What You Need To Know About Changes To The SAT

So far, information on the new SAT has been broad. We expect to receive more specific details on April 16, when the College Board will provide a blueprint for the new test and also release sample questions. In the meantime, here are the primary changes:

Scoring and Format

• The test will revert to the 1600-point standard, primarily comprised of a Math and a newly-combined Reading/Writing section. 
• The SAT will eliminate the ¼-point penalty for wrong answers. 
• The essay will now be optional. 
• The primary test will be about 3 hours; the essay will be 50 minutes. 
• The test will be offered in print and digital forms. 

Math

• Some Math sections will prohibit the use of a calculator to better test students' math literacy and number sense. 
• More math questions will be based on real-world scenarios, applying mathematical logic to situations in the sciences and social sciences. 
• More advanced math concepts will be introduced, likely including algebra II and trigonometry (although these topics have yet to be confirmed). 

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

• Critical Reading and Writing sections will be combined into one score. 
• Sentence Completion questions will be eliminated, as the test will focus on more "real-world" vocabulary, rather than typical, unfamiliar, "SAT words." Students will be asked to decode the meaning of these words based on the context in which they are presented. 
• Some Reading questions will ask students to cite the passage in support of previous answers. 
• One passage in every new SAT will be what the College Board describes as a "Founding Document" (such as the Declaration of Independence) or related, important historical texts (such as Lincoln's Gettysburg Address or Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech). 

The Essay

• The essay will no longer be free-response only. Rather, students will be required to analyze a given text in terms of the passage's use of evidence, reasoning, and stylistic elements. Students will be expected to refer to the passage to support their claims. 
• The essay score will not factor into students' Reading/Writing scores. Instead, schools will see it as a separate score. 

Khan Academy Partnership 

Khan Academy is non-profit organization that specializes in providing free online educational programs, and Key Academics’ Summit resource has utilized some of Khan's SAT prep curriculum to the betterment of our students in the past. Now the College Board has selected Khan as an official test-prep partner. Khan Academy will offer free SAT study materials, and we are excited about grouping its features with our existing comprehensive suite of SAT diagnostic and study services to help students use these new resources effectively.

We are looking forward to hearing more about the SAT revision and will provide you with the most up-to-date information as it is revealed. We are currently planning major revisions to our flagship SAT prep curricula in advance of the new test. Until then, our current materials will get students ready for test day.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the SAT, ACT, or any of the other standardized tests in which we specialize. We look forward to working with you as we all navigate these changes together.