| Changes You’ll Love |
Changes You Won’t Love |
- No penalty for wrong answers, so students don’t have to worry about losing points for guessing incorrectly. (Just like on the ACT.)
- There are only 4 answer choices instead of 5.
- Students may be more familiar with some of the vocabulary tested, but they will need to know multiple definitions of those words.
- Sayonara, sentence completions.
|
- Questions require multiple steps to get an answer.
- The reading passages include complex structure and vocabulary.
- Reasoning and critical thinking skills are paramount.
- There are fewer sections on the new test, but they are longer in time than the old test.
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How Should I Prep?
The SAT is still a timed, pencil-and-paper test. Speed and accuracy count. Our education team are New SAT experts. They have created world-class content for our new courses and online resources to help students navigate these changes and be prepared for their SAT test date.
| The New SAT (as of spring 2016) |
| SECTIONS |
2 sections
- Math
- Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
|
| SCORING |
Total score (400–1600)
- 2 section scores (200–800)
- 3 test scores (10–40)
- 7 sub-scores (1–15)
- 2 cross-test scores
|
| LENGTH OF TEST (WITHOUT BREAKS) |
3 hours (without essay)
3 hours, 50 minutes (with essay) |
| ANSWER CHOICES |
4 answer choices per question |
| INCORRECT ANSWER PENALTY |
No penalty for incorrect answers |
| FORMAT OF TEST |
Paper and pencil (The College Board has announced a computer-based option is forthcoming.) |
| READING AND WRITING |
- Two tests:
-
- Reading Test
- Writing and Language Test
- No more sentence completions; focus on multiple-meaning words
- Passages will draw from significant historical or scientific documents – may include informational graphics, such as charts
- The reading passages will include complex structure and vocabulary
- Passage-based grammar – including punctuation
|
| MATH |
Focuses on:
- Application-based, multi-step questions
- Higher-level math, including trigonometry
- One set of “extended-thinking” grid-in questions (worth 4 points);
- Core math competencies (translating math into English and English into math)
- A deep understanding of the theories behind mathematical principles, such as building equations
|
| CALCULATORS |
Calculators only allowed in the longer of the two math sections |
| THE ESSAY |
The essay is optional (50 minutes, timed)
Students will be provided a substantial passage (600–700 words) and will then be asked to analyze how the author built their argument; students will need to understand the techniques authors used to write persuasively |
Timing on the New SAT
|
|
Time Allotted (minutes) |
Number of Questions |
| Reading |
65 |
52 |
| Writing and Language |
35 |
44 |
| Math |
80 |
58 |
| TOTAL |
180 |
154 |
| Essay (optional) |
50 |
1 |
