®
The New SAT
and Your
School System
College Success™ Skills
Success Skills
Most of us see college as the gateway to the greater rewards of life in a democratic
society.There is no doubt that going to college opens up new worlds for our young
people and offers them rich opportunities for personal growth.Yet the skills students
need to succeed in college are also the skills that they need to succeed in twenty-firstcentury life, whether or not they go on to college.Thus, the skills required by the new
SAT® are precisely those needed by all students today.
The best preparation for the new SAT is taking rigorous courses within a strong
curriculum.The College Board has expanded its focus by joining school systems in
their efforts to increase the number of high school students who take challenging
courses and go to college. In our new 6–12 academic initiatives, we are developing a
set of comprehensive programs and services to expand access to rigorous curricula.
The redesign of the SAT is attuned to that new focus.
Among the college success skills to be evaluated by the new SAT will be mathematical
problem solving, reading for understanding, and writing using standard written English.
Items from Algebra II will be added to the math section, and quantitative comparisons
will be eliminated. More reading passages will be included in the verbal section, which
will be renamed critical reading, and analogies will be dropped.The most significant
change to the SAT will be the addition of a writing section including both multiplechoice items and a student-written essay. In total, these changes support national school
reform efforts to strengthen curricula and reflect what students need to know in order to
get into college,graduate,and move on to fulfilling careers.
The Evolution of a Test
The changes to the SAT scheduled for March 2005 are being made after years of consideration by College Board educators and psychometricians in consultation with high
school teachers and counselors, college professors, and admissions officers who regularly advise the Board.These changes are part of an evolution that has taken place over
the test’s 77-year history. Seeds of the current revisions were planted in 1990 with a blueribbon commission and culminating report called “Beyond Prediction,” which led to significant revisions in 1994, including the addition of longer reading passages and the
elimination of antonyms on the verbal section and the addition of open-ended
response items and the use of calculators on the math section.A recommendation considered but not adopted was the addition of the kind of writing test we are introducing
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in 2005.Among the reasons for the delay was the lack of technological capability to
transmit millions of student essays to the homes of professional readers for scoring.
Today, that technology is at hand.
The main purpose of the SAT, providing information about students to the colleges to
which they are applying, will not change.The test will be scored using the trusted 200
to 800 scale, and scores for the current and future tests will remain equivalent. New
math scores will mean the same thing as current math scores; new critical reading
scores will mean the same thing as current verbal scores.And there will be new
information provided by the writing scores.
A Word About the SAT ® II: Subject Tests
The SAT II: Subject Tests are not expected to change.These are the one-hour tests
designed to measure students’ knowledge and their ability to apply that knowledge in
specific subject areas. Many colleges require applicants to take one or more of these
tests in addition to the SAT.There are 22 Subject Tests from which to choose.
In subjects such as biology or American history, it’s a good idea for students to take
the SAT II: Subject Tests after finishing a course, while the material is still fresh in their
minds—typically in June at the end of their sophomore or junior year.
Looking at Your Own Curriculum
Although the exact specifications for the test still have to be set, you can help to prepare students from the class of 2006, as well as younger students, for the major changes
that have been established for the March 2005 test. In summary:
• Students will be asked to write an essay. Questions similar to the
multiple-choice questions on the SAT II: Writing Subject Test will be
included to see how well students use standard written English.
• The critical reading section, currently known as the verbal section, will
become more of a reading assessment. It will include shorter reading
passages along with the existing long reading passages.Analogies will be
eliminated, but sentence-completion questions will remain.
• The new math section will add items from Algebra II, and quantitative
comparison questions will be eliminated.
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In the next section of this brochure, we provide you with more details and several examples of those changes.Although the writing, reading, and math experts on our Test
Development Committees are still determining specifics, we have enough information
about the new SAT to help you examine your curricula in view of the needs of those
students who will take the new test.As in the past, the SAT will not be based on any
one curriculum, rather it will reflect the kind of content used in all strong collegepreparatory courses.
