IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ABOUT
THE NEW SAT
The class of 2017
will be the first group of students to take the New SAT. The first administration
is scheduled for the spring of 2016.
The New PSAT is
scheduled to be offered for the first time in October 2015.
The New SAT, as
announced by the College Board, includes the following changes*:
- The New
SAT will have 2 "sections" called "Evidence-Based Reading
and Writing" and "Math," with each section scored on
the 200 - 800 scale (for a composite score of 1600). There will also
be an "optional" Essay (scored independently of the other
two sections)...
- The Evidence-Based
Reading and Writing section is a combination of the current
Critical Reading and Writing portions of the SAT. The Evidence-Based
Reading and Writing section is split into two components called
the "Reading Test" and another part called the "Writing
and Language Test."
- The New "Reading
Test" will not contain the vocabulary-based sentence completion
questions. It will be made up of only reading comprehension questions,
(students will still be asked about vocabulary but based only on
the context of the passage). Some questions will ask you to support
your chosen answer to a previous question and others might ask you
to analyze a provided graphic in the context of the passage. The
test will still include one paired-passage asking students to determine
similarities and differences between two passages related to the
same topic. The total time length for the Reading Test is 65 minutes.
- The New "Writing
and Language Test" will not have grammar based questions
coming from distinct, short sentences but will instead ask questions
about grammar, sentence structure, logic, style, and punctuation
based within longer passages (each roughly 400-450 words in length).
In addition, some questions will ask students to analyze a provided
graphic in the context of the passage. The total time length for
the Writing and Language Test is 35 minutes.
- The New "Math
Test" will have one section on which calculator use will
not be allowed. On the other math section, students will still be
allowed to use their calculators. The test will still include "Grid-in"
questions on which multiple-choice answers are not provided, thus
requiring students to bubble-in their numerical answers. The focus
of math questions will be on problem-solving and data analysis,
more in-depth algebra, and real-world problem solving. Again, as
in the other sections of the test, some questions will ask students
to work with a provided graphic. In addition, students will be faced
with higher level math, such as trigonometry, not seen on the current
math sections of the SAT. The total time length for the Math Test
is 80 minutes.
- The New Optional
"Essay" will be at the end of the test and will be
optional based upon the colleges to which you are applying. The
Essay will not be based on a short, broad question, as is the current
essay. The new Essay will require students to read a long passage
and then, in their essays, analyze how the author built his/her
argument. The new Essay will test how students read, analyze, and
then write an essay. The Essay is set to have a 50-minute time limit.
- Other points
to note about the New SAT...
- The The total
amount of time required for the test (excluding breaks) will be
3 hours (or 3 hours and 50 minutes with the "optional"
Essay).
- No penalty
for wrong answers.
- All multiple-choice
questions will have 4 answer choices (as opposed to the current
5).
- The New SAT
will have the standard paper and pencil format as well as a computer
based format (at certain locations).
- The New SAT
will also provide students with numerous "sub-scores"
and "cross-test" scores.
* Please note that the College Board has stated that the New SAT test
design and specifications are still under extensive research and testing,
and as such, are subject to change.
Why did The College
Board decide to change the SAT Test?
According
to The College Board, the changes to the SAT were designed to align
the test more closely with the high school curriculum and the skills
required for success in college today. Don�t worry - despite many of
the changes, the SAT will remain very coachable, and we are already
developing new materials and strategies to address any and all of the
test changes.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW
TO PREP FOR THE SAT, VISIT OUR "SAT
PROGRAMS" PAGE!
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