The new SAT was just given out for the first time, and there have been some major changes that have given students a lot of relief.
The first change and one that has excited many people it that that the wrong answer and guessing penalty has been removed. It used to be if you guessed and guessed wrong you got a one fourth point penalty. This has been completely abolished giving test takers a better chance at a better score.
Students used to be given a three hour, and forty-five minute time limit for the whole test. How test takers will get just three hours, and an additional fifty-five minutes for the optional essay at the end. That’s right the essay is now an optional part of the test, although doing it is probably a better way to get a better score.
The sections haven’t changed as much. Critical reading is now Evidence based reading, and writing. Writing and math are still worth the same.
The scoring for the whole test has gone from 600 – 2400 to 400 – 1600, although individual scoring for each section is still has remained roughly the same, being 200 – 800.
The evidence based reading and writing section has a total of fifty two questions and test takers are given sixty five minutes to complete the section. The writing section has forty four questions and test takers are given thirty five minutes. The math section is broken in to two parts. The first is a no calculator part that has twenty questions, and testers are given twenty five minutes. Then there is a calculator part with thirty eight questions, and testers are given fifty five minutes.
They have been trying hard to make the SAT more straightforward and less confusing for test takers to give them a better chance to score high. Many who have taken the PSAT, SAT, and those who have done the old one and the new one say that it was easier to understand the questions, and that it was less stressful without having to decide weather or not guessing would bring your score down mare than an unanswered question. Over all most seem to think the changes have been a success.