Taking on … the new SAT: sharpen your No. 2s and prepare to tackle the updated version of the college admission exam

Careers and Colleges, Sept-Oct, 2004 by Maura Christopher

The Scholastic Assessment Test? No sweat. It's just a test, right? You sit down and whip out the old Number 2. Before you know it, you've filled in a snappy pattern of little black circles, guaranteed to give you a perfect score.

If only. The reality, unfortunately, is a bit more nerve-racking. When it comes to college admission, your college entrance exam is the second-most critical factor that admission officers at most schools consider. Only your grades in college-prep courses count for more. As Andrew Lutz, director of research and development at the Princeton Review, says, "A good SAT score may not get you into the college of your choice, but a bad score can definitely keep you out."

What's more--if the pressure weren't intense enough already--if you're a junior this year, graduating in 2006, you'll be in the first class to face the new SAT. (Note: The SAT is officially called the SAT I, while SAT IIs are subject-specific tests in areas such as world history, French, and physics.) The College Board officially unveils this revved up, revamped exam on March 13, 2005, when about 335,000 test-takers are expected to sit down for a collective sweat-in.

Ready to join them? It helps to know just what you'll be facing. So take a deep breath and prepare for:

* A LONGER TEST. The new SAT clocks in at a mind-numbing three and a half hours versus three hours for the old test.

* NEW SCORING. The exam includes three sections (math, critical reading, and writing) instead of just two (math and verbal). The scoring for each section is based on a 200- to 800-point scale, so the maximum total points will be 2,400 versus 1,600. The College Board expects the median score to rise from 1,000 to about 1,500.

* WRITER'S CRAMP, The most significant change will be the addition of a 30-minute handwritten essay. Test-takers will be given a prompt, such as a quote, to base an essay on. You'll be expected to stake out a position and support it with examples from your personal life and studies.

* NO MORE ANALOGIES. Replacing the seemingly endless string of subtle vocabulary relationships (i.e.: analogies : big drag) will be short critical reading passages and new multiple-choice grammar questions.

* MORE CHALLENGING MATH. Algebra II and geometry equations have been added; quantitative-comparison questions have been dropped.

* A BUMP IN THE COST. Expect to pay between $36 and $38 for the new test instead of $24.

For students, the changes are a mix of good and bad news. The good news? "Overall, the new SAT is a slightly better test than the old one," Lutz says. "[Although it's a longer test,] it reflects more accurately what students actually study in college-prep classes."

Behind the Change

Colleges have been pushing for this change for years. In fact, a number of schools had limited or dropped their use of the SAT because of their dissatisfaction. (Check www.fairtest.org for a list.) In 2001, the pressure to change the test crested when Richard Atkinson, then president of the huge University of California system, threatened to drop the SAT unless improvements were made. His research showed that the old SAT II writing exam was a better predictor of college success than the SAT I, so he and others demanded an essay test. They wanted to get an unadulterated writing sample from applicants.

The writing test on the new SAT is virtually identical to the old SAT II writing test, which the College Board is dropping from its line-up. "The essay is really something that can be prepared for," says Elizabeth Villanova, founder and director of The Academic Center of Tampa. Some test-prep companies are so confident that they can dramatically improve a student's essay scores that they're increasing their guarantee on points of improvement.

As for the analogies, few test-takers will miss them. More to the point, analogies were rarely covered in high school curriculums. Regarding the math: Yes, Algebra II and geometry concepts are tough, but they're covered in college-prep classes. What's more, these questions will account for only 10 percent of the total math section. Another bonus: Overall, students will have slightly more time per question.

Going the Distance

The biggest downside? The length of the new SAT is daunting. Richa Dhawan of Bridgewater, New Jersey, took a free practice version last spring. "The test took much more stamina than I had realized," the 16-year-old recalls. "You're switching from mare to critical reading to a different kind of math. I was at the test site from 9 to nearly 1:30." To score high, you have to prepare yourself to go to the distance. Here are tips from test-prep experts, cool-headed kids, and the College Board.

SEEK OUT CHALLENGING COURSES. Look for classes that will help you polish your essay-writing skills. And take Algebra II.

POLISH YOUR COMPREHENSION SKILLS. "Even on the math, you have to be a good reader to understand what is being asked," Villanova notes.

PREP YOURSELF. Set up a regular SAT study routine well in advance of the test. There are test books, online exams, and software. Well-known companies such as the Princeton Review, Sylvan, and Kaplan offer test-prep packages that typically cost up to $1,000 for 6 to 12 sessions, but some schools or districts also offer free or low-cost courses. Also, juniors should take the PSAT this fall. It has been revised to reflect the new SAT.