[US News] SAT drops maximum score to focus on math and critical thinking

[editgal]

SAT drops maximum score to focus on math and critical thinking
By djkirsh
U.S. News

The SAT test that most college students came to know when applying for college has lowered their standards and made it easier by eliminating the essay portion of the test and offering practice tests and more clear expectations for prospective college students.

This is the second time since the test was released 88 years ago that it has been redesigned.

The current SAT test that most of us are familiar with has math, critical thinking, and essay sections, each with a maximum score of 800 totaling 2400 for a perfect score.

In the redesigned version of the test, the essay is taken out, leaving a math and verbal section.

In addition to eliminating the essay section of the test, the host of the test, the College Board, announced they would be offering new incentives to high school students who will be taking the test during their college application process.

The College Board plans to offer new SAT-preparation tutorials online for free rather than students having to take the costly classes to prepare for the test.

The SAT vocabulary words that have plagued college-bound students will also be filtered through to only include words that are used in college and future careers.

The quarter-point deduction for each wrong answer on the multiple choice sections of the test will also be eliminated.

Launched in 1929, the SAT test has undergone a few name changes and curriculum overhauls during its time. When it was first administered, the SAT test was known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, but after aptitude was no longer a favorable word in 1994, they changed it to Scholastic Assessment Test. A few years later, it just became the letters SAT.

In 2005, the College Board added the essay section to the test and made 2400 a perfect score.

With the elimination of the essay section comes more focus on the math and critical reading sections.

The math section will focus more on algebra, problem solving, and data analysis with calculator use being limited.

The "evidence-based reading and writing" section will become the new critical reading section. This section will focus on expanding the reading comprehension of science, history and social studies passages.

Each test will also have excerpts from documents that have been monumental to American history, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

With the maximum score of 2400, 57 percent of students who take the SAT test score a 1550 or below. A score of 1550 or below is known as the "college readiness benchmark." To eliminate the low test scores and take the stress off of some students' backs, the perfect score will be lowered to 1600 with the essay section becoming optional with a 50 minute time frame to complete that portion of the test.

[itsConnor_]

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the SAT test? Is there one for every subject? Or is it more of an aptitude test on top of your subjects (also what is the level of study when applying for college - AP or something?)?

[lioneatszebra]

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the SAT test? Is there one for every subject? Or is it more of an aptitude test on top of your subjects (also what is the level of study when applying for college - AP or something?)?

The SAT test is basically something the CollegeBoard says you need to take to refine your reading, writing, and mathematical skills. Over the years, less people have been taking it because it costs money ($38 when I took it ages ago) and it doesn't allow students to show their superiority in certain subjects. The main SAT test has the aforementioned topics, but you can choose to get a specialized test in a certain subject like biology or history. Students have began taking the ACT because those are solely one subject of your choosing. The SAT test is just a hassle really. For me, the test was held at 7am on a Saturday morning in a school that was 30 miles away. You sit in a classroom and take this timed exam, get watched and you can't go back to previous sections.

So, to answer your question, yes - it is a sort of aptitude test. Colleges look at the scores and use that to determine whether you will be admitted into their institution or not.

Fun fact: I took the SAT twice and got the same score twice. It really does not show how well you perform in these subjects because the "SAT words" are freaking outrageous. I got a 1370 out of 2400, but for the state test I had to take (a whole different thing) I got a perfect score on the writing. Oddly enough, people who are good in English get better scores on the math section of the SAT. That's what happened to me.

[Vertigo2014]

I've taken it four times now, and it's pretty much bs in my opinion. My brother got a 2250 overall score, yet got a 2 on the essay. I got a 1900, yet a 4 on the essay. He's 3 years older than me and a far better writer. The SAT doesn't actually show how much you really know, and I'm glad that it only is a small portion of your overall college application.

[lioneatszebra]

I've taken it four times now, and it's pretty much bs in my opinion. My brother got a 2250 overall score, yet got a 2 on the essay. I got a 1900, yet a 4 on the essay. He's 3 years older than me and a far better writer. The SAT doesn't actually show how much you really know, and I'm glad that it only is a small portion of your overall college application.

2250?! He could get into all of the Ivy League schools with that! Yeah, the SAT test is quite BS and the makers of the test are finally realizing that. They also noticed people were favoring the ACT more as well.

[Vertigo2014]

I've taken it four times now, and it's pretty much bs in my opinion. My brother got a 2250 overall score, yet got a 2 on the essay. I got a 1900, yet a 4 on the essay. He's 3 years older than me and a far better writer. The SAT doesn't actually show how much you really know, and I'm glad that it only is a small portion of your overall college application.

2250?! He could get into all of the Ivy League schools with that! Yeah, the SAT test is quite BS and the makers of the test are finally realizing that. They also noticed people were favoring the ACT more as well.

Well his grade point average was not nearly good enough for any Ivy League school, due to the difficulty of the courses at his high school. But, if he did have a better GPA, then he might have been able to get in.

[itsConnor_]

Out of interest, how does your university application system work? Here (UK), you apply to 5 universities, all of which ask for 3 A-levels and specified grades and sometimes subjects (e.g. A*AA, including A* in maths).

What would be your 'A-level' equivalent? Here's examples of past A-level exam papers for: English literature, History, Chemistry and Biology.