The SAT announced last week that the test will be further altered since its March 2016 redesign to address complaints about the new format. Chief among those complaints is the wordiness of the new Math section. As many of our student have observed, the Math section is full of intricate word problems which test reading comprehension as much as they do mathematical prowess. While this is universally challenging, a reviewer hired by the College Board (the maker of the test) acknowledged that this quality of the new SAT may especially harm students who are not native English speakers.
Certainly, the verbally-intensive nature of math section is a factor to consider when deciding between the SAT and ACT, and something we assess during the diagnostic process. But this announcement also reinforces the unpredictability of the new SAT; the test makers themselves acknowledge that the test will be undergoing some further changes in the future to address these concerns, compounding the difficulty of preparing with accurate materials.
While the SAT may be the right test for some students, the acknowledged weakness of the Math section and continued alterations are absolutely factors worth considering as students prepare. As always, we're here to help as you map our your next steps and are happy to answer any questions you might have.