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The SAT or Scholastic Assessment Test of the United States will start using a new format this spring 2016. It is designed to measure the knowledge and skills which are truly useful for college education and preparing to be successful in careers.
The College Board of the United States saw the need to look into the SAT because the 2014 high school SAT indicated that more than half are not prepared for the first year of college, hurdle it and eventually finish the whole four-year course.
With this, they studied what knowledge and skills high school graduates really need for college to succeed in it as a preparation for a future career. The study they are embarking on is a continual process and the introduction of a new format for the SAT is only a first step. Their immediate and ultimate goal is to provide the young citizens with equal opportunities. One important part of which is to make the SAT a level playing field for these young people.
Here are what you need to know, what to expect, what not to expect and some tips to help you prepare for the new SAT.
Step 1 – Know the New SAT
- Three (3) Sections: (1) Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; (2) Math; and (3) the Essay
- Reverted to the 1600 Scale; the score for the Essay will be separate and is not required
- Three (3) hours for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math and 50 minutes for the Essay
- Starting 2016, be taken both in print and by computer
Notes:
- The exact duration time of the examination will be announced and may be changed slightly depending on updates of the on-going research.
- The essay portion is optional, even though essay writing is an essential skill in college, because the Reading and Writing Section is enough to cover the component skills of essay writing and such one essay item is found to have note contributed significantly to the overall predictive power of the SAT. The College Board will promote analytical writing throughout their assessments and instructional resources and also sponsor an awards program modeled after the Pulitzer Prize for the best student analytical writing which winners will be published in The Atlantic magazine.
Step 2 – Know the Changes: What to Expect, What Not
Relevant Words in Context
expect: words that students will use consistently in college and after, career
don’t expect: vocabulary words which students have not heard before and will likely not hear again
Evidence-based Reading and Writing
expect: to be asked to support your answers with evidence or cite a specific part of a passage to support their answer choice;
however, do not worry about such evidence or passage text because it is given with the item and you just need to find them
don’t expect: to do tons of readings as part of test preparations or review
Essay Analysing a Source (Optional)
expect: to analyse evidence; to explain how an author builds an argument to persuade an audience
tip: make your analysis strong; make your writing coherent
Math Focused on Three Key Areas
expect: to be assessed on the three essential areas which are (1) problem solving and data analysis; (2) the heart of algebra; and (3) passport to advanced math
tip: you can or maybe should study the mentioned areas in depth
The Source Documents Used in the Reading Section
tip: do not panic when you encounter unfamiliar reading materials given in the reading section
expect: to encounter reading materials derived from a wide range of academic disciplines which includes science and social studies, literature, literary non-fiction and history
tip: treat the variety of the sources of materials as an opportunity to conduct analysis on such different fields
Analysing Data and Texts in Real World Context
expect: to be asked to analyse text and data in real world contexts, including identifying and correcting inconsistencies between text and data
tip: you may be given a statistic figure (data) and choose the correct conclusion (text)
USA Founding Documents and Great Global Conversation
expect: each exam to include a passage drawn from the Founding Documents of America or the Great Global Conversation they inspire; examples are the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
No Right-Minus-Wrong
tip: do not worry about giving a wrong answer; you can give your best try to any item you are not sure of your answer
Step-Tip 3: Get Sample Questions
- Make sure to get a copy of the extensive sample items for all sections of the SAT and its full specifications which the College Board will release on 16 April 2015.
- You can also view now some sample questions with answers and explanations at the College Board website at https://www.collegeboard.org/delivering-opportunity/sat/redesign. Just locate and click the “view a sample question” link that comes with each new SAT section description.
