The SAT is set to make major changes in the next two years, which will affect all classes graduating after the class of 2016.
The College Board, which administers the test, wants to make the college entrance exam more about what students know and less about what they don’t.
One change will be to the vocabulary section. It will test commonly used words that are likely to come up in conversation, rather than words which are obscure and rarely used.
The essay portion of the test will become optional and the reading comprehension section is going to be slightly different.
According to the College Board, “When students take the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the redesigned SAT, they’ll be asked to demonstrate their ability to interpret, synthesize, and use evidence found in a wide range of sources.”
Rather than passages based on animals and fictional stories, the SAT will contain excerpts from founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence.
Also, the math section will focus more on algebra rather than calculus, which benefits students who have not yet taken any calculus classes before.
Finally, scoring will change. Test takers will receive points for correct answers. However, unlike the current rules, points will not be deducted for incorrect answers.
The new test will be given for the first time in the spring of 2016, and is meant to help lower-income students achieve a higher score on the assessment.