Don't take the SAT in Spring '16?

[jetzmama]

Has anyone else seen recommendations to not take the first run through of the new SAT next spring?  A couple of sites have indicated that since no one has ever seen the new test, no one really knows how to prepare for it, thus making our kids 'guinea pigs'.

 

I'm debating having my then junior take the current SAT this fall, then maybe again the following fall (once study guides and prep courses are available).  This would offer a baseline of the old and the new.  Thinking he would just take the ACT in Spring 16.  Thoughts? 

[EKS]

There is an SAT prep book (official College Board) coming out this June.

 

I took the MCAT right after they did a major overhaul, and I believe that my scores reflected my abilities.  

 

That said, I'd probably not have the courage to send my own child to the first administration of the new test!

[LaxMom]

Along with the new prep book, CB and Khan Academy will have free prep programs. It's not like the prep materials are going to come out after the test.

[Lori D.]

My understanding, to avoid being a "guinea pig" in the first 2-3 rounds of the new SAT testing, and to allow the scores and percentages for the new SAT to settle down:

 

- students graduating in 2016 should take the ACT, or the current SAT

- students graduating in 2017 should take the ACT, or the current SAT and a new SAT -- preferably in the spring of 2017

- students graduating in 2018 or later should take the ACT, or the new SAT starting in spring 2017 or later

[Tsuga]

I took it during the change 20 years ago. I took it once in fall and then in spring. My percentile didn't budge.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

It has occurred to me that someone in the business of prepping students (as some of the authors of these recommendations are) would have less certainty about being able to coach for an unknown test.

[jetzmama]

If prep companies will have materials, that must mean they have access to some data from College Board. Or at least that seems to be worth pursuing.  Will look into that some more.  Thanks. 

[luuknam]

I don't know what the changes are going to be, but it's going to be new to everybody taking it. That said, when I moved to the US in Dec 2004, I took the SAT in Jan 2005, since that was the last one before they added the essay in spring 2005. I really wanted to avoid the essay because it's more subjective, and taking a more subjective part without knowing how graders are going to be grading it seemed like a dumb idea to me (plus, who wants to write an essay if they can avoid it? -not that that's an issue now). I suspect that unless you're aiming for (near) perfect scores, it probably won't matter much (since it's new for everyone).

[In The Great White North]

Comparing this change and the AP Bio revision a few years ago:  

 

1.  They have been testing out the SAT questions for years.  Every test has a "test" section, that doesn't count towards your score.  Usually, the test takers can't tell which section it is but the last few my dc have taken all had one section they felt was "weird".  So the questions have been vetted, to a degree, but there can be no assuming that the College Board didn't like the "weird"questions and keep them.

 

2.  They changed the curve on the AP Bio test, lowering the 5 of test takers getting a 5 from around 20% to around 5%.  I have not heard that they are planning a similar curve for the new SAT.  I have also not heard that they are not.  (No one knew ahead of the AP Bio results coming out either.

 

With all the hoopla about the new SAT, I think it is fair to assume that many students will opt for the ACT next year, especially student who don't have has much confidence in their ability to ace any test.  This leaves a higher percentage of test takers in the 700-800 range, which, when put on a curve, results in many of them receiving lower scores than if they had taken the test this June.  This skewing of the curve will effect test scores for a year or two.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Comparing this change and the AP Bio revision a few years ago:  

 

1.  They have been testing out the SAT questions for years.  Every test has a "test" section, that doesn't count towards your score.  Usually, the test takers can't tell which section it is but the last few my dc have taken all had one section they felt was "weird".  So the questions have been vetted, to a degree, but there can be no assuming that the College Board didn't like the "weird"questions and keep them.

 

2.  They changed the curve on the AP Bio test, lowering the 5 of test takers getting a 5 from around 20% to around 5%.  I have not heard that they are planning a similar curve for the new SAT.  I have also not heard that they are not.  (No one knew ahead of the AP Bio results coming out either.

 

With all the hoopla about the new SAT, I think it is fair to assume that many students will opt for the ACT next year, especially student who don't have has much confidence in their ability to ace any test.  This leaves a higher percentage of test takers in the 700-800 range, which, when put on a curve, results in many of them receiving lower scores than if they had taken the test this June.  This skewing of the curve will effect test scores for a year or two.

 

Or it could be the students who feel they are aiming at the most competitive schools who shift more of their attention to the ACT, feeling that it is more predictable than the SAT with less known revisions.  Maybe the bulk of the students who stay with SAT will be those who are just told that the SAT is the thing to do.  

 

I have my older kids (a rising senior and a junior) taking the April ACT.  But I have also seen that many colleges seem to take the best section scores as well as converting an ACT to a comparable SAT score.  I don't feel right now that any schools will say they have to see the revised SAT.  (There were schools that said they wanted to see an ACT or a new SAT with writing score when the last revision happened.)

 

I don't think that there are really solid predictions out there as to what the scores on the new SAT will really be.  I think it will be a harder test for many students, especially the math section for weaker readers.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

I don't think that there are really solid predictions out there as to what the scores on the new SAT will really be. 

 

:iagree:   About the only thing we do know about the new SAT is that we don't really know anything about the new SAT.

