College News
The new SAT: What students and parents need to know
to prepare
that address college and career readiness, and key skills
such as analysis and reasoning. For instance, all reading
content will be passage-based and will place strong
emphasis on students' ability to understand vocabulary
in context, focusing on more commonly used words,
rather than simply demonstrating reading
comprehension.
2. Know the dates: The first administration of the
redesigned SAT is scheduled for March 2016. The class
of 2017 and 2018 are most affected by the change, but
the class of 2016 still has an opportunity to take the
current SAT in January 2016, which is likely the safest
bet. Regardless of the format, it is never too early to
(BPT) - The SAT - widely considered to be one of the start preparing for these exams, as it is the best way to
most important exams a student will take in his or her
ensure success and avoid last-minute, ineffective
academic life - is changing drastically. When students cramming. Some students begin preparing a few
sit down for the test in March 2016, they'll encounter a months in advance; for others, it's several months or
completely redesigned format that places significant
longer.
emphasis on college and career readiness and skills
3. Be aware that tips and tricks won't work: The
such as reasoning, data analysis and critical thinking.
redesigned SAT requires a mastery of core academic
The SAT, which impacts high school students' college concepts and an ability to apply these concepts in realadmissions success, scholarship dollars and futures,
world scenarios. For example, in the Evidenced-Based
will affect nearly 2 million students. In order to tackle Reading and Writing section, reading questions will
the test with the right amount of knowledge and
feature charts and graphs similar to ones students will
confidence, students (and their parents) must approach most likely encounter in science and social science
how they prepare for the exam in an entirely different
majors as well as their careers. Math questions will also
way. "The redesigned SAT will demand more from
test more complex skills, and questions will build on
students than ever before," says Dr. Raymond
one another.
Huntington, co-foun