve one's GRE score, and it does not do that. It did not help me. I want a refund. I was issued a login, your company won't lose any money by refunding me. Cancel my login. It's not as though materials were sent and used and cannot be resold. It's absurd and predatory that you can't refund a customer who gave your product a fair shot and was dissatisfied. I used it for less than 48 hours before requesting a return. That's enough time to give it a fair shot, but not enough time to have gotten $170 worth of value. I implore you to do what is right and fair and ethical. Good ethical businesses stand by their products and offer money back guarantees if their customers aren't satisfied. What does it say about a company that lures you in with the promise of helping you, doesn't deliver, and then won't give you your money back, all within a fair and reasonable time frame? It's disgusting and criminal. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/16/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered my test in June of 2025 for 7/16/2025 at 1pm, which I thought it was for. I went to take my test and it told me that it was for 7/16/25 at 1am not 1pm. I made an honest mistake I did not know that people take tests at 1am so I was not looking for am and pm option, I saw 1 and clicked 1 thinking it was 1pm. Next, I registered under **** instead of ******* and now I have to reregister. I was not aware that I needed to put my exact name. This company is so bad, I do not have any income and nor do my parents to help me. I am trying to make a living on my own and now I am out $150 and need to reregister under my full name and select a new test day/time. I am so stressed out over this. I literally just entered the job force and here I am out money I do not even have. I am simply requesting a free retake to make up for the lost compensation. I really just want to get this over. If I do not get my money back, I will not be pursing my teaching career any longer since this is so discouraging that I lost money due to an honest mistake.I also want to point out that the registration process is not so up to date. They should make this process more user friendly, may in big bold letter to make sure to select am or pm. Also, make sure to use full name listed on ID. Also, may more reminders about the test would be helpful, as I received 1 reminder that was it. Maybe a text message would be helpful the day before as a reminder, we are in 2025, this company should be using consumer friendly options. After all I am paying for a service and expect to be treated like a customer.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/17/2025

  Dear **** A ******,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you submitted a complaint regarding your July 16, 2025, Core Combined (5752) PRAXIS Program examination.
  
  As per our records, you registered for the Praxis test on June 13, 2025, and scheduled your testing appointment for July 16, 2025, at 01:00 AM EST. Our testing platform offers a wide variety of time slots, including early morning and late evening hours, to accommodate the diverse schedules of our test takers.
  
  When registering, candidates are shown test times in a 12-hour clock format, with clear AM and PM designations. PM time slots are further differentiated by a shaded background. In addition,candidates are prompted multiple times throughout the registration process to confirm their selected date and time, and the full details (including AM or PM)are displayed at each confirmation step. Once registration is finalized, the scheduled appointment is also viewable at any time in the candidate's online account.
  
  While we understand that you intended to select 1:00 PM rather than 1:00 AM, it is the responsibility of each test taker to verify and confirm their chosen time prior to test day. A 12-minute grace ****** is provided for all test appointments, but as you did not appear for your test at the scheduled time, the system recorded a "No Show", and the test was canceled.
  
  Please note that ETS pays reservation fees to its at-home testing vendors regardless of whether a candidate sits for their test. Therefore, we are unable to offer refunds or complimentary rescheduling in the case of a missed test due to an incorrect time selection.
  
  Regarding the name on your registration, our website **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** states: "Make sure your name on the ** documents exactly matches the name you used to register for the test. If the required ** documents do not match the name on your registration, you will not be permitted to test." This requirement is a standard security measure to ensure proper identity verification and cannot be waived.
  
  We acknowledge your feedback regarding the user experience and reminder communications. We are always working to improve our systems and will take your suggestions into consideration as we continue to enhance the registration and testing process.
  
  While we are sympathetic to your situation, we must uphold our policies to maintain fairness and consistency for all test takers. If you would like to move forward with retesting, you will need to re-register using your legal name exactly as it appears on your identification.
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We wish you continued success in your professional endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  PRAXIS Services
  Educational Testing Service
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2025

  
  Complaint: 23610124
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I do not agree with not offering a one time chance for me to reschedule my test for a1pm time slot under my correct name. I have a disability and truly feel this company does not care. I tried my best to sign up for the test on my own and made mistakes most likely due to my disability. I feel this company is not accommodating and does not offer even a consumer friendly resolution. I am a young man that is fresh out of college trying to start my career. I do not have a lot of money and due to the health issues in my family, my parents are struggling as well. If someone can please accommodate my disability by offering me a one time exception to reschedule my test at the appropriate time under my full name. 

  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 07/22/2025

  Dear **** A ******,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you rejected our previous response regarding your July 16, 2025, Core Combined (5752) PRAXIS Program examination.
  
  As previously mentioned, your test was scheduled for 1:00 AM EST on July 16, 2025, as selected during registration. We understand your intent may have been to select 1:00 PM, but the registration system includes multiple confirmation points, with time clearly indicated in 12-hour format, to help prevent such errors.
  
  The policy requiring your registration name to exactly match your identification is a standardized security protocol that applies to all test takers. This is also clearly stated during registration and in the Praxis Information Bulletin. While we sincerely understand your situation, we cannot waive this requirement. In order to change your name on the account, you need to create a new account and reschedule for a new test.
  
  We are unable to provide a free makeup or refund for your July 16, 2025, Core Combined (5752) PRAXIS Program examination
  
  Thank you for granting us the opportunity to provide clarification regarding your complaint with the Better Business Bureau.We wish you continued success in your professional endeavors.
  
  Regards,
  
  PRAXIS Services
  Educational Testing Service

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/23/2025

  
  Complaint: 23610124
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I think it is absolutely awful for a company to take money from a child who just got out of college and is trying to line things up for a full-time job in September.

  Offering a one time exception here would definitely be more consumer friendly. Im going to keep rejecting this until I get that.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/16/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I took the TOEFL iBT Home Edition test on July 9, 2025, and recently received a notice from ETS stating that my scores have been canceled due to “inconsistent performance between test sections” and “inconsistent testing times.”
  
  I strongly disagree with this decision. I completed the test independently, without any unfair assistance or irregular behavior. I followed all test procedures and instructions carefully throughout the exam.
  
  The justification provided by ETS is vague and not supported by any concrete evidence of misconduct. My speaking section may have performed differently due to natural test anxiety or topic unfamiliarity, which is normal for language learners and should not be grounds for invalidating an entire test.
  
  I have attempted to appeal the cancellation through ETS, but have not received a meaningful response. The lack of transparency and the absence of a formal appeal process for test takers outside the United States is deeply concerning and unfair.
  
  This cancellation has caused significant stress and disruption to my academic planning and graduate school applications.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/15/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  see Attached document

  Business Response

  Date: 07/16/2025

  Dear **** ********,
  
  ETS was notified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that you submitted a complaint in an attachment, however there is no attachment.
  
  We suggest you state your original complaint in your BBB complaint, or email us directly at **********************************************************************.
  
  Thank you.

  Regards,
  
  Educational Testing Service

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/10/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hi, my name is Jiwoo Hong. I was informed that my ***** score is delayed due to an administration. I totally understand the procedure, but I must get the score before next Monday. This is related to my mandatory military service for the country, so it would be a honor to get my score as early as possible. My appointment #: **************** My ETS ID is ********, and my birth date is ***********Thanks in advance, and sorry for any inconvenience. Jiwoo Hong