Despite some criticizing the new SAT that will be debuted in March for putting disadvantaged students at an even further disadvantage, the test’s creator-the College Board-has spoken out in defense of the changes.

While the new SAT will include several big changes such as a now-optional essay section and no penalization for wrong answers, the change many are focusing on is the test’s increased focus on the addition of “more dense text in both the reading and math sections," said CNN.

Critics argue that this new focus will put students who have not been exposed to as much reading or are learning the English language at a significant disadvantage.

This kind of criticism is not new for college admissions exams, particularly the SAT, and the College Board has made it a priority to level the playing field. Some of its efforts to do so include partnering with Khan Academy to provide free, online prep to students studying for the exam.

It has spoken out against the latest criticism that its test will put some of the country’s students at a further disadvantage with its new text-based approach.

“[T]he College Board, which created the SAT, says the number of words in the reading section is roughly the same, the length of reading passages is actually shorter on the new exam, and the math section includes the same percentage of word problems as in the past,” said CNN.

"[Cyndie Schmeiser, the chief of assessment at the College Board]...said the College Board has done extensive testing of the new exam to make sure that no differential advantage is given to any racial or income group. 'We've had a number of ways that we've already tested these items, and we know that they're technically sound. And I think students will be pleasantly surprised when they take the test and see how it's a better reflection of what they're learning in class than ever before,” she said to CNN.

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Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

2/29/2016