The New SAT
The SAT is changing next year. Get all the details in our "New SAT" section.
What is the SAT and how is it structured?
The SAT is a standardized, multiple-choice test used by most U.S. colleges and universities for admissions and placement decisions. SAT scores can also be used to determine scholarship eligibility. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and given nationally seven times a year. The SAT is undergoing some big changes in 2005. Learn about these changes and how they will affect you.
The SAT is currently a seven-section, three-hour exam. Three of the sections are Verbal, three are Math, and one is experimental. The experimental section, used by ETS strictly for its own research, can be either Verbal or Math and is not counted toward your final score. The seven sections appear in a slightly different order every time the SAT is administered. Learn how next year test will look.
How is the SAT scored?
Students taking the SAT before March 12, 2005 will receive two scores on the SAT, one for Math and one for Verbal. Each subject is scored on a scale of 200 to 800. The national average is approximately 500 in each subject (1000 combined). However, most competitive colleges look for significantly higher scores. While the total possible score on the current SAT is 1600, it will be 2400 on the new SAT. More details
How important are my SAT scores?
The weight placed on SAT scores varies from school to school. Other important factors that schools consider in their admissions decisions are your high school GPA and academic transcript, letters of recommendation, interviews, and personal essays. In addition, virtually all U.S. colleges and universities will accept ACT scores in lieu of SAT scores. Click here for more information about the ACT.
For more specific information on the importance of SAT scores at the schools to which you are applying, contact the admissions offices at those schools.
Can I cancel my scores?
Yes. If you finish the test and think you may want to cancel your scores, you should ask the test supervisor for a "Request to Cancel Test Scores" form. You may submit the completed form immediately at the testing center, or you can think about it for a day or two before mailing it to ETS. However, ETS must receive your request form no later than the Wednesday after the test.
When should I take the SAT?
The SAT is offered every year in October, November, December, January, March or April, May, and June (see table below for upcoming SAT dates and registration deadlines). Students have traditionally taken the SAT in the spring of their junior year and, if necessary, again in the fall of their senior year. However, more and more students are choosing to take their first SAT earlier, such as during the fall of their junior year. This gives them more flexibility in taking SAT IIs, the ACT, or the SAT one or more times.
U.S. Registration Deadline
Test Date Regular Late
March 27, 2004 February 20, 2004 March 4, 2004
May 1, 2004 March 25, 2004 April 7, 2004
June 5, 2004 April 29, 2004 May 12, 2004
October 9, 2004 September 7, 2004 September 11, 2004
November 6, 2004 October 1, 2004 October 13, 2004
December 4, 2004 October 29, 2004 November 10, 2004
January 22, 2005 December 20, 2004 December 29, 2004
*March 12, 2005 February 7, 2005 February 16, 2005
*May 7, 2005 March 25, 2005 April 6, 2005
*June 4, 2005 April 29, 2005 May 11, 2005
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*New SAT
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How do I register for the SAT?
Registration deadlines fall approximately five weeks before each test date. To register by mail, simply fill out the registration form in the College Board's Bulletin for the SAT Program. You can obtain a free copy of this publication from your school's guidance counselor. Or you can call ETS at 609-771-7600 and they'll send you one free of charge. You can also register online at www.collegeboard.com.
How will I know if I'm ready for the SAT?
Try our free online SAT course demo, which includes a full-length practice test. When you finish the practice test you'll get a complete score report detailing your strengths and weaknesses. If you are satisfied with the results, then you may be ready. If you feel you need some help, check out The Princeton Review's many test preparation options or call us at 800-2Review.
When Does the SAT Change?
March 12, 2005 is the first administration of the new test.
Who Takes It?
Class of 2006 and beyond.
What's Changing
·New scoring: Your score will be calculated differently. The new "perfect" score will be 2400 instead of 1600, making it that much easier to beat your parents' SAT scores!
·Longer test: The new test is 30 minutes longer than the old test (3.5 hours instead of 3 hours).
·Verbal section changes
·The "SAT Verbal Reasoning" section is being renamed "SAT Critical Reading Exam" because of the increased focus on reading comprehension. There will now be more and different types of reading questions.
·The analogies section (YAWN: BORING) has been eliminated.
·There will be a new writing section where you will write an essay, and you'll be tested on the rules of standard English grammar. This will be similar to the current SAT-II writing exam
·Math section changes
·The level of mathematical difficulty will increase.
·Algebra II concepts will be added, as well as functions, more geometry, data analysis, and statistics.
·The quantitative comparison questions will be removed.
Cost: The new SAT will be $10-12 more expensive than the old one. After all, this much extra testing fun doesn't come cheaply.
Length and Sections of the Test:
The new test will have:
·Two 25-minute writing sections (200 - 800 points), each of which includes an essay and multiple-choice grammar questions
·Two 25-minute and one 20-minute verbal sections (200 - 800 points)
·Two 25-minute and one 20-minute math sections (200 - 800 points)
·One experimental section
Total testing time: 3 1/2 hours
The New Writing Section
This new 50-minute section will contain two parts, with a score range from 200 to 800 points. The essay will be worth about one-third of your score on this section.
1) Multiple choice questions: These exist on the current SAT II Writing and PSAT exams and test your ability to apply the rules of standard English to identify sentence errors, improve sentences, and improve paragraphs. See examples.
2) Essay: The essay portion will test your ability to write a convincing draft on demand. You will have 25 minutes to create an essay on a specific topic - most likely asking you to state an opinion on something you read and to back up that opinion. See examples
The essay will be graded by two readers who will look for a combination of structure, grammar, and organization of thought. Creativity won't count, so focus on the basics. Yes, neatness will count.
The Critical Reading section
Analogy questions like LEAD: PENCIL or PICTURE: FRAME will be eliminated. This change is part of the movement toward reading and away from vocabulary on the SAT.
As a result of this change, the "Verbal Reasoning" section will now be named the "Critical Reading Exam." You can expect to see long passages, short passages, and everything in between. See examples
Since analogies will be eliminated, it is no longer as important to learn tons of vocabulary. Instead, you will need to improve your ability to read for speed and comprehension.
There will be two 25-minute and one 20-minute sections on the Critical Reading portion of the SAT. Your performance on these sections will determine your Critical Reading score (a 200 to 800 range).
The Math section
The math portion of the new SAT will test more difficult concepts. The exam will now test three years of high school math - Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. To be as prepared as possible, be sure to take more advanced math before your junior year! Click here for examples. See examples
The good news is that they're eliminating the quantitative comparison questions.
There will be two 25-minute and one 20-minute sections on the Math portion of the exam. Your performance on these sections will determine your Math score (a 200 to 800 range).
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