Quick-Start Guide to SAT Changes While the SAT itself has been redesigned, most policies and procedures remain the same. ** PLEASE NOTE** College board has announced all SAT administrations will be digital by the spring of 2024 in the US. This will directly impact the class of 2025 and beyond, as they prepare for testing. As college board releases more information, the counseling office will share. Below Is a summary our partners at Marigold prep have given about the changes. Does this change test prep strategy? From a test prep perspective, many of the strategies students have been using for the PSAT and SAT will remain relevant and valuable on the digital platform. Reading passages will still be focused on finding the main idea, the writing and language section will still require good editing skills, and the math section will still require careful reading and an ability to decode the SAT’s question wording. Adaptive Testing: What will change is the emphasis on hitting the “easy” questions. Like the digital GRE, the SAT will now be adaptive, meaning that if a student does well with the first round of questions in a section, the subsequent questions will become more challenging. College Board believes that this will give a clearer picture of a student’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as a more complete understanding of a student’s college readiness. Because of this new adaptive quality of the test, it will be even more important than before that students avoid making simple mistakes on easy-to-medium questions so that they have the opportunity to address more difficult ones that could set them apart. Shorter Passages: Another slight difference in strategy will come in the reading section. With short passages as part of the new format, students will be able to process through less information to understand the main idea. However, as with the GRE and older versions of the SAT, while shorter passages are quicker to digest, the questions can often be trickier or more convoluted, so it will be even more important for students to read passages, questions, and answers carefully. Time Management: Timing also looks to be a positive change in the new format, as students will receive more time per question, according to the College Board. This should be a boost for students who struggle with their timing, particularly in the math sections. The addition of a countdown timer at the top of the screen should also help students keep track of their pacing, taking another responsibility off their shoulders–though they will still need to know how much time they should be spending per passage, section, etc. Big Picture: In sum, the changes to the SAT, while game-changing, should be a net positive for students. They will still benefit from expert preparation, but the test-taking experience should prove to be less stressful and more responsive.
Accommodations RequestsThe accommodations request process remains the same. Students with disabilities need to have approval from the College Board before testing with accommodations. Kick off the request process at least seven weeks before test day. Find out how on the Services for Students with Disabilities website. Getting Ready for Test DayStudents should still arrive at the test center by 7:45 a.m. — with these all-important items:
Does it cost money to send my SAT score to a college?
Unfortunately, yes. You can send up to four free reports when you register for the SAT, and have until 9 days after you sit for the exam to add where you would like those free reports to be sent. Otherwise, it is $12 per score send.
If you qualified for a fee waiver, score sends for both SAT and ACT are now free starting in Fall 2018.
How do I send my colleges my scores?
It is YOUR responsibility to send your official score reports to colleges, directly from the CollegeBoard (SAT). Keep track of which schools you have sent to, and confirm with the schools three weeks later that they have received your report.
How many times should I take the SAT?
No more than three times, per test! Remember, you are more than a test, you should not be exhausting yourself taking it more than three times.
We suggest taking a practice ACT in the Fall of Junior Year, picking which test is preferred (SAT vs. ACT), then prepping for that test!