A More Detailed Look at the New SAT
Writing Section
Writing is a core college success skill and a core workplace skill. For many years,
college educators and business professionals have been expressing concern about the
quality of writing among college students and young employees in the workplace. By
including a writing section on the new SAT, we hope to encourage broad support for
schools that want to make the teaching of writing a top priority.The widespread public
attention aroused by the creation of a new test will help.
Our intent is to build on the strong foundation of the SAT II:Writing Test. For example, at
this juncture, we know that the new SAT writing section will include multiple-choice
questions and a written essay.The exact number of questions on the multiple-choice
section and the exact length of the time set aside for the essay are still under consideration.
The multiple-choice questions will test students’ ability to identify sentence errors,
improve sentences, and improve paragraphs.They are more about the mechanics of
writing than the process of composing. Here are some examples of the kinds of
questions that will appear, followed by brief explanations of the correct answers. Note
that students will be provided with detailed directions for each type of question.
Identifying Sentence Errors
In the following item, students are asked to identify the grammatical error.
It is likely that the opening of the convention center,
previously
set for July 1,
would be postponed
(A)
(B)
because of the bricklayers’ strike.
(D)
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(C)
No error
(E)
Correct answer: C
Explanation: “Would be” is the wrong tense of the verb in this sentence.The sentence concerns when the convention center is going to open.This is a time in the
future, either July 1 or later if there is a strike. Since the opening will definitely take
place, the future tense,“will be,” is needed.“Would be” (the conditional tense) indicates only that an event might happen.
Improving Sentences
Although several groups were absolutely opposed to the outside support
given the revolutionary government, other groups were as equal in their
adamant approval of that support.
(A) were as equal in their adamant approval of
(B) held equally adamant approval of
(C) were equally adamant in approving
(D) had approved equally adamantly
(E) held approval equally adamant of
Correct answer: C
Explanation: (C) is correct because it expresses the second part of the sentence
in a way parallel to the first part.Two groups are being compared: groups
“absolutely opposed to” and groups “equally adamant in.” Both phrases now have a
common structure: an adverb modifying an adjective followed by a preposition.
Improving Paragraphs
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need
to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that
follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask
you to improve sentence structure and word choice. Other questions refer to parts of
the essay or the entire essay and ask you to consider organization and development. In
making your decisions, follow the conventions of standard written English.
At one point in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, the evil archaeologist
Belloq shows the heroic Indiana Jones a cheap watch. If the watch were
to be buried in the desert for a thousand years and then dug up, Belloq
says, it would be considered priceless. I often think of the scene whenever
I consider the record album–collecting phenomenon, it being one of the
more remarkable aspects of popular culture in the United States.
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Collecting record albums gives us a chance to make a low-cost investment that might pay dividends in the future.
When my aunt collected them in the mid-sixties, nobody regarded them
as investments.A young fan shelled out dollar after dollar at the corner
record store for no other reason than to assemble a complete collection
of her favorite musical groups—in my aunt’s case, the Beatles and the
Supremes. By committing so much of her allowance each week to the
relentless pursuit of that one group not yet in her collection—the immortal Yardbirds, let us say—she was proving her loyalty to her superstars.
The recording industry is a capitalist enterprise and so this hobby has
become one. Just as everyone has heard of the exorbitant prices being
paid for the Beatles’ first album in mint condition, so everyone is certain
that a payoff is among each stack of old records. But if that album was
buried somewhere in my aunt’s closet of dusty records, she never knew it.
Long before she learned it, she had thrown them out.
In the context of the first paragraph, which revision is most needed in sentence 3?
(A) Insert “As a matter of fact” at the beginning.
(B) Omit the words “it being.”
(C) Omit the word “scene.”
(D) Change the comma to a semicolon.
(E) Change “think” to “thought” and “consider” to “considered.”
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The words “it being” are unnecessary.
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Essay
The essay assesses students’ ability to write on demand.At the College Board, we recognize that an essay written in a short amount of time will not be polished but
represents the initial phase of the writing process: the first draft.This is the kind of
writing that people have to do to answer an essay question in college or write a
memo at work.
