News
Digital SAT Updates
In the 2024 school year, College Board has officially switched to an all-digital model for the SAT. This comes as a significant change from the former paper and pencil model that was utilized for the past several decades. College Board representative Priscilla Rodriguez stated that based on information gleaned from focus groups, students found digital testing to be less complicated and more natural than other alternatives. Students expressed feelings of anxiety when taking the physical SAT and had more confidence when it was administered digitally. This comes as no surprise considering the amount of technology that has been integrated into modern education structures. Because of this, 2024 is the first year that the SAT will be fully adapted to a digital format for all students.
In practice, this means students must take the SAT on their own electronic devices or devices provided by their schools. The digital exam will be administered through an app called Bluebook. This app requires access to an internet connection though College Board claims that the exam takes up very little bandwidth. As an added precaution, the app will automatically save all progress within the exam so that students do not risk losing their work due to internet outages.
College Board is confident in their digital SAT infrastructure as this is not the first time they’ve offered the exam digitally. Throughout 2023 international students took the digital SAT and many high school students took the digital PSAT in the fall of the same year. Thus, College Board believes that the digital SAT will be a successful step towards modernizing the exam for students in the years to come.
Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
607-848-1266
Standardized Testing Requirements at Yale
Following Dartmouth’s lead, Yale is the most recent Ivy League school to reinstate standardized test scores as a requirement for new students. This means that Yale applicants will need to submit either SAT, ACT, or advanced placement scores in order to be considered for admission. This adjustment will go into effect for students applying for the fall class of 2025.
Yale claims their previous choice to forego standardized test scores became a hindrance to applicants from low socioeconomic backgrounds. According to the Ivy League, admissions committees had less student information to work with therefore putting more emphasis on GPAs and extracurricular activities when assessing applications. Thus, students who suffered in these areas were not given an opportunity to reinforce their scholastic strengths via test scores.
Administrators at Yale assert that requiring standardized testing scores helps them get a fully rounded view of each individual as a student. They claim having access to these scores will “highlight an applicant’s areas of academic strength.” However, they wish to emphasize that test scores alone can not predict student achievement and will only be used as a piece of a larger puzzle when reviewing student qualifications.
Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
607-848-1266
Test Score Requirements at Dartmouth
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, most universities including Ivy League schools opted to make SAT and ACT scores optional rather than required upon application. This measure was taken to ensure a more equitable application process for students. However, in 2024, Dartmouth will be the first Ivy League school to reverse this decision by once again requiring students to submit either their SAT or ACT scores for its newest class of students. While many are outraged by this decision, Dartmouth claims its ultimate goal is to increase diversity.
A study conducted by Dartmouth suggests that making test scores optional has actually harmed their goal of inclusion. Students from disadvantaged families and low socioeconomic backgrounds submitted test scores less frequently than advantaged students. However, disadvantaged and/or marginalized students who did submit their test scores frequently achieved higher scores than students without these disadvantages. Thus, if SAT or ACT scores had been required, it is believed that more diverse students would have been admitted.
In addition, Dartmouth administrators believe that reinstating their test score requirement is necessary to predict student performance. Test scores considered in conjunction with high school grades are the best indicator of a student’s success according to research conducted at the college. This study also claims that test score requirements tend to attract students from schools that do not frequently send students to Dartmouth. Thus, if proven correct, the mandate would lead to a more inclusive student body. Still, it remains to be seen if other colleges and universities will follow in Dartmouth’s wake and once again require SAT and ACT scores.
Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
312-848-1266
Final Paper SAT on December 2, 2023
December 2nd, 2023, which is the final SAT date of 2023, also signifies the final administration of the traditional paper-based SAT. The College Board has decided to exclusively shift to a digital format moving forward, representing a significant transition in standardized testing methods. Students in the USA, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, will take the new digital test starting in March of 2024, while international students have had the option to take the new digital SAT since March of this year.
The paper SAT has been a longstanding tradition, but with this final administration, the College Board is embracing technology and emphasizing adaptability and innovation in testing practices. To read more about the digital SAT, click here.
Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
Study Finds Increase in College Enrollment Rates for CPS Graduates
A study by the UChicago Consortium on School Research found a significant increase in the proportion of CPS graduates who enrolled in college. The study also found an increase in the number of students who plan to pursue their college education.
Despite general concerns over rising higher education costs and student debt, CPS students are increasingly opting for a college education, whose benefits include higher earning potential and increased job opportunities. This trend is notable considering that the national trend is the opposite: nation-wide college enrollment rates are still decreasing, not yet having recovered from the pandemic.
These college enrollment rates outperform national averages for high-poverty schools, a success which CPS credits to the collaboration of counselors, nonprofits, and teachers. The study did, however, highlight racial disparities in their projections; CPS administrators have acknowledged these disparities and the need to address them.
Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
NWEA Acquired by HMH
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a learning technology company known as HMH, will acquire the research and assessment nonprofit NWEA. The press release states that, “The combined organization will harness the collective power of instruction and research-based insights to support educators in their efforts to drive better outcomes for students.”
NWEA, the Northwest Evaluation Association, was used by 10,000 school systems last year and will now function as a division of HMH. NWEA’s materials will be integrated with the HMH platform, and NWEA’s suite of MAP assessments will not be impacted. Tools will continue to be available to educators, and assessments and workshops that are scheduled will proceed as normal.
Proceeds from the acquisition will be used to form a new national charity based in Oregon. The details have yet to be finalized, but the foundation will serve students and educators across the country.
Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
CPS High School Admissions Test Paused Due to Technical Difficulties
Due to technical difficulties, CPS has delayed High School Admissions Testing for many public schools across the city. In an email today to principals and network leadership, CPS assessment officials stated that many schools were experiencing technical issues with the testing platform.
Some schools were able to access the test with no issues. In email communications, it was indicated that students who finish the test today will be able to use their scores in their GoCPS applications. Any school that experienced difficulties was instructed to stop testing and wait for a rescheduled date, which will be shared “as soon as possible”.
Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266