New SAT Revision: 5 Questions With Kathleen Porter-Magee

Will The SAT Have To Change Again?
PEMBROKE PINES, FL - MARCH 06: Suzane Nazir uses a Princeton Review SAT Preparation book to study for the test on March 6, 2014 in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yesterday, the College Board announced the second redesign of the SAT this century, it is scheduled to take effect in early 2016. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
PEMBROKE PINES, FL - MARCH 06: Suzane Nazir uses a Princeton Review SAT Preparation book to study for the test on March 6, 2014 in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yesterday, the College Board announced the second redesign of the SAT this century, it is scheduled to take effect in early 2016. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The College Board made waves Wednesday when it announced the most substantial SAT revisions since 2005. The overhaul marks the organization’s response to criticisms of the test and increasing calls for accurate measures of college- and career-readiness. It comes at a time when a set of national K-12 standards with a similar goal is facing backlash in some states and communities.

Among the revisions is the elimination of the third writing portion, which was added 9 years ago to the math and reading sections, and increased the full SAT score to 2400. The new version of the college entrance exam will instead include an optional essay section and bring back the 1600-point scale. The new SAT will also pull back on the exam’s infamous testing of tough vocabulary in favor of “words that are widely used in college and career.” Fewer math sections of the exam will permit calculator use, and students will no longer be penalized a quarter point for incorrect answers in an effort to eliminate the use of guess-based testing strategies sold by private test-prep companies.

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