In spring 2016, the College Board will issue the SAT with some very distinct changes. The biggest change will be the return of the 1600-point grading system with the essay becoming optional. Furthermore, there will no longer be a penalty for incorrect answers.
The reading and writing section will become “evidence-based,” asking students to read and analyze passages from sources considered important for educated Americans to know. Examples include the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address. Vocabulary questions will become more context-based and related to passages in order to encourage reading books rather than memorizing flashcards.
The math section was also revised to focus on three areas: problem solving and data analysis, the “heart of algebra,” and the “passport to advanced math.” These three sections will test students on percentages and mathematical reasoning used to solve real world problems, linear equations, and complex equations.
Math teacher Adam Jacobs, who helps run Summit Test Prep, a SAT preparation course, says, “The new test allows for more real world context and richer applications that link to career, science, and social studies.”
“No longer will it be good enough to focus on tricks and trying to eliminate answer choices. We are not interested in students just picking an answer, but justifying their answer,” says College Board president David Coleman in an interview with the New York Times Magazine.
Jacobs says, “I would imagine the redesigned SAT scores will allow colleges and universities to better evaluate a student’s knowledge base better than the current SAT test.”
“The changes they’re making, some of them are similar to the ACT,” says college and career advisor Laurie Tezak.
Even though the essay will be optional, Tezak recommends that, like for the ACT, students continue to write it. She says, “The ACT has always said that the essay was optional, but if you are looking at a UC and a number of the private schools, you had to have the essay. The CSUs, you don’t need the writing component, [but] even though the state schools don’t use it, they like it. It can help wave you out of placement testing for [CSUs].”
“I think it was a good choice to make the essay optional,” says freshman Stephanie Shu. “Strong writers can showcase their talent while weaker writers can skip it and it won’t affect their score.”
The essay will not only become optional but also reformulated to focus more on reasoning and development of an argument. In his interview with the New York Times Magazine, Coleman explained, “Students will be asked to do something we do in work and in college everyday: analyze source materials and understand the claims and supporting evidence.”
Many of these changes seek to reduce the disparities between richer students that can afford better test-prep, and students that cannot. According to the College Board, the average SAT score for college-bound seniors with a family income of $20,000 or less was 1326 points out of 2400 in 2013. In the same year, the average score for students with a family income of more than $200,000 was 1714 points.
In addition to changing the test, College Board will team up with Khan Academy, a free online tutoring service, to provide free and more transparent test-prep for students. Though the new test format will only become available to the class of 2017 and beyond, the College Board will also provide material to help students taking the old exam.
“I will have to take the SAT sometime in the next two years,” says sophomore Lea Tan. “So it’s good that they’re making [the testing process] easier.”
Jacobs says, “SAT prep in the past has always been more about strategies to ‘beat’ the test and identify ‘traps’ laid out by the test makers. It seems with the redesigned test, there will be more emphasis on content knowledge rather than how well a student can take a test and identify traps or memorize vocabulary.”
Though many people think the changes will be beneficial, others doubt the impact that they will have. Senior Priyam Das says, “I don’t think that changing the SAT will be an improvement. Instead, I wish that the AP tests were taken more seriously than the SAT.”
William Fitzsimmons, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard University, said in an interview with the New York Times Magazine, “What this [change] is is a clear message that good hard work is going to pay off and achievement is going to pay off.”