 

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

DD graduates in 2017 so she is one of the lucky ones (agh).  She wants to try the old version once or twice before it changes.  She will take the old version in the fall, the new PSAT in the fall, and if she scores nicely on the new PSAT then she will try the new SAT once or twice just to see if it is the better choice.  I wonder...

 

 

How will colleges compare the old and new scores since 2017 graduates can submit either version?  Will they simply remove the writing section from the equation of those who submit the old version? 

[wapiti]

My dd won't take it until 2018, but I already told her to plan on taking both the SAT and ACT, then we will see which score works out better and she can take that one a second time.  With the revisions, it's harder to guess which test will work out better for her, though in the past I would have guessed SAT.

 

Fingers crossed that either test is on the computer by then.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

DD graduates in 2017 so she is one of the lucky ones (agh). She wants to try the old version once or twice before it changes. She will take the old version in the fall, the new PSAT in the fall, and if she scores nicely on the new PSAT then she will try the new SAT once or twice just to see if it is the better choice. I wonder...

 

 

How will colleges compare the old and new scores since 2017 graduates can submit either version? Will they simply remove the writing section from the equation of those who submit the old version?

Many schools already ignore the writing section.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

:iagree: About the only thing we do know about the new SAT is that we don't really know anything about the new SAT.

Yep. Don't really know what's on the test. Don't know the raw score to reported score conversions. Don't know what population will take the test.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

Many schools already ignore the writing section. 

 

 

This.  The grading is capricious and  writing for 20 minutes on some random topic with no research is not what colleges expect freshmen to do for their classes.

[wapiti]

Isn't it likely that the same schools now requiring ACT with writing will also require the newly-optional SAT writing section, even if they ultimately ignore it?  I'm happy for it to be ignored, but students shooting for certain schools will need to at least sit for it anyway, I'd think?

[purpleroses]

Or it could be the students who feel they are aiming at the most competitive schools who shift more of their attention to the ACT, feeling that it is more predictable than the SAT with less known revisions.  Maybe the bulk of the students who stay with SAT will be those who are just told that the SAT is the thing to do.  

 

I have my older kids (a rising senior and a junior) taking the April ACT.  But I have also seen that many colleges seem to take the best section scores as well as converting an ACT to a comparable SAT score.  I don't feel right now that any schools will say they have to see the revised SAT.  (There were schools that said they wanted to see an ACT or a new SAT with writing score when the last revision happened.)

 

I don't think that there are really solid predictions out there as to what the scores on the new SAT will really be.  I think it will be a harder test for many students, especially the math section for weaker readers.

Are they both weighed the same? DS is a senior next year and wants to try to take the ACT since it looks easier than the SAT

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Are they both weighed the same? DS is a senior next year and wants to try to take the ACT since it looks easier than the SAT

I don't understand your question. If you look for ACT SAT equivalence tables you can find how scores relate.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

Isn't it likely that the same schools now requiring ACT with writing will also require the newly-optional SAT writing section, even if they ultimately ignore it?  I'm happy for it to be ignored, but students shooting for certain schools will need to at least sit for it anyway, I'd think?

 

 

I'm unaware of any schools that REQUIRE the ACT (as opposed to the SAT) but many schools require the writing part, then don't use it.

[wapiti]

I'm unaware of any schools that REQUIRE the ACT (as opposed to the SAT) but many schools require the writing part, then don't use it.

 

Yes, to be clearer for others, I meant that, for those students choosing the SAT, certain schools will still require the writing even though the CB made the SAT writing optional, i.e., the option is illusory, and those would be the same schools that currently require writing with the ACT for those students choosing ACT.

 

Now that I think about it, the move to make the writing section optional is just another way the CB is aiming to serve average students not applying to more selective schools, which makes sense for market share.

[G5052]

One recommendation I read said to take the "old" SAT in the fall, and then the "new" in the spring.  Sigh.  Poor guinea pig kids!

[purpleroses]

I don't understand your question. If you look for ACT SAT equivalence tables you can find how scores relate.

Sorry, should've been clearer. Do colleges prefer one over the other.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

Sorry, should've been clearer. Do colleges prefer one over the other. 

 

 

Not for Math and English.  We did see a few that wanted Subject tests if you did the SAT, but not if you took the ACT.  Since we had no intention of taking any more tests, we didn't apply to those (and I don't remember who they were)

[Lori D.]

Are they both weighed the same? 

 

The ACT and SAT are equally accepted by all colleges, and have been for quite awhile now. (Years ago, that was not the case; long ago the SAT was more accepted/required by east/west coast schools and the ACT was favored by Midwest schools.)

 

 

DS is a senior next year and wants to try to take the ACT since it looks easier than the SAT

 

While it is true that some students do better on one or the other, the ACT is actually harder in the math  sections, but includes a science section (not testing science knowledge but used for critical reading), and that can connect better for some science-minded students.

 

Here are two helpful articles on the ACT vs. SAT:

Princeton Review: "The SAT vs. The ACT" (short breakdown on the differences of what's on each/emphasis of each)

The Prep Authority: "ACT vs. SAT: Which Should You Take?" (longer article detailing the differences and outlining how to decide which is the better fit for your student)