The SAT is changing in March, 2016. The new test has set off a firestorm of anxious parents, worried students, and confused school officials. Despite the frenzy, the new test offers a great opportunity for students to display a wider range of talents to prospective colleges and universities. The Redesigned SAT will generally test the same skills of reading, writing and mathematics, but will offer a wider variety of question types and give colleges a more detailed analysis of a student’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Reading Test will no longer emphasize mindless memorization of vocabulary words but instead will test students on reading skills from a variety of sources. While the old test largely relied on summary passages, the new test will feature scholarly articles and primary sources from historical texts like presidential speeches. Additionally, the new test will include graphs and charts alongside reading passages. To prepare for this section, we encourage students as young as twelve years old to start reading op-eds and major features from publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and even The Economist.
The Writing and Language Test will continue the SAT’s emphasis on a basic command of English grammar. Students will be required to correct sentences and make editorial decisions like keeping or removing sentences. Graphs and charts will also be featured in this section, encouraging students to make connections between the written word and ways to display scientific results. A student’s scores from both the Writing and Language Test and the Reading Test will be combined into a single “Evidence-Based Reading and Writing” score with 800 as the maximum number of points. The SAT Essay will be separately scored and is optional.
The SAT Math test features some exciting changes. The test includes two math sections—one with a calculator and one without. Students will be evaluated on their mastery of algebra, geometry, trigonometry and arithmetic. While the older SAT mathematics tests focused largely on a student’s reasoning and logic skills, the new test is aimed more towards math achievement rather than math aptitude. Nevertheless, strong analytical skills will still help students excel on both the calculator and non-calculator portions of the test.
Overall, the new Redesigned SAT is more closely aligned with common core standards that are being adopted across the U.S. While many high schools are more closely aligning their curricula with the emphases of the new SAT, parents can also take steps to ensure their children are optimally prepared. We encourage students to read broadly starting in middle school, and complete math assignment sans-calculator. Finally, students can best prepare for the new test through excelling in their high school classes.
Tutoring Solutions Group(TSG) was founded by Sarah Weltman in 2011. TSG provides one-on-one tutoring and group classes for the SAT throughout Northern New Jersey.
Contact Information:
Tutoring Solutions Group
661 East Palisade Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
www.tutoringsolutionsgroup.com
9201)816-0248
Please note, SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in and does not endorse our products and services.
Sarah Weltman is a leading test prep expert in the New York/New Jersey area. She enables students to achieve outstanding scores on many standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT. Sarah assists students of all ages. She uses a tailored approach, designing a specialized curriculum and syllabus for each student she works with. Her step-by-step approach ensures that those who work with her truly master the material.
Sarah completed her master’s degree in Economics from NYU in May 2010. She graduated with her B.A. from NYU in 2009, summa cum laude and phi beta kappa. During her time at NYU, Sarah was a Presidential Honors Scholar and was a member of the Dean’s List for Academic Achievement. Upon her graduation, she received the Founders Day Award as well as departmental recognition for having the best undergraduate thesis in the International Relations Program. As the founder of Tutoring Solutions Group, she has personal involvement with all students who receive assistance from us. Her commitment to student and parent satisfaction is unparalleled in the education and test prep field.
By Sarah Weltman