Though research will determine exactly what kind of writing assignment to include on
the test, we expect the tasks to be similar to, but not the same as, those included on the
SAT II: Writing Test.To ensure that the new writing section reflects what is taught in the
classroom, we are surveying high school and college English teachers, as well as
college faculty in other disciplines.The writing prompt, we suspect, will be persuasive
in nature and will ask the student to take a position on an issue and support it with
reasons and evidence from his or her reading, experience, or observation. It will elicit
an open-ended response, allowing students to support their position in a variety of
ways, including exposition and narration. Here is an example of such an assignment:
Consider carefully the following excerpt and the assignment below it.Then
plan and write an essay that explains your ideas as persuasively as possible.
Keep in mind that the support you provide — both reasons and examples —
will help make your view convincing to the reader.
Appreciation of music, paintings, books, and movies doesn’t make us into better
people. In fact, it may actually worsen us, diminishing our ability to respond to
actual situations and making it more difficult to identify with the real world.As
one scholar said,“the voice in the poem may come to sound louder, more urgent,
more real than the voice in the street outside.”
Adapted from George Steiner,“To Civilize Our Gentlemen” (1965), in
Language and Silence: Essays on Language, Literature, and the Inhuman, 1970.
Assignment: What is your view of the idea that enjoying music, painting, and
other forms of art does not improve people but instead makes them less able to
relate to real life? In an essay, support your position by discussing an example (or
examples) from literature, the arts, science and technology, current events, or your
own experience or observation.
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A Few Words About Scoring the Essay. Even with some errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar, a student can get a top score on the essay.The highly trained high
school and college composition teachers who score the essays will follow a rubric that
focuses upon content, organization, and language usage and sentence structure. Each
essay will be scored independently by two such readers on a 1–6 scale. If the readers’
scores differ by more than two points, the test will be evaluated by a third reader.We
know from our experience with the SAT II: Writing Test that fewer than 2 percent of all
scored essays require a third reader.
The rubric for the new SAT writing section will be similar to the one used for the
current SAT II: Writing Test, which follows below:
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Score of 6
Score of 3
A paper in this category demonstrates clear and consistent
competence, though it may have occasional errors. Such a paper:
• effectively and insightfully addresses the writing task
• is well organized and fully developed, using clearly
appropriate examples to support ideas
• displays consistent facility in the use of language,
demonstrating variety in sentence structure and range of
vocabulary
A paper in this category demonstrates developing competence.
Such a paper may contain one or more of the following weaknesses:
• inadequate organization or development
• inappropriate or insufficient details to support ideas
• an accumulation of errors in grammar, diction, or sentence
structure
Score of 5
Score of 2
A paper in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent
competence, though it will have occasional errors or lapses in
quality. Such a paper:
• effectively addresses the writing task
• is generally well organized and well developed, using
appropriate examples to support ideas
• displays facility in the use of language, demonstrating
some syntactic variety and range of vocabulary
A paper in this category demonstrates some incompetence. Such a
paper is flawed by one or more of the following weaknesses:
• poor organization
• thin development
• little or inappropriate detail to support ideas
• frequent errors in grammar, diction, and sentence structure
Score of 4
Score of 1
A paper in this category demonstrates adequate competence with
occasional errors and lapses in quality. Such a paper:
• addresses the writing task
• is organized and adequately developed, using examples
to support ideas
• displays adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of
language, presenting some errors in grammar or diction
• presents minimal sentence variety
A paper in this category demonstrates incompetence. Such a paper
is seriously flawed by one or more of the following weaknesses:
• very poor organization
• very thin development
• usage and syntactical errors so severe that meaning is
somewhat obscured
Essays that appear to be off topic or that pose unusual
challenges in handwriting or other areas should be given
to the Table Leader.
Critical Reading Section
Although we do not anticipate a radical change in this section of the SAT, there will be
a shift in emphasis: The SAT verbal section will become the critical reading section.We
are studying how reading is currently taught in schools, what reading skills are most
important for college success, and what kinds of reading passages and questions best
reflect these skills. So far, the Reading Development Committee has specified that at
least one reading passage from fiction appear on the test.
