What the New, Harder SAT Means For You

What the

NEW, harder SAT

Means For You

1. What is in the new SAT?

2. What makes the new SAT so challenging?

3. How can I prepare for the new SAT?

Agenda

New PSAT: October 2015

New SAT: March 2016

When will tis happen?

When will this happen?

11th / 12th

Graders

• Unaffected

• Prepare for the OLD SAT/ACT

10th

Graders

• Generally should prepare for the NEW SAT

• Exception: if you have already prepared for and are likely to score highly on OLD SAT on your first or second try.

9th

Graders

• Prepare for the NEW SAT

Who does this affect?

• More respected by colleges

– “The new test will be more deeply aligned with the knowledge

and skills that will enable students to appreciate great literature,

recognize the beauty of mathematics, and access cutting-edge

science and the fundamentals of engineering.”

• William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions, Harvard

• Better prepares you for success in college and the

real world

• If you change your mind, you’ve been preparing for

the harder test, not the easier one.

If the new test is harder, why take it?

• Scored on a 400 to 1600 scale

• Math score out of 800

• Verbal (combined Reading and

Writing) score out of 800

• Essay score out of 8 (out of 4 for

writing; out of 4 for analysis)

• 4 answer choices per question;

guessing penalty eliminated!

• 3 hours & 50 minutes

(including “optional” essay)

• Common Core aligned

General test changes

What is

Common Core?

State governors and

education officials began

this initiative in 2009 in

response to two problems:• Inconsistent standards

among states

• Perceived low standards in the

United States compared to those

in the rest of the world

The Common Core: Origins

• Provide a consistent, clear

understanding of what

students are expected to

learn so teachers and

parents know what they

need to do to help them

• Designed to be robust &

relevant to the real world

• Create students who are

better prepared for college

and career

The Common Core: Goals

The Common Core: Adoption

Source: www.corestandards.org

IT’S COMING…

The Common Core: Adoption

Adopted

Not Adopted

• The current SAT lags behind

the ACT in alignment with

“what’s taught in school”.

• Colleges are questioning

the SAT.

• The Architect of the Common

Core, David Coleman, is now

the President of the

CollegeBoard.

The new SAT & the Common Core

So what does this mean?

The New SAT is unofficially the

“12th Grade Common Core

Assessment”

1. Math

2. Evidence-Based Reading

& Writing

3. “Optional” Essay

The test: Three subjects

Topic %

Heart of Algebra

• Analyzing and fluently solving equations and systems of equations

• Creating expressions, equations, and inequalities to represent relationships

• Rearranging and interpreting formulas

35%

Problem Solving and Data Analysis

• Creating and analyzing relationships using ratios, proportions and percentages

• Describing relationships shown graphically

• Summarizing qualitative and quantitative data

28%

Passport to Advanced Math

• Rewriting expressions using their structure

• Creating, analyzing, and fluently solving quadratic and higher-order equations

• Manipulating polynomials purposefully to solve problems

27%

Additional Topics in Math

• Making area and volume calculations in context

• Investigating lines, angles, triangles, and circles using theorems

• Working with trigonometric functions

10%

Math

Algebra I Geometry Algebra 2 Precalculus

Geometry Alg II/Trig PreCalculusCalculus AB

or BC

Geometry/Alg II

Precalculus Calculus AB Calculus BC

Standard math schedules

Common Core New SAT

Know how to “use tools strategically”No calculator for some sections.Problems with multiple potential solution paths

• Practice A LOT to sharpen mental math skills.

• For every new topic learned, practice an extra 30 minutes daily.

• Learn to tackle problems from multiple angles.

• Try problems both with a calculator and without one.

Math

Common Core New SAT

Fewer Topics in Greater Depth Terms and definitions are critical for success.

• Master the fine print: take notes & never skip a problem in your own

math textbooks!

• Consider your math schedule and how it lines up with the SAT.

• You need to know up to Trigonometry, and even Pre-Calculus.

Math

Common Core New SAT

A focus on “Real world scenarios” Expect to see tons of word problems.

• Become a word problem guru.

• Not only do you need to know the math, you need to know how

different topics relate to each other.

• Many word problems will require multi-step solutions so train

yourself to think in “step-by-step” processes.

Math

• Math will be more challenging!

• Fewer topics but you’ll need more in-depth knowledge!

• Your problem solving skills will need to be stronger

• There will be multiple ways to solve a problem, but you’ll need

to decide the “optimal” path to solving a problem

• Mental math will be required for No-Calculator sections

• Word problems, word problems, word problems!

• With a focus on “Real World” scenarios, you’ll be seeing far

more graphs, charts, and word problems!

So what does this mean?

Current SAT: Reading

Committed/devoted

Setting aside for memorial

purposes

Reading: Focus on multiple meanings

Every passage will have 2 of these!

