by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
UNM graduate Anna Badiei Rostami was not allowed to take the dental school admissions test at a Thomson Prometric testing center Saturday because she was born in Iran, she said.
Hugh Anderson, a spokesman for the company, said the incident was caused by an employee who misunderstood U.S. Department of Treasury sanctions against Iran.
"She, unfortunately, was turned away, which was our mistake," he said. "It shouldn't have happened, and we've made every effort to reach out to her as an
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individual."
Rostami will be allowed to take the test on Nov. 11, Anderson said.
Anderson was not sure if the company would punish the employee who turned Rostami away.
The testing center Rostami went to, at 4121 Wyoming Blvd. N.E., did not return phone calls Wednesday.
According to the company's Web site, it can't do business with citizens of Iran if they are using an Iranian bank.
Molly Millerwise, treasury spokeswoman, said that is a misinterpretation of the department's sanctions.
"If that is their company policy, it's something I'm not going to comment on," she said. "But if they're saying it's because of laws, that's a problem. The Iranian sanctions usually don't apply to Iranians not resident in Iran."
Rostami said she used a U.S. credit card to pay for the test and brought her permanent resident identification card and driver's license to the testing center.
"When I went into the testing center, the guy told me I couldn't do the test because he saw on my card that I was born in Iran," she said. "It was a big shock to me. It made me feel horrible because I've never had any problems with getting jobs or graduating or anything, but now they were telling me I couldn't take this test."
She asked him to call a supervisor and check her identification, she said.
"He made a phone call to see if I could take the test," she said. "He told me, 'They're saying I can't do it,' and he made me leave the office."
Rostami got a signed and dated letter from the man.
"(Rostami) was present but per company policy was not permitted to test," the letter stated.
Rostami said she does not know why the employee prevented her from taking the test.
"Either he was a racist and has something against me because I'm from Iran, or he was just
ignorant," she said.
Rostami paid $300 for the test and $1,000 to apply to 15 dental programs, she said. The deadlines for two of those schools have passed.
She has been studying for the test since December.
"I'm going to try to get refunds for those two application fees," she said. "If I can't, there's not
really much I can do about it. I just hope I get into a good school after all of this."
Anderson was not sure if the company would refund Rostami's application fees.
Rostami said it will be hard to make up for what happened.
"They're apologizing to me, but that doesn't do me any good right now," she said. "I was ready to take that test a week ago."
