The SAT exam is undergoing its first major change in more than a decade and its most significant transformation in 30 years, according to the Princeton Review.
The changes debut this Saturday, according to the College Board, the organization that prepares and administers the SAT.
Among the most notable changes:
- The test's highest possible score returns to 1600. The top score had been 2400 since 2005.
- The SAT will no longer deduct points for wrong answers.
- The essay portion of the SAT is no longer mandatory.
- The SAT now has fewer questions: 154 compared to 171.
Jean Burk, the "College Prep Genius," said she was concerned that the changes to the SAT might trip up some students who are unaware.
"I think it's going to give them a lot of anxiety and a lot of fear," she said. "If you have not prepared correctly they're going to see that, they're going to freeze up and they're just going to lose that confidence."
As part of her program, Burk coaches students on how to best understand the format of SAT, with the goal of boosting scores and increasing the opportunity to help finance a college education.
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Students who have already gone through Burk's program and taken the old version of the SAT also acknowledged that the new version is the cause of some anxiety.
"I'm a little more confident than I think a lot of people my age, but if I'm honest I'm a little nervous," 17-year-old Rachel Gebhart said with a laugh.
To help better acquaint students with the revamped version of the SAT, the College Board has provided some sample test questions on its website.
