If you haven’t heard the news, the College Board unveiled plans for the “new” SAT , which the nonprofit organization will put into play in the spring of 2016.
So, what does this mean to all of the high school students that will take the college entrance exam?
According to David Coleman, the College Board’s president, the “new” SAT will require students to “think” harder, “analyze” more, and “anchor” their answers to evidence.
In the “Reading and Writing Section,” students will be asked to support their answers with evidence they find in what they read. Some of these questions will even require the students to cite a specific section of a passage they read to support the answer that they choose. In addition, students will also come across various documents in a variety of disciplines, such as social studies, science, and history.
After reading these documents, the students will be asked to not only analyze the text they have read, but also analyze data that is presented.
The “new” SAT will also include vocabulary different from what the SAT has done in the past. Coleman said the newer version will omit obscure and ponderous SAT words, and replace those words with words they will undoubtedly encounter at the college level.
This new version will also include passages from historical documents that students will most likely be familiar with, such as the Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.”
As for the “Mathematics Section,” the SAT will now focus on problem solving and data analysis, algebra, and “more-complex” equations and functions that students will face in calculus. And, calculators will only be allowed on some portions of the mathematics exam.
One of the major changes with the “new” SAT will center on students no longer being penalized, or having points deducted for their incorrect answers. The current version of the exam penalizes students one-quarter of a point for each wrong answer.
Another change will be that the test will last only three hours, with an optional essay, which will require another 50 minutes.
The College Board also stated that the cost of the SAT will not cost more than it does now, which is $51.
If you are currently thinking about taking the SAT or the ACT, we offer a variety of programs that can prepare you for these college entrance exams. Please give us a call and we can discuss the programs we offer.