Want an early preview of the new SAT? Take the ACT

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, the ACT must be blushing.

This afternoon, The College Board announced that in 2016, it will strip away the main differences between the SAT and the ACT.

Here’s a quick taste of the impending changes. Like the ACT, the new SAT will have:

- No guessing penalty for incorrect answers
- No advanced vocabulary or sentence completions
- An optional, rather than required, essay that won’t leave room for students to make up their own “facts”
- Science content incorporating tables, charts, and graphs
- Close alignment to the Common Core standards

The test will also return to a 1600-point scale and will last about 3 hours without the essay, which, coincidentally, is the length of the ACT. The College Board also announced a partnership with Khan Academy to provide free online practice questions.

On April 16th, The College Board will reveal the full structure of the new test along with example practice problems on their website www.deliveringopportunity.com.

Stay tuned for updates.