Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the SAT changing?
Who will the changes affect?
How is the SAT changing?
Will the scoring be the same?
How long is the new test?
Is there a fee change associated
with the new test?
How will the essay be graded?
Will I need to have outside
knowledge on the topic to do well on
the essay?
Will the essay increase the time it
takes to receive my scores?
Will colleges still require the SAT
II writing test?
Will all of the math questions be
advanced concepts?
Will colleges only accept the new
SAT for the class of 2006?
Why
is the SAT changing?
The former president of the
University of California (UC) system
was going to drop the SAT as an
admissions requirement and replace
it if the College Board didn't add
some tough math questions and
replace the analogies with an essay.
Since the UC system is the biggest
user of the SAT I and SAT II exams,
these changes were made.
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Who will the changes affect?
The high school graduating class of
2006 and beyond.
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How
is the SAT changing?
There will be a new writing section;
analogies will be eliminated and
replaced with reading passages; more
advanced math on the exam; and the
quantitative comparison math
questions will be removed and an
essay will be added.
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Will the scoring be the same?
No. The new SAT will be scored 200 -
800 writing, 200 - 800 math, and 200
- 800 critical reading.
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How long is the new test?
It is 30 minutes longer than current
SAT, so it will be a 3.5 hour exam
instead of the current 3 hour exam.
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Is there a fee change associated with
the new test?
Yes. The College Board is estimating
that the fee will increase by $10 -
$12, for a new total cost of $36 -
$38.
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How will the essay be graded?
Traditionally, multiple graders are
assigned to each essay looking for a
combination of structure, grammar,
and organization of thought. Each
reader will score the essay
independently. If the grades differ
substantially, the essay will
undergo an independent review.
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Will I need to have outside knowledge on
the topic to do well on the essay?
No. Essay readers will award a score
based on a combination of structure,
grammar, and organization of
thought. The readers know that you
have only 25 minutes to write, so
they will grade your essay for what
it really is - a first draft written
on demand under timed conditions.
Creativity won't count, so focus on
the basics.
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Will the essay increase the time it
takes to receive my scores?
The College Board is claiming that
it won't take any longer.
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Will colleges still require the SAT II
writing test?
Probably not, but no decision has
yet been made to eliminate the test.
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Will all of the math questions be
advanced concepts?
No. The advanced math concepts will
only account for about 10% of the
math questions.
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Will colleges only accept the new SAT
for the class of 2006?
If you are in the Class of 2006,
2007 or beyond, ONLY take the New
SAT. Colleges and universities
across the country will accept the
new test. Plus, despite what you may
have heard, you’ll probably find the
New SAT easier than the old one. In
fact, we’ve raised our guarantee
from 100 points to at least 200
points for the New SAT—that’s how
confident we are that you can beat
the new test.
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