The document summarizes key changes being made to the SAT, ACT, and PSAT exams, including changes to content, scoring, timing, and implications for curriculum and test preparation approaches. Specifically, the SAT will have a greater focus on history/social studies passages and data analysis/problem solving questions. Both the SAT and ACT will focus more on algebra, but the SAT includes a no-calculator section and grid-in questions. The PSAT will now be scored on the same scale as the new SAT. Schools are considering different approaches to the changes such as having students take both current and new versions of the exams.

1. Multiple Choices: Helping the
Class of 2017 Navigate Test
Changes
North Hills High School

2. Agenda
1. Introductions
2. Key changes to the SAT, ACT, and implications
3. How schools approach their involvement in test
preparation
4. Specific issues surrounding the test change

3. Test Change Timeline
Sept 2015 Oct 2015 Dec 2015 Jan 2016 Mar 2016
ACT:
Enhanced
Scoring +
Writing
Test
PSAT:
New Test
Launches
SAT:
New Test
Launches
SAT:
Last
Current
Test
SAT:
2nd to
Last
Current
Test

4. Updated ACT Overview
Category Features
 No changes to 1-36 scoring
 New scores reported
 ELA
 STEM
 Career Readiness
 Text Complexity
Scoring
Math
Reading
More probability & statistics
New paired passages

5. Updated ACT Overview
Category Features
Essay
 Now requires analysis of 3 different
perspectives
 More scores provided
 Ideas and analysis
 Development and support
 Organization
 Language use

6. New SAT Overview
Category Features
Scoring
 Scored on a scale of 1600
 800 points for Math
 800 points for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
 No wrong-answer penalty
 Test, Cross-, and Sub-scores reported
 Optional Essay scored separately
Timing  3 hours + 50-minute optional essay

7. New SAT Overview
Category Features
Structure
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test
 65-minute Reading section
 35-minute Language and Writing section
 All multiple-choice questions have only 4 answer
choices
Math Test
 55-minute section with calculator (37 questions)
 25-minute section with no calculator (20 questions)
 Includes grid-ins and multiple choice questions
 All multiple-choice questions have only 4 answer
choices
Essay
 Optional
 50-minutes long

8. New SAT Overview
Category Features
Math
 Three areas of concentrated focus:
 Problem solving and data analysis
 “The Heart of Algebra”
 “Passport to Advanced Math”
 Real-world problem solving with informational
graphics
 Test includes multiple choice and grid-in
questions including item sets

9. Question
Not on
Redesigned
SAT

10. Question
On Real
World
Scenarios

11. Questions
Without a
Calculator

12. Question
On Data
Analysis

13. Question
With
Trigonometry

14. New SAT Overview
Category Features
Evidence-
Based
Reading
and
Writing
 Reading and Writing combined into new
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section
 Reading details:
 No sentence completions
 Passage topics include US and World Literature,
History/Social Studies, and Sciences (500 - 750 words)
 Writing and Language details:
 Tests “Expression of Ideas” and “Standard English
Conventions” through passages relating to Careers,
History/Social Studies, Humanities, and Science
 Focus on extended prose (400 - 500 words)

15. Questions NOT on new SAT
Sentence
Completion -
Testing
Vocabulary
Identifying
Sentence Errors
– Grammar in
Isolation

16. Evidence-
Based
Reading
Comp.

17. Example of Vocabulary
Testing on New SAT

18. New SAT Overview
Category Features
Essay
 Essay is optional
 Students have 50 minutes to analyze a 650-
to 750-word document and draft an essay
 Tests reading, analysis, and writing skills
 Requires students to analyze a source
document and explain how the author builds
an argument

19. New Essay Prompt

20. Category Features
New PSAT/NMSQT Overview
2 hours, 45 minutesTiming
Structure
Aligned with the New SAT, and almost
the same length
No Essay
 No guessing penalty
 Now scored on a scale of 1520
 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing
 Math
Scoring

21. PSAT & New SAT Scoring
PSAT/NMSQT: 320-1520
SAT: 400-1600
300 600 900 1200 1500
Composite Score Range

22. Questions Per Reading
Passage Topic
Sciences
Humanities
SS/History
Literature
Sciences
SS/History
Sciences
Humanities
Literature
Careers
Humanities
SS/History
Current SAT New SAT ACT
Literature

