The Redesigned SAT
and College Admission
®
The new SAT® will be administered for the first time in March 2016. Students and their families
will likely have important questions about the changes. Some essential questions that high school
counselors, students, and their families are likely to have about the redesigned SAT include:
How will colleges use the redesigned SAT?
Changes to the SAT have been well received by colleges, and a recent survey of college admission and
enrollment leaders showed that 90 percent of respondents support the redesigned SAT. Most colleges will
accept scores from both the current SAT and the redesigned SAT. Students should check college websites to
view admission requirements.
How will we know what scores on the new
SAT mean?
The College Board will provide concordance tables and tools to compare scores on the current SAT and the
redesigned SAT. Tools will include:
à iPhone and Android Apps: These will enable users to convert between scores and will be available
when scores for the first redesigned SAT are released in spring 2016.
à Web-Based Tool: This will provide the same functionality as the apps, enabling users to make score-to­
score conversions.
Which colleges will require the SAT Essay?
Colleges may require or recommend the SAT Essay as part of their application process, and students will need
to make a choice on whether to take the test with the SAT Essay or without it.
The College Board is collecting information from colleges about their essay policy at sat.org/essaypolicy.
Students should always check the admission requirements before making a final decision. Even if the SAT
Essay is not required, students may elect to take it and submit their scores to offer a more complete profile.
What’s changing on the SAT, and how can
students prepare?
The College Board redesigned the SAT to better reflect what students are learning in class. That means
the questions on the redesigned SAT should be more familiar to students.
In addition, the College Board has partnered with Khan Academy®, a leader in online education, to develop
free, high-quality, personalized practice resources, which include thousands of approved questions, four
official SAT practice tests, and personalized study plans. Learn more at khanacademy.org/sat.
lass of
2016
lass of
2017
Connecting students to opportunity
Starting this fall, students who take the redesigned PSAT/NMSQT® and say yes to Student Search Service®
will be connected directly with scholarship organizations including:
à National Merit Scholarship Program
à United Negro College Fund
à Hispanic Scholarship Fund
à Asian American & Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund
à Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
à American Indian Graduate Center
Student Search Service is a free program that helps students get information on programs, admission criteria,
and financial aid from more than 1,100 colleges, universities, and nonprofit scholarship agencies.
Fee waivers
SAT fee waivers are available for students who meet eligibility guidelines. Every income-eligible student who
takes the SAT will also receive four application fee waivers they can use at more than 2,000 participating
colleges and universities.
Testing options for the classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018
CURRENT
PSAT/NMSQT
CURRENT
SATof
Class
2016
11TH GRADE
CURRENT
PSAT/NMSQT
Class of
2017
10TH GRADE
lass of
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9TH GRADE
FALL
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CURRENT
CURRENT
SAT
PSAT/NMSQT
REDESIGNED
CURRENT
SAT
SAT
12TH GRADE
REDESIGNED
SAT
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REDESIGNED
PSAT/NMSQT
SAT
11TH GRADE
GRADE
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PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT 10
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REDESIGNED
PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT/NMSQT
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OCT 2015
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COLLEGE
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SAT
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COLLEGE
SPRING
SPRING
FALL
FALL
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PSATSAT
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REDESIGNED
SAT
PSAT/NMSQT
TM
MAR 2016
REDESIGNED
PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT 8/9
TM
OCT 2015
REDESIGNED
REDESIGNED
SAT
SAT
12THGRADE
GRADE
11TH
SPRING
SPRING
FALL
FALL
2015-2016
2016-2017
REDESIGNED
SAT
PSAT 10
REDESIGNED
SAT
12TH GRADE
11THGRADE
GRADE
10TH
2014-2015
2015-2016
REDESIGNED
PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT 8/9
REDESIGNED
REDESIGNED
SAT
SAT
12THGRADE
GRADE
11TH
10TH
GRADE
9TH GRADE
FALL
FALL
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SAT
COLLEGE
11TH
12TH GRADE
GRADE
CURRENT
REDESIGNED
PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT/NMSQT
CURRENT
SAT
ENTERS
SPRING
SPRING
2016-2017
2017-2018
ENTERS
COLLEGE
REDESIGNED
SAT
ENTERS
COLLEGE
REDESIGNED
SAT
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COLLEGE
12TH GRADE
FALL
FALL
SPRING
2018
2017-2018
FALL
2018
REDESIGNED
SAT
PSAT 10
TM
MAR 2016
More information about the redesigned SAT, admission policies, free practice
resources, and fee waivers is available at: sat.org/educators.
© 2015 The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Khan Academy is a registered trademark in the United States and other jurisdictions.
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