Redesigned SAT vs Old SAT

The new SAT was launched in March 2016 and impacts students in the class of 2017 or younger. Many students who have previously taken the SAT find it unfair for them due to the new changes. However, competition in test scores only exists amongst students in the same grade. You are not competing against previous versions of the test, but against students in the same grade. Therefore, thinking that the new version is easier than the old version is just an oversight.

So how does the redesigned SAT compare to the old SAT? First of all, THERE IS NO PENALTY FOR GUESSING, unlike the old SAT where students had to decide whether they would answer a question with the possibility of getting it correct and an addition of one point or getting it incorrect and a deduction of 1/4 points. Students could also choose to not answer, resulting in no gain or loss of points. It was the most stressful factor of taking the SAT.

Other changes include:

• 1600 points max instead of 2400
• 4 answer choices instead of 5
• Optional essay
• 2 sections: Math & Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
• Reading and Writing: No more sentence completions, no obscure vocabulary, focus on multiple-meaning words
• Math: Multi-step questions, higher-level math, 25-minute no calculator section (20 questions)
• 154 questions in 180 minutes