Student prepare to take new SAT this March
The current version of the SAT college entrance exam has its final run this weekend, when hundreds of thousands of students nationwide will sit, squirm or stress through the nearly four-hour reading, writing and math test. A new revamped version debuts in March.
The College Board, the nonprofit organization that owns the SAT, says more than 351,000 students registered to take the Jan. 23 test. That’s a nearly 10 percent increase over the number of students registered for last January’s exam. A major snowstorm could force cancellations along some parts of the East Coast. Make-up sessions would be offered with the current exam.
Looking ahead to March, College Board says the revamped exam is more representative of what students study in high school and the skills they need to succeed in college and afterward.
The test had last been revised in 2005.
The new makeover focuses less on arcane vocabulary words like “lachrymose” and more on real-world learning and analysis by students. There also is no longer a penalty for guessing on the redesigned exam, and the essay will be optional. Students who decide not to write an essay would see about 50 minutes shaved off the length of the test.
The new SAT will continue to test reading, writing and math, with an emphasis on analysis. Some of the obscure vocabulary words that left kids memorizing flash cards for endless hours will vanish. Instead, more widely known words used in classroom learning will appear on the test and students will have to demonstrate their ability to determine meaning in different contexts.
Other significant changes:
-In math, students will see more algebra and problem solving, instead of testing a wide range of math concepts.
-Use of calculators will be limited. They will be allowed only on certain math questions, instead of on the entire math portion.
-Essay portion will be optional.
-Top score goes back to 1,600 with a separate score for the essay, compared with Saturday’s possible total of 2,400.
