Understanding the New 2016 SAT
The recently redesigned SAT consists of four scored sections – reading, writing and language, math without a calculator and math with a calculator. There is also an optional essay.
Reading Test
The 65-minute reading test consists of 52 multiple-choice questions. Students will encounter roughly page-long reading passages followed by questions about the text. There will be one passage each on literature, history and social science. There will be two passages on natural sciences. Some passages contain info graphics which students must interpret to answer some of the questions. At least once on the test students will encounter two shorter “paired” passages on the same topic. For the “paired” passages, some of the questions will require students to compare and contrast the passages. While there are no questions in which students will encounter vocabulary out of context, the SAT does test vocabulary in context on about 20% of its questions. While students can generally figure out the meanings of some of these words based on context, a strong vocabulary will help students on the SAT.
Writing and Language Test
The 35-minute writing and language test consists of 44 multiple-choice questions. This section consists of passages (some of which contain info graphics) written specifically for the SAT that contain errors of grammar and rhetoric. Students are tasked with improving these mistakes through multiple-choice questions. In addition to testing knowledge of specific rules of grammar and style, this section also tests students’ vocabulary. The writing section will not test obscure vocabulary words, as did the old SAT. Instead this section will test students’ ability to distinguish between homophones and other similar sounding words as well as between words with similar definitions but differing connotations. Students with weaker vocabularies (or a specific weakness in these areas) might benefit from studying vocabulary words.
Math Test
The math portion of the SAT consists of two math sections. The first math section, which is to be completed without a calculator, lasts for 25 minutes and consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 “grid in” questions in which students must derive the answer on their own. The second math section, on which students may use a calculator, contains 30 multiple choice questions and 7 “grid in” questions to be answered in 55 minutes.
The math test covers a more limited range of topics than in the past, but these topics are covered in greater depth. The test now focuses on problem-solving using ratios, data analysis, statistics, percentages and proportions, linear equations, systems of equations, quadratic equations and more advanced functions. The test will also cover Geometry and Trigonometry, though in a more limited fashion than the other topics. While most of the material on this test comes from Algebra II, students will need to have some exposure to Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus to be able to answer all of the questions. The math section requires a lot of reading as students will encounter many word problems. Students who are weak readers or who do not have a strong foundation in Algebra are likely to struggle with this math section.
Optional Essay
The SAT provides an optional essay section, which comes at the end of the test and consists of one 50-minute essay. For the essay, students are presented with a roughly page long passage and asked to “explain how the author builds an argument to persuade an audience.” Students must also point out the argumentative, stylistic and persuasive strategies used by the author and evaluate their effectiveness. Students are expected to support their claims with evidence from the passage.
The essay is read by two graders who each score the essay 1-4 on each of three measures: reading, analysis and writing. These two scores are added so a student will get an essay score ranging from 2-8 on each measure. The reading score assesses how well students demonstrate an understanding of the passage. The analysis score assesses how well students understand how the author constructed his argument. The writing score reflects students’ organization and writing skills. While colleges will see these essay scores, they are not used in formulating students’ overall scores and most schools likely will not give them much weight. However, while this section is ostensibly optional, most selective colleges require it, so students should take the SAT with the optional essay.
Scoring
Each section of the SAT is scored on a 200-800 scale. The reading test and the writing and language test combine to form the verbal score. The two math sections combine to form the math score. 1600 is the highest possible total score. Each question a student answers correctly receives one point. There is no penalty for getting a question wrong. The correct answers for each section are added together to form the raw score. The raw score is then converted to a scaled score (reported on a 200-800 scale) by a statistical process called equating. The College Board uses equating in order to ensure that neither the ability of the other students taking a test on a given day nor the particular test a student takes impacts a test taker’s score. In addition, equating makes it possible to compare test takers who take different editions of the SAT across different test dates.
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