Following criticism of the SAT's accuracy as a gauge of college success, the College Board is considering making extensive changes to the content of the test.
The proposed changes might include the addition of a writing section and more difficult math problems using advanced algebra and trigonometry. The College Board also may eliminate the analogies section.
The College Board will present its proposed changes at its board of trustees meeting June 26. Any changes would not take effect until 2006, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Whether the current SAT functions as an accurate indicator of future academic performance has been under debate for years. One of the SAT's most prominent critics is Richard C. Atkinson, president of the University of California system.
Atkinson and his office originally worked with both the College Board and ACT, Inc., which owns the rival ACT test, to develop a potential separate test to evaluate students applying to the University of California system. The College Board, however, hopes that with such revisions, California will continue using the SAT.
"These changes were made to accommodate the University of California system," said Betsy Morris, spokeswoman for Kaplan Test Prep.
The changes are intended to make the SAT more accurately reflect what students learn in the classroom.
"This makes the SAT more of an achievement test," Dean of Admissions John A. Blackburn said.
Blackburn approved of some of the proposed changes.
"The writing sample is a great thing," he said. "It was originally considered too expensive."
However, he withheld his opinions about the additional changes.
"The current SAT is not terribly precise, but we're familiar with how it predicts performance. We'll have to see it," he said.
Part of the Office of Admissions' concern rests on the fact that the revised SAT would focus more on previous academic performance. While a solid educational background is an important factor in predicting college performance, the SAT was meant to evaluate critical thinking skills, he added.
"Part of my concern," Blackburn said, "is that we'll begin to see test results that merge with the SAT II subject tests."
Effects of the revised SAT on admissions and college applicants remain uncertain. Test-taking strategies and preparation remains unchanged.
"We'd like to judge students on their ability to think, which is not always subject matter based," Blackburn said.
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