SAT changes aimed at making test more accessible

UNC freshman Julia Meder has no fond memories of the SAT.

She studied vocabulary words, reviewed math formulas and paid for summer tutoring to boost her SAT score.

Meder said she took the test three times to achieve a score that would make her a competitive applicant to UNC.

“I don’t think standardized testing shows everyone’s skill set,” Meder said. “I’m a bad test-taker, but I like to believe I’m a smart person.”

The College Board, the creator of the SAT, announced changes to the test Wednesday that aim to cut down on experiences like Meder’s.

The changes, which will go into effect in the spring of 2016, are designed to reflect the skills taught in high school curriculums and abilities necessary to be successful in college.

The essay portion of the test will be optional, obscure vocabulary words will be removed and there will no longer be a quarter point penalty for wrong answers.

The revamped test will also feature more in-depth question types that emphasize a student’s ability to analyze data and solve problems, rather than his or her test-taking ability.

The College Board also announced a partnership with Khan Academy, an education nonprofit, to provide free online test preparation materials accessible to all students.

And now, every student in a certain income bracket who takes the SAT will receive four fee waivers to apply for college.

Stacy Caldwell, vice president of the SAT program at the College Board, said the test prep available via Khan Academy will help students know what to expect when they take the test.

“What we hope to do is provide clarity and ensure that students are practicing those right skills so that preparing for the SAT becomes preparing for a successful college career,” Caldwell said.

Ashley Memory, senior assistant director of admissions at UNC, said the University supports the changes the College Board will make to the SAT.

“We hope that it is more accessible to students because of some of the changes such as the vocabulary changes,” she said. “Changes like this may actually improve the use of the test as an evaluative tool.”

Memory said that applicants to UNC must submit at least one test score from the SAT or ACT.

She said that test scores are one of many tools used by the admissions office. She said the admission office also considers high school grades, application essays and letters of recommendation.

The College Board added the essay section to the SAT in 2005, and the maximum score increased from 1600 to 2400.

By making the essay section optional, the maximum score will drop back to 1600.

Caldwell said students and teachers are praising this decision.

“We’ve heard from students who are attending universities that have not used the essay,” she said. “Frankly, if they haven’t needed to take it, why have we been making them?”

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