Tricky vocab not “tested” but language

in text is harder – if you can’t understand the

passage, you can’t answer the questions!

Reading

Common Core New SAT

• Literary Skills across various subjects• Read and analyze U.S. documents of historical

and literary significance

• College-level reading passages• More non-fiction text from science, history, and

social studies• Some passages will be from “Founding

Documents” or from the Greater Global Conversation.

• Challenge yourself by reading more non-fiction. Biographies of

famous U.S. historical figures are a great start.

• Take notes when you are reading through your history or

science textbooks from school.

• Get familiar with U.S. founding history.

Reading

Common Core New SAT

• Emphasis on diagrams and data analysis• Reading & Writing will include tables, charts, and

other graphics

• Read a LOT. Never skip those charts and graphs in your history or

science textbooks.

• Read a LOT of non-fiction, especially newspapers like the New York Times

or the Wall Street Journal.

Reading

Common Core New SAT

• Citing Textual Evidence

• Evidence-based reading and writing will include

paired “evidence” questions.

• The answer you choose for one question will

directly affect the other.

• Practice the art of Close Reading!

• Learn to analyze text & understand how the author is using evidence.

• Engage with what you read; don’t just try to understand what the author is saying, but

think about whether you agree or disagree and why.

Reading

• Reading will be harder!

• When was the last time you read a speech from a U.S.

Senator or Supreme Court Justice?

• No such thing as “skimming!”

• Close Reading Skills require lots of practice & long-term

development.

• “Reading” isn’t enough – deeper interpretation matters!

• Do you carefully read the charts found in your textbook

for subjects like history & science? What about those

pesky charts used in newspaper articles?

So what does this mean?

Common Core New SAT

• Literary Skills across various subjects

• Read and analyze U.S. documents of historical

and literary significance

• College-level reading passages

• The Writing Test requires a LOT of reading.

• Get a head start by using the ACT’s English Test to practice the type of reading &

revising skills the New SAT will test.

• Strength of argument matters; this is not ONLY a grammar test.

• Review your basic grammar & usage rules.

Writing

• Writing will be harder!

• You have only 35 minutes for 4 passages (44 total questions)

• You’ll need to read passages, revise word usage, grammar, &

sentence structure – much like revising a research paper!

• You’ll need multiple skills

• Strong vocabulary, command of evidence, using charts &

graphs

• Essay is scored separately & won’t help your writing score!

• You need strong rhetoric & composition skills.

So what does this mean?

The Essay

“Optional”...but not really!

The Essay

Current SAT

2012 AP English Language & Composition FRQ #2:

Read Kennedy’s remarks carefully. Then write an essay in

which you analyze the rhetorical strategies President

Kennedy uses to achieve his purpose. Support your analysis

with specific references to the text.

New SAT

• Do not skip the essay!

• Study rhetoric, argumentation, and composition.

• Learn how to close read and write based on analysis.

• Practice a lot using AP English Language and

Composition “Analysis Essay” prompts.

• Write a lot – daily – so that it becomes a habit.

Essay

• The essay will be more challenging and complex!

• You need to engage with a passage rather than rely on

generic responses.

• You’ll need multiple skills

• You’ll need to use CLOSE READING skills.

• You’ll need to use ANALYSIS skills (argumentation, style,

diction, literary devices).

• You’ll need to use WRITING skills.

• It’s not truly “optional”

• The best colleges will require it!

So what does this mean?

The goal of the CollegeBoard is to make

the SAT more relevant to what students

need to succeed in college and in their

careers and more closely match what is

studied in school.

However…

improving at schoolwork is hard!!

We wrote the book on the NEW, harder SAT.

So how do I prepare?

Create a Plan

10th Graders (Class of

2017)

• You can take the New SAT starting in the spring of your Junior Year (March 2016).

• Start studying NOW – C2’s NEW SAT Curriculum is a great place to start.

9th Graders (Class of

2018)

• You can take the NEW SAT as early as the spring of sophomore year.

• Start reading and writing a lot!

• Learn to love word problems.

• Make sure you’re on the right math track.

8th Graders (Class of 2019+)

• Focus on improving long-term skills by reading a lot, writing daily, and practicing mental math.

• C2 can help improve your school grades and teach those skills in the process.

• Figure out your math schedule.

New SAT — Make a plan

Diagnostics

• Pinpoint strengths and weaknesses

• Provide a basis for a customized program

Customized Programs

• Tailored to meet each student’s needs

• Focus on weaknesses instead of needless review

Excellent Teachers

• Score in the 95th percentile

• Not just educators, but mentors and support system

Amazing Results

• Average SAT increase of 350 points (3 points on ACT)

• 100% see grade improvements within one year

The C2 Method