Coming soon: A new version of the SAT
Changes coming in 2016 to the SAT:
— No more extra penalties for wrong answers.
— Essay portion will be optional.
— Top score will be 1,600 with a separate score for the essay, compared with today's possible total of 2,400.
— It can be taken in either paper or digital form.
— It will include a passage drawn from "founding documents" such as the Declaration of Independence or from discussions they inspire.
— Calculators will be permitted only on certain portions of the math section, not on the entire section.
— Students will be asked to analyze both text and data in real world contexts instead of answering questions that don't require that.
— Vocabulary words more widely used in classroom and work settings will replace more obscure vocabulary words.
— Essays will measure students' ability to analyze evidence and explain how an author builds an argument, not just students' ability to construct an argument.
— The math section will draw from fewer topics instead of a wide range.
Source: College Board.