On the new test, we will eliminate analogies, which some have viewed as antiquated.
Like antonyms, which were eliminated from the test in 1994, analogies are absent from
classroom teaching and encourage rote memorization of vocabulary.An example of an
analogy item is shown below:
CLAY:POTTER::
(A) stone:sculptor
(B) machines:mechanic
(C) hems:tailor
(D) bricks:architect
(E) chalk:teacher
Correct answer: A
In 1994, we also increased the length of the reading passages on the SAT from 500
words to 800 words. Most of the critical reading sections on the new SAT will contain
reading passages and questions, along with sentence-completion questions, similar to
those on the current SAT. Reading passages will range from 400 to 850 words and will
include nonfiction selections from humanities, social studies, and natural sciences, as
well as the specified fiction selection.
In addition, the new SAT will include new shorter reading passages, with paragraphs about
100 words long, followed by one or two questions similar to the questions on the longer
reading passages.There may also be a pair of paragraphs, about 200 words long, with four
questions based on the two passages and the relationship between the passages.
Below is a sample paragraph reading passage and two questions, followed by a brief
explanation of the correct answers.
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The passage below is followed by two questions based on its content.Answer the
questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.
Dinosaurs have such a powerful grip on the public consciousness that it is easy to
forget just how recently scientists have become aware of them.A two-year-old
child today may be able to rattle off three dinosaur names, but in 1824 there was
only one known dinosaur. Period.The word “dinosaur” didn’t even exist until 1841.
Indeed, in those early years, the world was baffled by the discovery of these
absurdly enormous creatures.
1. The reference to the “two-year-old child” (line 2) primarily serves to
(A) challenge a popular assumption
(B) highlight the extent of a change
(C) suggest that a perspective is simplistic
(D) introduce a controversial idea
(E) question a contemporary preoccupation
Correct answer: B
Choice (B) is correct because the reference to the “two-year-old child” who can
“rattle off three dinosaur names” shows how dramatically the situation has
changed since 1824.Today even little children know more about dinosaurs than
many scientists did in the 1820s.
2. The statement “Period” in line 4 primarily serves to emphasize the
(A) authoritative nature of a finding
(B) lack of flexibility in a popular theory
(C) stubborn nature of a group of researchers
(D) limited knowledge about a subject
(E) refusal of the public to accept new discoveries
Correct answer: D
Choice (D) is correct because the word “Period” gives emphasis to the preceding
statement that “there was only one known dinosaur” in 1824. Clearly, people at that
time had “limited knowledge” about dinosaurs.
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Mathematics Section
To further align the SAT to classroom practice, new math content, taught typically in
Algebra II classes, will be added to the SAT I.According to the National Center for
Education Statistics, 70 percent of all high school students finish Algebra II or the equivalent by the end of their junior year. College Board research indicates that 97 percent of
college-bound students complete Algebra II or the equivalent by the time they graduate
and about 75 percent complete four or more years of math.We also know that most fouryear colleges require three years of math for incoming freshmen.
Our Math Development Committee has been determining just what kinds of questions
third-year math students should be expected to answer. Clearly, the new math section must
assess mathematics skills that are related to the skills necessary for success in college.
Again, to better align the test with classroom practices, quantitative comparison items
will be eliminated, since questions in this format are not typically seen in the classroom. Below is an example of a quantitative comparison question.
The volume of a sphere with radius r is equal to
A. The
volume of a
sphere with
radius 6.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
4 3
πr .
3
B. The total
volume of
two spheres,
each with
radius 3.
The quantity in column A is greater
The quantity in column B is greater
The two quantities are equal
The relationship cannot be determined from the information given
Correct answer: A
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The concepts that are described below will be tested on the new SAT math section,
along with the algebra and geometry material that is tested on the current SAT.A field
trial of the new SAT in spring 2003 will determine the final form of the test and the content of the questions that will be included.After the field trial, sample questions from
the new math section will be available.
Experts on the Math Committee have already made the
following recommendations:
• Strongly recommend the use of a scientific or graphing calculator
(rather than allowing all kinds of calculators).
