As you may be aware, the SAT has been redesigned in 2016, starting with the March exam, and the changes can be seen throughout. We, at Dolphin Academic Prep, figured it would be helpful for parents and students alike to get to know these changes in order to help in preparing for the exam. The old SAT vs the new SAT can be best viewed in our comparison table showcasing the restructuring and enhancements made to the exam. We are here to answer your questions, so give us a call or send us an email to see how personalized SAT tutoring with a private Dolphin Academic Prep tutor can help benefit your student.
| CRITERIA | Old SAT | New SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Structure Overview | 3 major sections: Math, Critical Reading and Writing | 2 major sections: Math and Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing |
| Essay Section | 30-minute essay | Optional: 50-minute essay |
| Structure Breakdown | 3 Critical Reading sections • 20-25 minutes each 3 Math sections • 20-25 minutes each 3 Writing sections • 20-25 minutes each • included 1 Essay 1 Experimental section | 1 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section • 65-minute Reading portion • 35-minute Language and Writing portion 1 Math section • Calculator permitted: 55-minute portion • No calculator permitted: 25-minute portion 1 Essay section (optional) • 50 minutes |
| Question Options | 5 answer choices for multiple-choice questions | 4 answer choices for multiple-choice questions |
| Duration of Test | 3 hours and 45 minutes | 3 hours with an optional 50 minutes essay portion |
| Score | Score of 200 to 800 for each of the three sections (Math, Critical Reading and Writing). The total SAT score is the sum of the scores for the three sections, with a maximum of 2400 points. Subscore not available. | Score of 200 to 800 for each of the two sections (Math and Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing). The total SAT score is the sum of the scores for the two sections, with a maximum of 1600 points. Subscore and insight scores available. |
| Guessing Penalty | 1/4 penalty for wrong answers | No penalty for wrong answers |
| Math Section Breakdown | Focus on wide range of topics Calculators permitted for all sections Greater emphasis on computational skills Multiple-choice and grid-in questions | Focus on: • "Heart of Algebra" • Problem-solving and data analysis • "Passport to Advanced Math" Real-world problem solving accompanied by informational graphics Calculators permitted for 37 questions and not for 20 questions Multiple-choice and grid-in questions |
| Reading & Writing Section Breakdown | Critical Reading section: • Sentence completions • Passage-based questions: short passages (100-150 words) and long passages (400-850 words) Writing section: • Combined score of writing multiple-choice questions and essay | Evidenced-Based Reading section: • No sentence completions • Tests understanding of passages from U.S. and World Literature, History/Social Studies, "Founding Document or Great Global Conversation" and Sciences (500-750 words) Language and Writing section: • All questions are pulled from extended prose (400-450 words) • Tests "Expression of Ideas" and "Standard English Conventions" through passages relating to Careers, Social Studies, Humanities, and Science |
| Essay Section Breakdown | Essay is required Students have 25 minutes to draft a response to the prompt provided Quality of accuracy and reasoning data not tested Score combined with multiple-choice Writing section | Essay is optional Students have 50 minutes to analyze a 650-700 word document and draft a response Tests reading analysis and writing skills; students required to analyze source document and explain how the author builds an argument Facts matter Scored separately |
| SAT Vocabulary | Obscure and esoteric vocabulary | Words will be more closely aligned with those used in college courses |
More information
For information on the SAT Subject Tests or the PSAT/NMSQT, please click on it’s link to be directed to the exam’s page.
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