<p>@Hawkace I understand that these changes will only be placed in effect in 2016. I would think all the tests are printed by now, anyway…</p>
<p>@LAMuniv Just wanted a glimmer of hope. Btw, does Collegeboard make the test 4 years in advance or do they make it a couple of months in advance?</p>
<p>@Hawkace - sorry, not sure on that one. I would imagine it would be closer to a couple months than 4 years, though.</p>
<p>I’m just wondering because since they announced this, I would imagine that the next couple of SAT’s before 2016 will endorse a lower set of exquisite vocabulary. </p>
<p>I would think it takes at least a year to make some versions of the new test and another year to dole out the practice tests and based on feedback make changes and print out the final versions. So 2 years is fair.</p>
<p>didnt mean to post</p>
<p>@ApplesTo</p>
<p>No, your year will be taking the old test. Also, a current freshman could take the old test in the fall of 2015 (fall of junior year).</p>
<p>Too late for me! :(</p>
<p>Posted this on the other thread about this issue, but I think it’s completely inappropriate that they’ll be specifically asking about historical US government documents. This is content that isn’t covered until senior year in our high school. How about they ask calculus questions on the math section–oh would that be unfair to students who haven’t studied it yet?</p>
<p>I think they’re just making the test easier to get more minority students to take it. also they were losing customers to the ACT, so now that people hear the SAT is ‘easier’ more people will take it.</p>
<p>Not penalizing guesses is a huge change, and the results will change dramatically just because of that.</p>
<p>I don’t buy the “minority” thing, it’s a problem for any kid with a difficult socioeconomic background, not just minorities. I do think that worrying about guessing can really hurt kids psychologically and make some afraid to take the test. </p>
<p>Heck, I have a professional state license, and they didn’t penalize for guessing on the 6 hours of multiple choice testing for that!</p>
<p>I wonder if the Xiggi method will still work?!?</p>
<p>Re: historic US government documents. That may be true in your state or school district but it is not universal. The schools may make it possible to take Government in an earlier year of high school.</p>
<p>Wow. Huge news. The test changes should have a minor (albeit some) impact on making the test more "accessible " to less privileged students. I always thought the Writing section was the least indicative of true intelligence–basically, the one section that was the most “learnable” and required students to approach it in a very particular way, one that was not typically taught in schools. Thus, getting rid of it should level the playing field a bit.</p>
<p>I’m a 1st rounder here 
</p>
<p>Do note that its only certain types of minorities that do bad on this test, don’t clump us all into the same group. Indian and Asian Americans do extremely well, even though our home language is more different to English than is Spanish.</p>
<p>For the past few years there has been a great emphasis in trying to make the tests more suitable for lower income families.
The continuing disparities don’t seem to carry the message that the SAT does not create the disparities in performance based on income. They are already there when students walk into the testing room. There comes a point where you can make the vocabulary as simple as possible, and guess what? You get to the point where the test no longer evaluates one’s readiness for college. Sadly, not everyone has an education that prepares them to succeed in college. The SAT should not try to hide that reality.</p>
<p>“The schools may make it possible to take Government in an earlier year of high school.” Easier said than done. Our juniors take US history and seniors take US gov. To swap these courses so that the kids get required content in time would require a year when all juniors and seniors take US gov. We don’t have enough trained teachers for that, and we don’t have thousands of spare gov textbooks available for that one time use. I expect our schools will do nothing to support this.</p>
<p>I doubt these changes have anything to do with equalizing scores for minorities. In fact, by removing the writing section, we can expect increases in the gender gaps in scores. The writing section was introduced, in part to help close the gender gap (a complaint had been filed regarding gender inequities in scholarships based on the PSAT). But these changes are about closing the market gap that has developed with the ACT. </p>
<p>Seems like it would put international students at a disadvantage, too. They don’t typically study US founding documents or great speeches in school.</p>
<p>Test is going to be easier and people like us who have taken the old test will be at a disadvantage. Vocab always killed me in the SAT but after these changes, I’m pretty sure I can get at least 1580 in the new grading scale. This would have opened so many more opportunities in college acceptances. I feel like the younger students have an advantage now.</p>