Just Colleges Guide

By now, you’ve probably heard that the two common college entrance exams, the SAT and ACT, are going through some changes.

The new SAT, including the revised PSAT, will be unveiled in the spring of 2016. The ACT will release its new version sometime in 2015. Here’s a look at what they’re changing.

The Revised SAT

According to the College Board, the redesigned SAT will experience 11 major changes, including:

1. Real-life vocabulary words. One of the major complaints of the current vocabulary words tested in the SAT is that they’re obscure and rarely used. The new test will focus on “relevant” words in context.
2. Optional essay. Currently, the essay is required. (However, after it becomes optional, some schools may still require you to do the essay.) Essays will now require students to analyze a passage rather than solely argue a point based on personal knowledge or experience.
3. Famous passages. Exams will ask questions involving specific passages from one of the founding documents (e.g., the Declaration of Independence or the Bill of Rights) or the “Great Global Conversation” (e.g., Gandhi’s talks on nonviolence or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech).
4. Paper and digital forms. The SAT is currently only available on paper.
5. New score scale. The scoring will change from having a 2,400 top score to 1,600, with a separate score for the optional essay.
6. Data analysis. To date, students have rarely had to read text AND analyze data. On the new SAT, students will need to do both, including identifying and correcting any inconsistencies between the text and data.
7. No point deductions for incorrect answers. Now you’ll be better off guessing the answers to questions you don’t know.
8. No-calculator section. In the past, calculators have always been permitted. For the new test, they will only be allowed on certain portions of the math section.
9. Scientific and historical sources. Questions will include charts, graphs and passages that you’re likely to have encountered in areas such as science and history, as well as career contexts. You’ll need to do more than just correct errors; you’ll also be asked to edit, revise and improve text.
10. Evidence-based reading and writing. On the new test, students will be required to cite passages that best reflect the answer they’ve chosen.
11. Narrower math topics. The new math section will draw from fewer, more relevant math subjects, such as proportional reasoning, linear equations and linear functions.

The new test will better reflect questions and information that apply to real life. It will require students to use skills that are more relevant in today’s workplace, like analyzing written arguments, supporting answers with evidence and applying math to solve problems in real-world contexts.

Changes to the ACT

An optional electronic version of the ACT test will be offered in 2015. On the electronic version, students will see their results within minutes—a stark change to the current timeline, which can take up to six weeks.

While the traditional 1 to 36 scoring range will remain, additional questions will be asked to assess “readiness indicators” to help students plan and prepare for their future studies and careers.  These indicators will consist of a STEM score, a “progress toward career readiness,” an English language arts score, and a “text complexity progress indicator” to measure if students are making sufficient progress toward understanding the complex texts they’ll encounter in college and their careers.