In 2016, College Board will be changing the SAT’s to be more similar to the ACTs, but not by testing in Science.

The changes include making the vocabulary more common to high school students; that being vocabulary that is used in a typical work place, and analyzing questions in the reading section more direct to what students are actually being taught in school.

The biggest change to the SAT will be the writing portion becoming optional. Similar to the ACT, the SAT will not require students to take the writing portion, however some Colleges will still require it.

The SAT’s are currently scored on a 2400 point scale. However, the 2016 SAT will be scored on a 400-1600 point scale, with the essay being scored separately. Students who do choose to do the writing portion will be given a reading passage or source document with a common prompt. This is much different to the current SAT essay questions which require students to answer an open ended question.

FHS Guidance Counselor Mr. MacCreery adds his input on the changes

“Although the writing will become optional, it really comes down to what the colleges do require. If they do want the writing the student will still have to take it.”

“The PSAT will see similar changes as well, however there was no writing on that to begin with, so it’ll only change in the sense of more direct questions” says McCreery

The upcoming changes will ease the tension for upcoming juniors, however, the actual results and admission’s reactions to these changes are to be determined.

As for all of the students before the Class of 2017, you will still be required to take the current version of the SATs including the writing portion.