SAT shortens time, allows testing on computers

 SAT shortens time, allows testing on computers

From 2023, candidates can take the SAT on a computer or tablet, reducing test time from three hours to two hours.

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a test of natural, social and logical thinking, which is used by many universities and colleges in the US as an admission criterion. In Vietnam, the SAT is held 4-5 times per year.

On January 25, the College Board, the organization and management unit of the SAT, said that changes in test format and test time will apply from 2024 for the US, while other countries will be implemented from 2023.

In addition to the shift to computer-based testing, the new format will feature short reading passages with one question per passage instead of the long, multi-question and need for careful analysis as before. The Math section will also have a shorter and simpler topic. Students are allowed to use calculators for the entire Math section instead of just part of it. The total score of the test is still 1600.

Since 2020, when the Covid-19 outbreak broke out, many American universities have no longer required applicants to submit SAT scores in their applications. According to the nonprofit FairTest, by 2022, more than 1,800 schools have included standardized scores as an incentive. The College Board also recorded a decrease in the number of SAT test takers from 2.2 million in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2021 and a slight increase to 1.7 million in 2022.

In tests carried out last August, 80% of test takers said they felt less stressful on the machine tests.

Christal Wang, 16, a 12th grader at Thomas Jefferson School of Science and Technology, USA, took the SAT both on paper and on a computer in 2021. She said the digital version has shorter reading passages with 1-2 questions, while the traditional test is longer, also requires multiple answers. "Definitely I prefer to work on the computer. While doing the test, I find it easy to focus, and I don't get exhausted at the end like with the old version," Wang said.

Priscilla Rodriguez, a representative of the College Board, said it "wants to provide the best options for students". Responding to criticism that the SAT is a deterrent for poor students because they don't have access to expensive test-prep classes, the Collge Board said, "The SAT strengthens the application profile for students, especially those I have a standardized score higher than the average score in school".

Kent R. Hopkins, vice president of admissions at Arizona State University, hopes the new format will improve security and make the test less cumbersome.

Video: USA Today

Commenting on the impact of changes in the SAT exam on Vietnamese students, Ms. Tran Phuong Hoa, founder and director of Summit Education, a member of the International Study Abroad Consultant Association, said that The point of the new test format is concise, helping candidates to concentrate and be more precise. When taking the exam on a computer, students will also avoid some mistakes such as filling out the line, not filling all the boxes. "The results of the new form will also be available sooner, just a few days instead of having to wait more than two weeks as before," Ms. Hoa said.

On the contrary, one of the limitations of this form is that flipping to preview the questions in the same section is no longer convenient because only one page is displayed on the screen. This can make it inconvenient for students to go back and correct unanswered questions or change their answers.

According to Ms. Hoa, some children may be embarrassed because they are used to reviewing in the old format. "The time to apply the new form to countries outside the US is 2023, but currently there are not many tutorials or exam preparation materials. Therefore, students who have been reviewing the old format should take the exam in 2022," Ms. Hoa said. offer advice, and at the same time emphasize that candidates try to register early to avoid running out of seats.

With more than 10 years of experience as a study abroad consultant, Ms. Hoa said that although many US universities no longer require applicants to submit SAT scores, this certificate still brings certain values. The reason is that for international students, it is difficult for the admissions committee to assess the competitiveness of schools or courses, academic scores, etc. as with American students. Especially, when there are many factors that may not be objective such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, extra-curricular activities that are difficult to verify, the SAT as an international standardized test, partly helps the profile become reliable. more reliable.