USNews.com - David Coleman announced that beginning in the spring of 2016, the college admissions test will return to its 1600-point scale and additionally, the essay portion will become optional. The math section will narrow its focus, and students will not be penalized for incorrect answers. Finally, reading comprehension questions will weave in information from other subjects, such as history and science.
A new SAT is Coming, What Do I Do? →
Bloomberg Businessweek - By now, most students are aware of the changes coming to the 2016 SAT; however, students graduating in 2014, 2015 and 2016 will not be affected. This change will bring about options for those taking the test in 2016 and beyond. Going forward, students will have more options than before: to take the SAT before 2016 to avoid the changes, to take both versions of the SAT and choose the better score to submit, or take both the SAT and the ACT.
The Story Behind the SAT Overhaul →
New York Times - While more colleges are choosing to opt out of standardized testing, an estimated 80 percent of four-year colleges still require either SAT or A.C.T. scores. David Coleman believes the American education needs to be more focused and less superficial, and that it should be possible to test the success of the newly defined standards through an exam that reflects the material being taught in the classroom.
Major changes coming to 2016 SAT test: Here's what, how and why →
CNN - The SAT will undergo sweeping changes on what's tested, how it's scored and how students can prepare. One change is that some questions will require students to cite evidence for their answers; additionally, the math section will no longer allow calculators to be used on every portion. The redesigned test will take about three hours, with 50 additional minutes for the essay; it will be administered by print and computer, while the current test is available on paper only.
SAT to drop essay requirement and return to top score of 1600 in redesign of admission test →
Washington Post - The SAT test will no longer require a timed essay, will dwell less on fancy vocabulary and will return to the familiar 1600-point scale in a major overhaul intended to open the door to higher education for all students. The College Board's president, David Coleman, believes these changes will make it clear that success comes from learning over the years as opposed to cramming or last-minute study tricks.
College Board unveils sweeping changes to SAT test →
CBS News - The College Board will overhaul the SAT test to better align the college entrance exam with what students should learn in the classroom. The College Board will release the complete specifications of the overhauled exam on April 16.
Major Changes in SAT Announced by College Board →
New York Times - The College Board has announced fundamental changes to the SAT, by ending the longstanding penalty for guessing incorrectly, removing arcane vocabulary and making the essay optional. The scoring will return to the old system of 1600 points, rather than 2400 points, and the optional essay will have a separate score. Some changes will make the new SAT more like the ACT, which for the last two years has outpaced the SAT in test takers.
New SAT delayed to 2016 →
Washington Post - The newly redesigned SAT will be released in Spring 2016, to allow time for members of higher education to plan for the redesigned exam, familiarize themselves with changes, and meet system and publication requirements. For the needs of states and districts, the PSAT/NMSQT will be released in Fall 2015, before the revised SAT.
Sneak Preview: What the New SAT and Digital ACT Might Look Like →
New York Times - Using the College Board’s Advanced Placement tests as a model, David Coleman aims to have a test that requires students to demonstrate the skills that good classroom teachers drill to reach academic excellence.
SAT exam to be redesigned →
Washington Post - The SAT, started in 1926 has been widely used to democratize access to higher education for all students. A redesign process is meant to address three objectives: focus on a core set of knowledge and skills for college studies and career success, ensuring the SAT meets the evolving needs of college admissions and academic faculty, and strengthening the alignment of the SAT to college and career readiness.
New College Board chief cites 'problems' with SAT →
Washington Post - David Coleman, who was recently selected to run the organization, believes there are many problems with the SAT. In particular, Coleman feels the essay portion has no relevance to students' lives and plans to change this to reflect a more analytical style. Additionally, vocabulary that is not used often will be replaced with vocabulary that is readily used.
With Choice of New Leader, College Board Hopes to Extend Its Reach →
Chronicle.com - There has been a change of leadership with the College Board, and David Coleman will step in with a revolutionary curricular reform. Coleman plans to align the high school curriculum to mirror college interests.