NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
There are big SAT changes in store for test takers who are members of the class of 2017 and beyond: harder math, the addition of historical reading passages, shifting of the essay from mandatory to optional, reverting back to a 1600 point scoring scale, no wrong answer penalty, no more fill-in-the-blank vocabulary, and a computer-based option. But what do college admissions officers, who will be evaluating these test scores, and teens, who will take the revamped admissions test, think of the upcoming changes? In separate surveys of admissions officers from over 400 of the nation’s top colleges and universities* and of nearly 700 high school students**, Kaplan finds admissions officers are generally more supportive of the SAT changes than college applicants -- with particularly wide disparity in support on the issues of computer-based testing and calculator elimination.
Overall, 79% of admissions officers surveyed support the SAT changes -- up from 72% last year.
“College admissions officers strongly support the upcoming changes to the SAT, but students are a bit wary about certain elements. Specifically, students are most concerned about shifting to a computer-based format and having to answer some math questions without a calculator,” said Christine Brown, executive director of K-12 and college prep programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “The good news for students is that the wrong answer point penalty and the unpopular fill-in-the-blank vocabulary questions will be eliminated. The best thing students can do, no matter which test they plan to take, is to practice in a realistic setting. Practice boosts confidence on test day, which is key to scoring well. For those who are particularly anxious about taking a new test, there’s always the option of taking the ACT, which is equally accepted by colleges. Keep in mind that the ACT is changing in 2015, but not dramatically.”
For more information, students, parents and educators can visit Kaplan’s SAT Test Change information center at www.kaptest.com/satchange.
* For the 2014 survey, 403 admissions officers from the nation’s top national, regional and liberal arts colleges and universities – as compiled from U.S. News & World Report – were polled by telephone between July and August 2014.
**From a Kaplan e-survey conducted between March and June 2014 of 684 students from across the United States, who took a Kaplan SAT course.
SAT® is a trademark registered and/or owned by the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
About Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (GHC)