What is the history of the SAT?
- First available in 1926
- Originally touted as a new type of test. While the older, previously popular College Board exams were content based and written, the SAT was multiple choice for easy scoring and originally inspired by IQ tests. Instead of measuring subject knowledge, it promised to measure “general ability and aptitude for learning” (Atkinson and Geiser 666).
- Although it has now been shown to positively correlate to socioeconomic and minority status much more closely than other indicators like high school grades or content-based tests, it was originally hoped that the test would be able to identify students from “disadvantaged backgrounds” who would be able to succeed in college (666).
- SAT originally stood for “Scholastic Aptitude Test”. In order to distance themselves from their original connections to IQ testing, the acronym was changed to “Scholastic Assessment test” in 1990. In 1996, they opted for the initials to no longer stand for anything. According to Atkinson and Geiser, “Official descriptions of what the text is supposed to measure have also changed over the years from ‘aptitude’ to ‘generalized reasoning ability’ to ‘critical thinking,’ and the test items and format have been more or less continuously revised” (666).
Who is the College Board?
According to the Board itself, they are “a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education. [their] mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity” (“About Us”).
What is the SAT (multiple choice) Writing Exam like?
According to the College Board website, “The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage.” Specifically, it consists of:
25 multiple choice questions on “Improving Sentences: Tests [student’s] ability to correct faults in usage and sentence structure, and recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English.”
18 multiple choice questions on “Identifying sentence errors: Tests [student’s] ability to recognize faults in usage, and recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English.”
6 multiple choice questions on “Improving Paragraphs: Tests [student’s] ability to revise sentences in the context of a paragraph or the entire essay, organize and develop paragraphs in a coherent and logical manner, and apply the conventions of Standard Written English.”
1 Essay “[Students will] be asked to present and support a point of view on a specific issue. Because [they] have only 25 minutes, [their] essay is not expected to be polished - it is meant to be a first draft” (“Be Prepared”).
How is the SAT essay section scored?
Each essay is read by trained readers who each rate the essay on a scale of zero to six. The two scores are then combined to create the final score. If the first two readers’ scores disagree by more than one point, a third reader will look at it as well. The criteria that readers use can be found here.
What do SAT essay prompts look like?
Sample essay prompts can be found at the following locations:
Prompts used in the March 2011 SAT.
How much does it cost to take the SAT?
Currently, it costs $47 to take the SAT. This doesn’t include optional services. For example, for an additional $18, the SAT Question-and-Answer Service provides the student with a copy of the exact test they took, complete with correct answers and a form to order a copy of their own answer sheet. A student’s multiple-choice section can be hand scored for an additional $52, and essay scores can be double-checked for the same price. Late registration means an additional $24 as well. Fee waivers or reductions are available for all of these costs. A student must talk to their school counselor to gain a waiver.)(“Services”)
Bibliography
“About Us.” College Board: Inspiring Minds. The College Board. 2011. Web. 25 April 2011.
Atkinson, Richard C. and Saul Geiser. “Reflections on a Century of College Admission Tests.” Education Researcher 38.9 (Dec. 2009): 665-676. Print.
“Be Prepared: Get ready with real SAT practice questions.” SAT. The College Board. 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.
“Essay Scoring: How it’s scored, and what the scores mean.” SAT. The College Board. 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.
“SAT Essay Prompts.” SAT. The College Board. 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.
“Services and Fees: Check out What the SAT Offers, and How Much it Costs.” SAT. The College Board. 2011. Web. 25 April 2011.
(Information current as of April 2011)
