Category |
Current SAT |
Redesigned SAT |
Total Testing Time**Redesigned SAT testing time subject to research |
3 hours and 45 minutes |
3 hours (plus 50 minutes for the Essay [optional]) |
Components |
Critical ReadingWritingMathematicsEssay |
Evidence-Based Reading and WritingReading TestWriting and Language TestMathEssay (optional) |
Important Features |
Required and given at the beginning of the SAT25 minutes to write the essay writing skills; students take a position on a presented issue |
Emphasis on general reasoning skills emphasis on vocabulary, often in limited contextsComplex scoring (a point for a correct answer and a deduction for an incorrect answer; blank responses have no impact on scores) |
Essay |
Optional and given at the end of the SAT; postsecondary institutions determine whether they will require the Essay for admission50 minutes to write the essay reading, analysis, and writing skills; students produce a written analysis of a provided source text |
Optional and given at the end of the SAT; postsecondary institutions determine whether they will require the Essay for admission50 minutes to write the essayTests reading, analysis, and writing skills; students produce a written analysis of a provided source text |
Score Reporting**Redesigned SAT scores subject to research |
Scale ranging from 600 to 2400Scale ranging from 200 to 800 for Critical Reading, 200 to 800 for Mathematics, 200 to 800 for WritingEssay results scaled to multiple-choice Writing |
Scale ranging from 400 to 1600Scale ranging from 200 to 800 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 200 to 800 for Math, 2 to 8 on each of three traits for EssayEssay results reported separately |
Subscore Reporting |
None |
Subscores for every test, providing added insight for students, parents, admission officers, educators, and counselors |