• Include additional Number and Operations concepts:
Sequences Involving Exponential Growth
Sets (union, intersection, elements)
• Include Algebra II (third-year math) concepts:
Absolute Value
Rational Equations and Inequalities
Radical Equations
Manipulation with Integer and Rational Exponents
Direct and Inverse Variation
Function Notation and Evaluation
Concepts of Domain and Range
Functions as Models
Linear Functions–Equations and Graphs
Quadratic Functions–Equations and Graphs
• Include additional Geometry and Measurement concepts:
Geometric Notation for Length, Segments, Lines, Rays, and Congruence
Problems in Which Trigonometry May Be Used as an Alternate Method of Solution
Properties of Tangent Lines
Coordinate Geometry
Qualitative Behavior of Graphs and Functions
Transformations and Their Effect on Graphs and Functions
• Include additional Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability concepts:
Data Interpretation, Scatterplots, and Matrices
Geometric Probability
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Number and Operations
Sequences Involving Exponential Growth. The new SAT will include mathematics
questions that require knowledge of exponential growth sequences, also called geometric sequences. In a geometric sequence, there is a constant ratio between consecutive terms. For example, 7, 21, 63, 189,… is a geometric sequence in which the constant
ratio is 3.The nth term of this sequence is 7 x 3n-1. Since these sequences have real-life
applications, the questions in this area might be presented with a real-life context, such
as population growth. For example,“a population that starts at 100 and doubles every
eight years can be expressed as 100 times 2t/8 where t stands for the number of years
that have elapsed since the start.”
Sets (union, intersection, elements). If a set is a collection of things, then the
“things” can be referred to as “elements” or “members” of the set. Questions on the new
SAT might ask about the union of two sets (i.e., the set consisting of elements that are
in either set or both sets) or the intersection of two sets (i.e., the set of common
elements). For example, if set X is the set of positive even integers and set Y is the set of
positive odd integers, a question might ask students to recognize that the union of the
two sets is the set of all positive integers.
Algebra and Functions
Absolute Value. The absolute value of a number is its distance from the origin on the
number line.The absolute value of the number w is denoted |w|. For example, the
absolute value of -5, |-5|, is 5, since -5 is five units from 0 on the number line. New SAT
questions will include expressions, equations, and functions that involve absolute value.
Rational
Equations and Inequalities. An example of a rational algebraic expression
2x2 + x − 5
is x 3 − 4 x 2 . Equations or inequalities involving such expressions will be included on
the new SAT.
Radical Equations. An example of a radical equation is
include questions involving such equations.
.The new SAT will
Integer and Rational Exponents. On the current SAT, exponents are restricted to
positive integers.The new SAT will have expressions involving negative exponents, such
as q -3, and expressions involving rational exponents, such as m3/4.
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Direct and Inverse Variation. The new SAT will include questions involving direct
and inverse variation. Direct variation is described by an equation of the form y = kx.
Inverse variation is described by an equation of the form xy = p.
Function Notation and Evaluation. Questions on the new SAT will require students
to evaluate functions. For example, a question might define a function f by saying
f(x) = x + 2x and ask students to evaluate f(3).
Concepts of Domain and Range. The domain of a function is the set of all values for
which the function is defined.The range of a function is the set of all values that are
the output, or the result of a function.The new SAT will include questions that ask for
the values of x at which a particular function is not defined (outside the domain), or
the value(s) that f(x) cannot equal (outside the range).
Functions as Models. The new SAT will include questions that involve mathematical
functions that model real-life situations. For example, a question might present information about the projected sales of a product at various prices, and ask for a mathematical model in the form of a graph or equation that represents projected sales as a function of price.
Linear Functions–Equations and Graphs. The new SAT will include questions
involving linear equations, e.g., y = mx + b, where m and b are constants. Some questions
will also involve the identification of graphs of linear functions.
Quadratic Functions–Equations and Graphs. The new SAT will also include questions involving quadratic equations and/or graphs. For example, a question might
involve determining how the graphs of the equations y = 2x 2 and y = -2x 2 differ.
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Geometry and Measurement
Geometric Notation for Length, Segments, Lines, Rays, and Congruence. The
new SAT will use geometric notation commonly found in high school textbooks. For
example, PQ will be used to represent the line that passes through points P and Q. PQ
will represent the line segment with points P and Q as endpoints, and PQ will represent
the length of PQ .The term “congruent” and the congruence symbol, ≅, will be used.
Problems in Which Trigonometry May Be Used as an Alternative Method of
Solution. The SAT will include more questions that rely on the special properties of
30-60-90 triangles or 45-45-90 triangles.These questions can be answered by using
trigonometric methods, but may also be answered using other methods. For example, in
the triangle below, it is possible to find the value of x by using trigonometry
(sin 30°= x/12). But the value of x can also be determined with the knowledge that in a
30-60-90 triangle, the leg opposite the 30-degree angle is half as long as the hypotenuse.
30º
12
60º
x
Properties of Tangent Lines. Questions on the new SAT will require knowledge of
the property that a line tangent to a circle is perpendicular to a radius drawn to the
point of contact, as shown below.
15
Coordinate Geometry. Questions on the new SAT will require knowledge of the properties of the slopes of parallel or perpendicular lines. In addition, questions may
include the midpoint and distance formulas.
The midpoint formula gives the midpoint of PQ in terms of the coordinates of points P
and Q: that is, if P has coordinates (x1,y1) and Q has coordinates (x2 ,y2 ) then the midx +x y +y
point has coordinates ( 1 2 2 , 1 2 2 ).The distance formula gives the value of PQ in
terms of the coordinates of P and Q: ( x − x ) + ( y − y )
2
1
2
2
1
2
Qualitative Behavior of Graphs and Functions. A question on the new SAT might
show an xy- coordinate system with the graph of a function, and ask students to identify the values of x at which the values of f(x) are greater than 3, as shown below.The
answer choices to this question would be sets of x values, such as “all values of x,”
“all values of x between 0 and 4,” etc….
y
5
–3
O
3
x
–5
Transformations and Their Effect on Graphs and Functions. The new SAT will
include questions that ask students to determine the effect of transformations on
graphs of functions. For example, the graph of a function f(x) could be presented and
students would be asked what the graph of f(x+3) would look like.
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Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability
Data Interpretation, Scatterplots, and Matrices. A question on the new SAT might
ask about the line of best fit of a scatterplot. Students would be expected to identify the
general qualities of the line of best fit by looking at the scatterplot. For example,
students might determine that this line has a slope that is positive but less than 1.
Students would not be expected to use formal methods of finding the equation of the
line of best fit. Some questions may involve presentations of data in matrix form.
Knowledge of formal matrix algebra will not be expected. For example, the tables
below show the numbers of T-shirts ordered at two schools and the cost of three types
of T-shirts ordered in child and adult sizes.The total cost of all the T-shirts ordered at
School X in child sizes is $10x30 + $12x55 + $13x45 = $1,545.This calculation can be
done without an explicit knowledge of matrices.
NUMBER OF T-SHIRTS ORDERED
School X
School Y
Type A
Type B
Type C
30
50
55
67
45
53
COST OF T-SHIRTS
Type A
Type B
Type C
Child
$10
$12
$13
Adult
$15
$17
$19
Geometric Probability. Some questions on the new SAT will involve geometric probability. For example, a question might ask, if a point is chosen at random from the interior of a given figure, with some part of that figure shaded, what is the probability that the
point will be chosen from the shaded part? These questions might be presented in a
context such as throwing darts at a target.
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What Curriculum Specialists Can Do Right Now
The new SAT will set a new and even higher standard than the current test.With the
addition of writing and items from Algebra II, students will have to demonstrate mastery
of more college success skills than ever before. Most students will be prepared for the
new test and ready for college work if their schools are providing rich and varied writing and reading experiences in all content areas and offering at least three years of high
school math, including concepts from Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.
You may wish to review some of your academic priorities and sequencing to see if
your college-preparatory curriculum is structured to maximize benefits to your collegebound students.
Curriculum Audit
• Review your district curriculum to ascertain whether the concepts and skills
that will be assessed on the new SAT are included.
• Identify where these concepts and skills are introduced and reinforced so that
students will have mastery prior to taking the new SAT in the spring of the
junior year.
• Ensure that students have an opportunity to master all new SAT skills and
processes prior to taking the exam in the spring of the junior year.
• Develop an assessment bank of items from which teachers can draw questions
to help assess the growth and performance of their students.
School Practices
• Determine your teacher staff development needs and design a professional
learning program that will increase their capacity to teach the skills and knowledge necessary for students to do well on the new SAT.
• Engage in conversation with decision-makers in the district about the best
scheduling models to support students in acquiring the skills and concepts
needed for the new SAT.
• Inform parents of the constructs of the new SAT, especially the need for
developing and/or bolstering writing skills.
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Parent Outreach
• Inform parents about what their children will need to know and be able to do
to perform well on the new SAT.
• Show parents how the skills needed for success on the new SAT correlate with
those required by the state standards, curricula, assessments, and success in the
workplace.
Student Safety Nets
• Design and implement programs to accelerate skill development for students
who may have gaps in the skills and knowledge needed to be successful on the
new SAT.
• Inform students about what they need to know and be able to do to perform
well on the new SAT.
• Show students how the skills needed for success on the new SAT correlate with
those required by the state standards, curricula, assessments, and success in the
workplace.
System Policies
• Advocate for policy that will require students to pass Algebra I, Geometry, and
Algebra II prior to graduation.
• Advocate for policies that will promote a school environment of access and
excellence for all students so that they acquire higher-order thinking and
reasoning skills.
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Using the College Board as a Resource
Be sure to consult our Web site, www.collegeboard.com, for updates on research and
field-testing for the new SAT.A PowerPoint presentation is now available on the Web for
sharing at district, faculty, and parent meetings.A simple Q&A brochure and sample test
questions can also be found on the Web site.A variety of other resources will soon be
available at no cost through our portals for professionals.
Remember that the PSAT/NMSQT ® is also available to your students.The new
PSAT/NMSQT that will be administered for the first time in the fall of 2004 will be excellent practice for the new SAT.We encourage students to take the PSAT/NMSQT to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
The changes to the PSAT/NMSQT will parallel some of the changes to the SAT. Some of
the changes, including the addition of a multiple-choice writing section, were made to
the PSAT/NMSQT in 1997. However, there will be no essay.Also, since high school sophomores and juniors take this test, the math content will not change to include Algebra II.
Like the changes to the SAT, the changes to the PSAT/NMSQT will be based on the principle of aligning the test more closely to high school curricula and college skills.
In addition, for the most timely information, you can subscribe to the College Board’s
free e-newsletters, onboard for Academics or onboard for Counselors, by calling
212 713-8052.
The new version of Taking the SAT I: Reasoning Test, the free booklet available in all
high schools and on the Web, will be ready in the fall of 2004. Taking the SAT I can also
be accessed online at www.collegeboard.com. Meanwhile, you and your students can
refer to the following free materials:
• Taking the SAT II: Subject Tests for examples of multiple-choice and essay
questions that will be very similar to those on the new SAT writing section.
20
• The current version of Taking the SAT I for examples of items that will be on the
new SAT critical reading and math sections. Just remember that students
who take the SAT in the spring of 2005 and later should not spend time
on the analogy or quantitative comparison items because they will not
appear on the new test.
• The College Board’s very popular publication 10 Real SATs, available in bookstores and by calling 800 323-7155, referencing item number 007050, will still be
a valuable test-familiarization resource to keep in high school counselors’
offices and libraries.A new version of 10 Real SATs that focuses on the new SAT
will be published in April 2004.
If you would like clarification or to seek additional information about the new SAT, contact
Dr. Peter Negroni,senior vice president,K–12 Education,at [email protected].
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The Test Development Committees
Reading Development
Committee
Joan D. Vinson (Chair)
Lead Teacher for English (recently retired)
Department of Advanced Academic Services-AP® Program
Dallas Independent School District
Anthony J. Armstrong
Teacher
Department of English
North Central High School, Indianapolis, IN
John C. Briggs
Associate Professor of English
Director of Basic Writing
Director of the Inland Area Writing Project
Department of English
University of California at Riverside
Agnes A. Yamada
Professor
Department of English
California State University: Dominguez Hills
Writing Development
Committee
Alma J. Billingslea Brown
Associate Professor
Department of English
Spelman College
Atlanta, GA
George Gadda (Chair)
Assistant Director
UCLA Writing Programs
University of California: Los Angeles
Arthur C. Graesser
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Memphis
Brian A. Bremen
Professor
Department of English
University of Texas at Austin
Charles W. Peters
Professor of Educational Practice
Department of Educational Studies
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Christine M. Gonzalez
Facilitator, Passport to Success
Department of English
Deep Creek School, Baltimore, MD
Patricia T. Phillips
English Teacher
Buchholz High School, Gainesville, FL
Jonathan C. Lang
Lecturer
College Writing Programs
University of California: Berkeley
Raul S. Rodriguez
Chair Emeritus
Department of Languages and Cultural Studies
Xaverian High School, Brooklyn, NY
Hephzibah C. Roskelly
Professor
Department of English
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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Brijraj Singh
Professor
Department of English
Hostos Community College of the
City University of New York
Bronx, NY
Lee C. Mitchell
Professor
Department of English
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Maxine F. Moore
Professor of English
Dean, Honors College
Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC
Roger E. Howe
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Bernard A. Phelan
Teacher
Department of English
Barrington High School, Barrington, IL
Karen A. Longhart
Mathematics Teacher
Flathead High School, Kalispell,MT
Kathleen A. Sammartino
Teacher
Department of English
Cinnaminson High School, Cinnaminson, NJ
Willa J. Wolcott
Assistant Professor
School of Teaching and Learning
University of Florida, Gainesville
Mathematics Development
Committee
John A. Dossey (Chair)
Distinguished University Professor of
Mathematics Emeritus
Illinois State University, Normal
Lynne M. Butler
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Haverford College, Haverford, PA
James R. Choike
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
Louis P. D’Angelo, Jr.
Teacher
Department of Mathematics
Archmere Academy, Claymont, DE
Daniel V. Lotesto
Mathematics Teacher
Riverside High School, Milwaukee, WI
Alfred B. Manaster
Professor
Department of Mathematics
University of California, San Diego
Monique A. Morton
Teacher
Department of Mathematics
Woodrow Wilson Senior High School
Washington, DC
Jorge A. Perez
Professor
Department of Mathematics
LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, NY
Deborah E. Poss
Mathematics Teacher
Lassiter High School, Marietta, GA
Betty P. Travis
Professor, Department Chair
Department of Science &
Mathematics Education
University of Texas at San Antonio
Charles B. Vonder Embse
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant
Ruth Haas
Professor
Department of Mathematics
Smith College, Northampton, MA
23
The College Board=College SuccessTM Skills
The College Board is a national nonprofit membership association whose mission is
to prepare, inspire, and connect students to college and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the
association is composed of more than 4,300 schools, colleges, universities, and other
educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three million students
and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and
services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and
teaching and learning.Among its best-known programs are the SAT ®, the PSAT/NMSQT ®,
and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP ®).The College Board is committed to the
principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.
For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com.
Think About It!
If you are a teacher who would like to become more involved with the new SAT, think
about becoming a reader for the new SAT essay. Teachers of English, writing, or
language arts courses are particularly welcome. For more information, please contact
[email protected].
Copyright © 2003 by College Entrance Examination Board.All rights reserved. College Board,Advanced Placement Program,AP, SAT, and the
acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board. College Success is a trademark owned by the College
Entrance Examination Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation. Other products and services mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.Visit College Board
on the Web: www.collegeboard.com.
P R E P A R E .
I N S P I R E .
C O N N E C T .
www.collegeboard.com
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