This page is for FutureSkills' Proctors and Administrators only

TOEFL iBT – Frequently Asked Questions

1.   What should I do if I forget my TCA password?
        a.     Access the STNCenter login screen at https://stncenter.ets.org. 
        b.     Select the Forgot Password link.
        c.     After entering your STN username and email address, click Submit.
        d.     Write down the PIN # displayed on the screen.
        e.     You will receive a temporary password via email from admin@ets.org.
Tip:  If you do not receive the email within a couple of minutes, check your SPAM or Junk email folders.
        f.     Log in as a First Time User using your center ID, username, temporary password, and PIN number.

2.   Where can I find my test dates, local start times, and other information about my upcoming administrations?
        a.     Log into the STNCenter website at https://stncenter.ets.org.
        b.     On the STNCenter home page, select the Center tab.
        c.     Select Administration.
        d.     Review your administration dates, local start times, and number of candidates.
        e.     If any information regarding your participation on a specific test date is inaccurate, please do not correct it yourself. Instead, contact the Global Help Desk. Have available your STN number and site name.
        Reminder:  If your site operates multiple STN test centers (A, B, C, etc.), you will need to check each of them individually.
        Note:  If you have no (zero) candidates registered seven calendar days prior to an administration, your test center will not be participating in that particular administration.

3.   What should I do if I do not have enough headsets for all of the candidate workstations?
        Contact the Global Help Desk as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made to ship the headsets to your location.

4.   Where can I find the test center operating procedures?
        Go to the STN documentation website at www.prometric.com/stn. The user name is stn_centers, and the password is stn3. The website is for use by test center personnel only.

5.   What is Readiness Check 1, and how do I use it?
        ·Readiness Check 1 is a process to confirm the technical capability of all workstations and the presence of all necessary resources for the upcoming administration.
        ·It becomes available 10 days before an upcoming administration. To begin, login to https://stncenter.ets.org, select “Readiness Check” from the menu on the left side of your Home page, and select the “Readiness Check 1” link.
        Note:  Readiness Check 1 is optional. It does not include loading a cache proxy.

6.   What is Readiness Check 2, and why is it required?
        ·      In addition to reconfirming technical capability and resources, Readiness Check 2 enables you to load your cache proxy before test day, which is REQUIRED because it reduces the risk of encountering difficulty on test day and shortens your test day setup.
        ·Readiness Check 2 becomes available 3 to 4 days before an upcoming administration. To begin, login to https://stncenter.ets.org, select Readiness Check from the menu on the left side of your Home page, and select the Readiness Check 2 link.
        Important:  During the “Workstation Check” step, select Start as a Cache Proxy when starting the workstation that you intend to use as your test day cache proxy. Files will be downloaded and will remain on the cache proxy even when you turn it off.
        Note:  For detailed procedures, see “Pre-administration Readiness” on the STN documentation website at www.prometric.com/stn (User name: stn_centers. Password:  stn3.)

7.   What are the procedures for test day?
·      Refer to the “Exam-specific and Test Day Procedures” section of the STN documentation website (www.prometric.com/stn) for policies, procedures, and tips.
Note:  During a test session, TCAs can click the Links menu for a link to the STN documentation website.
        ·      Test day includes the following activities:
•Arrive at least 1 hour before your scheduled start time to prepare your lab.
                •Start the computer that will serve as your administrative workstation, open Internet Explorer, login to https://stncenter.ets.org, and perform Test Setup.
                •Start the preloaded cache proxy and ensure that its status is “Ready” before you start any candidate workstations.
Note:  Attempting to start candidate workstations when the cache proxy is not fully loaded and ready can cause a delay in the cache proxy loading process.
                •Start the candidate test delivery workstations after confirming that the cache proxy status is “Ready”.
                •Check in candidates.
                •      Start testing. You may start testing up to 30 minutes before your scheduled start time.
                •      Unlock candidate workstations when candidates return from the mandatory break.
•      Perform the Cleanup function.(DO NOT PERFORM THIS FUNCTION UNTIL ALL CANDIDATES HAVE COMPLETED TESTED)
•      Return completed Confidentiality Statements to ETS once per month.
        ·      For assistance, contact the Global Help Desk via the Internet by selecting “iSupport” by from the Links menu in the STNCenter application or by telephone (1-800-253-6754 from centers in the United States and Canada, or 1-443-751-4554 from centers in Latin America). Visit the STN documentation website (www.prometric.com/stn) for a complete contact list.