23. WordsinContext
Reading Skills TestedReadingComprehension
Wordsin
Context
ReadingComprehension
Evidence-based
Reading
Comprehension
Current SAT New SAT ACT
SATWords
WordsinContext
Evidence-based

24. DataAnalysis/ProblemSolving
Math Skills TestedAlgebra
DataAnalysis/ProblemSolving
Geometry
Number&Operations
Algebra
Geometry
Algebra
DataAnalysis/ProblemSolving
Geometry
Current SAT New SAT ACT
Trig
Trig

25. Writing Skills Tested
RhetoricalSkills
Grammar/Usage/Mechanics
RhetoricalSkills
Grammar/Usage/Mechanics
Current SAT New SAT ACT
RhetoricalSkills
Grammar/Usage/Mechanics
Essay

26. New SAT and ACT: 5 Key Differences
1. The New SAT has a greater focus on
History & Social Studies passages
2. Both focus on Algebra, but the New SAT
has a greater emphasis on Data Analysis
& Problem Solving
3. The ACT requires more Science reading
4. The New SAT has a No Calculator Math
section
5. The New SAT Math section has grid-in
questions and Item Sets
What’s the
Difference
?
New
SAT?
ACT?

27. Scoring Details
 First New SAT administration
 21 days + up to 4 weeks for scores
to be available
 New SAT Concordance tables
 Released in December for the
PSAT and May for the SAT

28. Administration Details
 Accommodations for Students
 No change has been communicated
 Test Fees & Waivers
 Test fees with the essay will be about
the same as the current SAT
 Test fees without the essay will be less
than the current SAT
 Test waivers cover the essay
 No Saturday PSAT in 2015
 The PSAT will be administered on two
Wednesdays: October 14 or October 28

29. Open Questions
 Will schools “Superscore” the Old &
New?
 Will schools require the optional Essay?
 What impact will Test and Cross-Test
Scores have on admissions?
 To what extent will SAT changes lead to
curriculum changes?

30. Curriculum Questions
Math:
• Does increase in Algebra mean
students should aim to finish Alg II
in Sophomore year?
• How can schools incorporate
more data analysis?
• Are changes warranted for few
trig questions or not?
English:
• Do students get enough exposure
to non-fiction reading passages
compared to literature?
• Should students be more prepared
to analyze arguments vs. forming
opinions?
Science:
• Do students do enough analysis
of science reading passages?
SS/History:
• Are students able to glean
information from charts such as
pop growth over time?

31. Various Responses to SAT Changes
Message Implications
o “Let students
figure it out for
themselves”
o Students may be blindsided by rigorous math,
delayed scores, and difficult passages
o Parents don’t complain of poor plan, but may
complain with no plan
o “Avoid New SAT.
Take current SAT
or ACT instead”
o Some students may score better on New SAT
o Driven in part by challenges creating new
resources for New SAT
o Parents often ignore recommendation for ACT
o “Take New &
Improved SAT”
o New skills may align better with some curricula
o May underestimate greater rigor of new test
o Want to avoid early testing
o “Cover all your
bases (and
tests)”
o Student takes New SAT, Current SAT, and ACT
o Perhaps multiple times of each to superscore
o Exacerbates test fatigue, especially in public schools

32. o “Choose the test
and timeline
that’s best for
you”
o One size or approach doesn’t fit all
o Path to a great score without over-testing
o Student scores do differ among tests
o Exposure to each test reduces fear of uncertainty
o Gain insight early and with low stakes through
unofficial practice tests
o Accounts for which months are busiest for
individual students
o Try out tests between now and Fall
Various Responses to SAT Changes
Message Implications

33. Test Practice Options
 Awaiting information on free online Kahn Academy
practice options
 Enroll in a NH course such as Language Enrichment,
Conventions of Writing, or SAT Prep.
 College Tutors Free Practice Test (current SAT) on
September 19 at 9am. Call 412-837-2353 to register.
 Princeton Review Free ACT practice test: Register at
www.princetonreview.org