The new Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) format was deployed across the country and parts of the world this spring. Now that teachers and students have had an opportunity to experience the new format for the first, the reviews are coming in and they are generally positive.
Some test takers have welcomed the more direct and straightforward questions. Negative commentary has criticized time limits and the new reading format, which is more complex..
Changes to the new SAT include a reduction of multiple choice answers, moving from five to four with more straightforward questions that seek to better match what students are learning. The total point score has been brought back to 1600 and essays are optional. The format changes are in line with the overall movement towards Common Core education across the United States.
In an online statement, the College Board detailed its changes, “The world needs more people who can solve problems, communicate clearly, and understand complex relationships. The SAT Suite of Assessments focuses on the skills and knowledge that will help today’s students meet that need.”
The change has come at a time when the ACT test has taken the lead over the SAT as the leading college readiness test. The ACT leads with 1.92 million tests to the SAT’s 1.7 million tests in 2015, according to Education Week. Schools accept both tests on an equal scale with the primary difference being the inclusion of science by the ACT.
Students decide which test they prefer for college admissions. Some schools don’t require them at all. However, some states do mandate that a student takes either the SAT or the ACT to measure statewide education performance.
New PreACT Brings Competition to the PSAT
The PSAT has long been considered the prep test for college preparatory exams. ACT just announced the new PreACT exam for 10th graders, providing a competitive prep exam for students interested in a warm up exercise. While both exams have little meaning other than familiarizing students with the test format, the PSAT does qualify students for National Merit Scholarships.
May is AP Testing Month
Next month, the tests for Advanced Placement (AP) courses are administered in high schools. Some question the value of these tests as many universities do not accept the course credits from these tests.
While there are questions on its impact, there are some positive outcomes, too. For example, high scores can garner cash rewards from the National Math and Science Initiative. And of course, there are government incentives for schools with student bodies that perform well on AP tests.
What do you think of standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, PreSAT, PreACT, and AP tests?
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