The new SAT coming your way

As if standardized testing wasn’t tough enough as it is (although “optional” for some colleges, most talented students still want to show their academic prowess by submitting good scores regardless of whether they’re required or not), the SAT will be going through it’s most significant changes to date in 2024, some good and some maybe not so good. Right now these changes are being offered in the international sittings; next year they come here.

First off, the SAT is doubling down on their efforts to continue to make standardized testing available for those who want it (which includes most of the top 20% of high school students) by taking it online and shortening the exam from three to two hours. Kudos to them. Here are some of the changes:

The good - only two hours long, more chances to take the test throughout the year, and offered online

The neutral - focus on shorter passages, vocabulary, and word problems, adaptive testing (you won’t get the same questions - or the same level questions - as other students sitting right next to you)

The bad - very limited study material readily available, which seems to be on purpose, and using prior study material (2023 or earlier) won’t help students properly prepare for the new version of the test.

It seems this new SAT is more “equitable” - with very little study material out there and no real plan to publish more, it’s taken away the advantage some students have in their ability to buy study books and hire tutors. This will create more of a level playing field. It’s eliminating the ability for students to excel by putting in effort and hours of preparation to show their academic strengths. In essence, it’s created a way to keep the high achievers from pulling too far away from their peers (much like grade inflation has done - the proliferation of A and B grades for those who put in B or C effort has brought up the mean GPA without requiring those students to learn the material or perform better on tests). But it seems slightly odd that most parents are unaware of these upcoming changes to the SAT. In the end, it is what it is.

For those who would like to stand out by submitting a high standardized test score that reflects their academic ability, either take all your SAT sittings prior to 2024 - you don’t want to prepare for the test in late 2023 and then have a completely new test and format for your next sittings just months later - or switch over to the ACT since it’s not changing at all.

We will be fully prepared for all changes starting in 2024. Will you?