New SAT : Exam to be redesigned; www.collegeboard.org

Table of Contents

The SAT exam is undergoing a big change. The new SAT will make its debut in March and it will impact students in the class of or later. Changes include a new structure, new score, new sections, and a new approach to testing. The important thing to note is that the changes are not minor. Here is a comparative table showing what exact changes to expect.

Changes	Current SAT (till January)	New SAT (from March and after)
Scoring	– 1/4^th penalty for wrong answers- Score out of 2400 800 for Math 800 for Reading Comprehension 800 for Writing	– No penalty- Score out of 1600 800 for Math 800 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing – Sub-scores and insight scores available – Optional Essay to be scored separately
Composition	– 3 Critical Reading sections 20-25 minutes each – 3 Math sections 20-25 minutes each – 3 Writing sections 10-25 minutes each Includes 1 Essay test (25 minutes) – 1 Experimental test – 5 answer choices for multiple choice questions	– 1 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test 65-minute Reading section 35-minute Language and Writing section – 1 Math test 55-minute section with calculator 25-minute section without calculator – 1 Essay test (optional) – 50 minutes – 4 answer choices for multiple choice questions
Timing	– Total 3 hours 45 minutes	– Total 3 hours; 3 hours 50 minutes with essay ( optional)
Administration	– Only available in print format- Focused on broad range of content and skills	– Available in print and digital formats- A greater focus on in-depth analysis of content and evidence
Essay	– Essay is required- Students have 25 minutes to draft the essay – Quality, reasoning and accuracy of data not tested – Score combined with Writing section	– Essay is optional- Students have 50 minutes to analyze a word document and draft the essay – Tests analysis, reading, and writing skills – Factual accuracy is important – Scored separately
Math	– Focus on wide array of topics- More emphasis on computational skills – Calculators allowed for all sections – Multiple choice and grid-in questions	– Concentrated focus on: Problem-solving and data analysis ‘The Heart of Algebra’ ‘Passport to Advanced Math’ – Real-world problem solving accompanied by informational graphics – Calculator allowed for 37 questions; not allowed for 20 questions – Multiple choice and grid-in questions; 1 item set grid-in question
Reading and Writing	– Critical Reading Sentence Completion Passage based questions Passage based questions from short (100-150 words) and long (400-850 words) passages – Writing Combined score of writing multiple choice questions and Essay	– Evidence Based Reading No Sentence Completion Tests understanding of passages from US and world Literature, History/Social Studies, and Sciences (500-750 words) – Writing and Language Tests ‘Expression of Ideas’ and ‘Standard English Conventions’ through passages related to Careers, History/Social Studies, Humanities and Science All questions from extended prose (400-450 words)