As teens approach their final years of high school, they are introduced to the PSAT and SAT, the two standardized tests that help them get into college--hopefully, the college they want to attend.  Class of 2017 students may be preparing for an entirely different test. 

There will be major revisions to the fall 2015 PSAT and the 2016 SAT, it was announced last March, and the 2016 SAT. David Coleman, president of the College Board (the test's creator) said that the SAT had "become disconnected from the work of high schools," in an article in U.S. News and World Report's online education section.

The changes include going back to the 1600-point composite score based on a 800-point math and "evidence-based reading and writing" sections, as well as making the essay optional, according to the U.S. News article. These changes are "intended to better reflect the material students should be learning in high school and improve the SAT's reliability as an indicator of how prepared applicants are to tackle college work."

Angel Perez, vice president and dean of admission at Pitzer College in Claremont, California, thinks the shift will "let students from all backgrounds show what they really know, not just what they've memorized in prepping." The test is also now aligned with Common Core state standards.

"The new SAT will also require students to draw conclusions by taking account of evidence, to revise and edit text, to analyze data and interpret graphs, and to solve the types of math problems most commonly seen in college courses and the workplace," the article said. 

Read the full story. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor