<p>At the suggestion of @pckeller I am starting this thread in the hopes of attracting some teachers, tutors, authors and others who are experienced in the SAT in some capacity or other.</p>
<p>Of paramount importance to all of us is: How do we cope with the change in 2016?</p>
<p>I have read through the CB specs and sample questions but I feel like i'm looking through a keyhole - not much to go on. I can't wait for the first sample PSAT that CB is releasing next March. I also monitor Khan Academy for the Redesigned SAT's first signs of life - nothing yet.</p>
<p>I teach SAT Math, Reading and Writing. I have done so for 14 years. I also have 4 SAT books on Amazon that are selling quite well; I will not say which ones they are out of respect for this board as I am not here to sell, just to talk and learn.</p>
<p>Let’s see…been teaching math SATs as a side gig for (holy cow) close to 30 years. One SAT math book, and a recently released algebra book for younger students…following @grassfed’s admirable lead, I’ll leave them un-named.</p>
<p>And yes, I am very interested in solving the puzzle of the new SAT. I have a daughter in class of 2017.</p>
<p>Starting to feel that my tactical recommendations will be different for my students, based on where they are starting. Say you are starting with below-CC-median scores…you know, like 1700-1800 or lower. While the sky is the limit and anybody can do anything they dream of…maybe you are better off just beginning your prep this spring when the new blue book comes out. You have plenty of time, including two summers if needed. And by the time you need it, we will have figured out how to prep for this new test.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if you are already 1900 - 2000 (or higher), maybe it is worth going all out this spring, take the thing say May and next October or November, hoping to crush it and be done. If there is a reasonable chance you can do that, it sure is tempting…</p>
<p>So you also lived through the 2005 change. Looking back, it really wasn’t that hard to adjust to the then New SAT as they simply merged (for the verbal) SAT and SAT 2 Writing into one test and dropped the analogies. The math took a small step up in difficulty to include quadratics and some algebra 2 plus they dropped the quantitative comparisons (which evened things out). It seems that they stepping up the math even more to include SAT 2 math questions. The verbal seems easier from the outset but I haven’t seen enough passages and questions to make an informed judgement. We really need to see two or three official tests before we can spot any meaningful trends.</p>
<p>At least on the math side, I can say that the change in 2005 was a lesser deal than what was trumpeted. But that doesn’t mean that this time won’t be more of a transformation. We’ll see in the spring.</p>
<p>I have a 9th grader who is contemplating taking the test in October 2015 (before the change). He is at 2000 now and has a good chance of getting to 2300 by then. Will colleges accept his October 2015 score when he applies three years hence?</p>
<p>Any insight on this will be greatly appreciated. Many parents are asking me the same question.</p>
<p>As was discussed on another recent thread, there is also the issue of national merit to consider. If your 9th grade student can hit 2300 by next fall, then he will also hope to contend for national merit the following fall – but on a new style PSAT. Then, will the national merit people accept an old style sat score as a confirming score? They may for class of 2017, but I would be surprised if they did for 2018. Seems like, scary or not, it may be that current 9th graders will have to deal with the new test.</p>
<p>In terms of SAT, my take is that schools will use all scores and will not discard high scores from the older versions of the test. Inasmuch as some might insist to see all scores (which should be universal, btw) there is little reason to think schools that make the effort to superscore would toss out 700+ scores from either version. </p>
<p>One could also take the view that the schools might NOT be impressed by the newer version and send a clear message that they’d prefer to see the old x/2400 scores. If history repeats itself, it is good to remember that schools took a long time to accept the validity of the W that was added in 2005. Some mostly ignore it, or so they say. </p>
<p>Do we know what will happen? Nope, and I do not think that TCB knows for that matter. Regardless of the outcome, there is one thing that is certain: a long term, slow, and methodical path to acquiring the right techniques will help students in the old and the newer version. I happen to think the newer version will be easier for the type of students who frequent CC obsessively, and probably harder for the Joe SixPack who sees one of TCB test for the first in the 11th grade and has been fed the usual non-sense by the well-meaning but clueless GC at the HS. </p>
<p>The biggest danger that looms is that the adults in the life of the students will follow the path of least resistance and advocate for a position of “wait and see” and will create havoc among many rising seniors. </p>
<p>Lastly, best of luck with the Pro Lounge, it will take quite a bit to keep it going. Consider sending invitations to your friends! </p>
<p>Yes, I do hope this thread gets some traction. </p>
<p>Scores came out today, with mixed results for my students. Those who were expecting perfect scores got very close - within ten points, but those who were expecting a 2200 got well below (almost 100 points short). Those who were expecting a 1900 got well above (over 100 points) . I’m not sure what that means about the curve, but this is based on 13 scores so far.</p>
Shocking results: i tried out some of the New SAT passages (available online for free) on some 7th and 8th graders - and they ACED it. Not a single mistake. This test has been dumbed down to the middle school reading level - what gives?
@grassfed Obviously new SAT is a joke is what we should conclude. I bet it’s set up so that people will score worse the older they are because they will overthink it. I also bet the 7th and 8th graders would get perfect scores on the math material, like the complex number and radians question
Is that surprising when the objective is to align the contents to what is … taught in US high schools, or aligns itself to the dumber ACT?
This said, one needs to remember that the scores cannot be predicted without the corresponding adjustments. Lower scores have come from “easier” tests with a harder curve. What if 1-2 mistakes on the entire tests yields a 1500 score? Some would not find it that jocular!
@xiggi@grassfed I must be missing the point of this conversation. I had the impression that you support the changes the SAT is making and think the new test will be a gift for students. If I am mistaken, can you please state how you feel about the new SAT relative to the ACT and current SAT?
SAT teacher and tutor here. Haha, don’t have time to be an author. The way I’m coping with the redesigned test is to assign rhetorical analysis on various passages (fiction, non-fiction) to students who are currently rising sophomores and rising juniors – because only the essay portion is the least bit challenging, and public school students who don’t take AP Lang will not necessarily receive such essential instruction in their h.s. English classes.
WRT this:
Ditto. Very dumbed-down test. I call it high school readiness, not college readiness.
@epiphany@grassfed@xiggi The emphasis in this discussion seems largely on the essay and passages. How about the math. The lack of calculator for a section and the substantially more advanced math questions? I guess the pre-calculus questions are high school readiness too?
If the entire verbal section is below standard for a senior in high school about to attend college, then it is in fact possible for very, very many people to do well on the verbal section, and for those very good in math to do as well as they would on the current SAT.