8.   My test center has more than 20 candidates registered. How can we speed up the check-in of TOEFL iBT candidates?
·      The STN application allows you to use multiple administrative stations simultaneously, which makes it possible to check in candidates concurrently.
        ·The first administrative station is considered primary by the software. This means that it must go through the test setup wizard and validate the required resources before the candidate roster screen can be displayed.
        ·Subsequently launched administrative stations are considered secondary by the software. This means that they do not have to run the test setup wizard. Clicking the Test Setup link will take these secondary administrative stations directly to the roster screen.
        ·The ability to launch multiple administrative stations is not limited by the number of seats or registrations.

9.   What should I do if a candidate is "missing” from my roster?
        First, refresh the roster on the administrative station. If this does not correct the problem, follow the steps below:
        ·Verify the site location and date of the scheduled test.
        ·If the candidate is scheduled for a different location, or has been rescheduled, make the candidate aware of the situation.
        ·If the candidate is scheduled for the current date but a different location, you can admit the candidate if your center has more certified workstations than registered candidates. To do so, you must contact the Global Help Desk.

10.  How do I handle corrections to candidate data such as incorrect date of birth, misspelled name, or address change?
       Address Corrections:  Examinees are responsible for making their own address corrections before or after the exam, either by logging in to their account online or by calling the Prometric registration center.
        ·Name and Date-of-Birth Corrections:  TCA’s should call the Helpdesk to have any minor name corrections
                Note: TCA will call the Global Helpdesk and will file a CPR from the administrative station and include the name and/or date of birth that appears on the check-in screen, the correct name and/or date of birth as shown on the candidate’s ID document(s), and the type of ID document(s) that the candidate presented.

       
11.  How do I restart a test after a break?
        Unlock the station by pressing the “CTRL + Shift +?” key sequence. You will then be prompted to enter the administrative password that you created for this session during Test Setup.

12.  How do I restart a test if it appears to have frozen or does not start properly?
        a.     Reboot the candidate’s workstation by pressing the “CTRL + Shift +?” key sequence.
        b.     On your administrative station, click Restart Test, select the candidate, and select whether to use the current workstation or a different one, if available.
Note:  In your Center Problem Report (CPR), describe the problem that made the restart necessary.
        c.     If restarting does not solve the problem, contact the Global Help Desk.

13.  What should I do if the test on screen appears to be distorted?
        Ensure that the screen resolution (Display Properties ► Settings tab) is set to 1024x768 with 32 bit colors.

14.  How do I retrieve the administrative password that I created when starting this session?
        a.     Select the Cache Proxy option on the administrative station Roster screen.
        b.     Press the key sequence Ctrl + Shift + ?
Your administrative password will be displayed.

15.  How do I add new personnel or add new roles to existing personnel for my test center?
        a.     In the STNCenter application, navigate to Center ► Personnel.
        b.     To add a role to an existing user, skip to Step i.            
        c.     To add a new user, begin by clicking the New Personnel button. The User screen will open.
        d.     Enter the user's First Name, Middle Name (optional), and Last Name.
        e.     Enter the user's telephone and fax number(s)
        f.     Enter the user's primary email address in the Email 1 field.
Note:  The system will send the password for the new account to the address entered in the Email 1 field, so make certain that the address is correct.
        g.     Enter a unique Username for the new user.
Note:  It should be alphanumeric with no spaces or special characters. The system will not allow you to duplicate a username.
        h.     Click Submit. A PIN number will be displayed on the screen.
Important:  You must write down the PIN number and give it to the new user. The new user will need the PIN number, along with the system-generated email message containing the password, to log into STNCenter for the first time.
        i.      To assign a role, highlight the user’s name in the list of personnel and select Role. Select the Assigned check box next to each role that you wish to assign.
Note:  There are three roles: Center Supervisor, Test Center Administrator, and Proctor. The Center Supervisor has access to all screens located under the Center and Home tabs. The Test Center Administrator and Proctor can access the screens located under the Home tab. A user can have more than one role in STNCenter.
        j.      Click Submit. The user’s role(s) are saved.
Important:  You must assign a role for each user. A user who has no role assigned will be able to login to STNCenter but will be unable to access any screens.
      k.    If the new user has the Test Center Administrator role, s/he must pass the TCA training and exam in order to become certified. STNCenter will not allow an uncertified TCA to launch a TOEFL iBT exam.
Important:  When registering for the training and exam, the TCA should register under the same username that was assigned to him/her for STNCenter. Procedures for the training and exam are on the STN documentation website (www.prometric.com/stn).