[April 16, 2014]

Kaplan Test Prep Survey Finds That Today's Tech-Immersed Teens Favor a Paper-and-Pencil SAT®: Students' Support for Other Changes to the Exam Varies Depending on the Change

Specifications of the new SAT just released today indicate students will require stronger knowledge of math fundamentals and greater stamina for reading comprehension passages -- the latter being a potential challenge for students wary of taking a 3-plus hour test on computer. A recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of high school students* shows that while students generally support the SAT changes scheduled to launch in 2016, such as eliminating fill-in-the-blank vocabulary and the wrong answer penalty, a majority (56%) are resistant to the test's planned move to digital. In a previous Kaplan survey, students expressed concerns about the strain of looking at a computer screen for four hours and potential technical issues, as well as a preference for the tactile nature of writing, 'scratch work' and flipping pages.

"Students generally support the changes to the SAT, though in our surveys they've expressed concerns about its move to a computer-based format. In that regard, the shift to more long passage reading comprehension will require more stamina," said Seppy Basili, vice president, Kaplan Test Prep. "In addition to having questions about the test's move to digital, students have also asked about the elimination of calculator use for some math questions. What that change means is that they will need strong fundamental math skills, such as mental percentage calculation. The good news is that because many key changes to the test make it more like the ACT, it lessens the uncertainty that can breed anxiety, and we know that confidence is key to test success."

As for the other changes coming to the SAT, students are supportive of some, split on others:

• No More Fill-in-the-Blank Vocabulary: Of the announced changes to the SAT, students most strongly support this one, with 85% in favor of this change. Long the bane of many students' test-taking experience, fill-in-the-blank vocabulary questions will be eliminated with the new SAT. Instead, the exam will focus on vocabulary-in-context, as well as revisig and editing write-in passages.
• Eliminating the Wrong Answer Penalty: The current ¼ point wrong answer penalty will be a thing of the past once the revised SAT launches in 2016, and 74% of teens surveyed give this change a thumbs-up. This change mirrors the scoring policy on the ACT - the other major college admissions exam - which does not penalize test takers for wrong answers.
• Addition of Historical Passage: The new SAT will include a reading passage from "founding documents of America," such as the Constitution or Martin Luther King, Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech, and/or world history - an addition that has the support of 70% of students surveyed. While students who know their American and world history may be at an advantage here, this part of the exam will test students on reading comprehension, not on historical facts.
• Optional Essay: Exactly half of those surveyed support the College Board's move to make the SAT essay optional, rather than required - another move that mirrors an existing ACT policy. Added in 2005, the SAT essay (also known as the Writing section) changed the test's scoring scale from 1600 to 2400. By making the essay optional, the SAT will return to a 1600 scoring scale; the optional essay will receive its own separate grade.
• No More Calculators...Sometimes: Currently, test takers can use approved calculators for all math questions, but with the new SAT, test takers will only be able to use calculators for some. Just under half of students surveyed (49.6%) think it's a good idea to require test takers to solve some math problems without the use of a calculator.

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep's survey, the new SAT or to arrange an interview with a Kaplan Test Prep expert on the college admissions process, contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or [email protected]. More information about the changes is also available at Kaplan's SAT changes resource site, www.satchange.com.

*From a Kaplan March 2014 e-survey of 335 students from across the United States who took a Kaplan SAT course and took the March SAT.

SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today's job market and prepare participants for hire.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

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