I’m a current sophomore. Normally, I would be part of the first to take the “redesigned” SAT, but I really don’t want to for a few reasons, including but not restricted to: it’s harder to study for, it’s new, I don’t like the essay format, the no-calculator section and the new Reading format. It takes away my strengths and replaces them with weaknesses, and looks way to close to the ACT for my liking.
I know I’ll take the current SAT. Scores and testing dates aren’t a problem, but I have one big concern.
Will colleges will accept the “old” test or not? I should think so, since my grade will be the first one to take the new SAT, but I’m seriously a bit scared that I’ll have taken the old SAT, gotten great scores, and then learn that they’re not valid and have to adapt to a whole new testing format.
@Woandering It was confirmed that the new PSAT will require the new SAT, but I don’t really care. NMSQT is important to me but real SAT scores are much more so.
As to why I won’t take the ACT–the main reason why I’m not taking the new SAT is because it’s closer to the ACT… my strengths are vocab, reading comprehension, the current SAT essay format, etc, all of which are being changed. The new SAT also introduces weaknesses like the no-calculator section and redesigned math and reading sections.
Also, my school offers SAT prep classes for free, and I don’t want to pay for an ACT tutor.
Ultimately, it is up to each particular college which test scores it will accept and for how long when a test change is made. In the past, when SAT made significant changes, such as adding the writing section 2005, most colleges continued to accept the old test for 5 years, which College Board asserts is the maximum length of time any of its SAT tests should be considered valid, but there were some with a shorter period.