Students are failing AP tests because the College Board can’t handle HEIC images (theverge.com)

Article summary

The College Board's online testing portal failed to handle HEIC image files, causing some students to fail their AP tests. The issue arose because the portal only supports JPG, JPEG, and PNG formats, while HEIC is the default format for iPhone photos. Students who tried to upload HEIC files experienced errors, and some were unable to submit their tests. The College Board has since allowed test-takers to email their submissions, but this solution is only available for future exams.

Main themes

• Software engineering quality
• Device compatibility
• Error handling
• Management priorities
• Certification and standards
• Communication and responsibility

What commenters say

• The College Board's failure to support HEIC files is a result of poor engineering and a lack of testing on common devices.
• The issue is not with the College Board, but with Apple's decision to use HEIC as the default format.
• The problem is a result of bad management and a focus on getting something functional at minimum time and cost, rather than prioritizing quality.
• A certification body for software engineering quality could help prevent similar issues in the future.
• The College Board's solution of allowing email submissions is insufficient, and they should have taken more responsibility for the error.
• The issue highlights the need for better communication and error handling in software applications.
• The problem is not unique to the College Board, but is a common issue in software development, where decision-makers often prioritize cost and time over quality.