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The Old SAT vs. the New SAT

For 53 years, the SAT remained virtually unchanged. It had two sections—math and reading—both scored on a scale of 200 to 800. The math section tested Arithmetic, Algebra I, Geometry, and Data Analysis with three types of questions -- multiple choice, student-produced response ("grid-ins"), and quantitative comparison. The reading section contained analogies, sentence completions (fill-in-the-blanks), and reading passages. A perfect score was a 1600, with the average score around 1050.

In 2005, the College Board unveiled a new SAT to meet the demands of some colleges which were requiring writing samples. The test now has three sections—math, reading, and writing—all of which are scored on a scale of 200 to 800. The math section includes the same concepts as the previous SAT, but now has added Algebra II. Multiple choice questions and student-produced responses still remain, but the quantitative comparison questions were removed. In reading, analogies were omitted, but the sentence completions and reading passages have endured. Finally, an entire writing section has been added. Students are asked to write an opinion essay, and locate and correct grammar errors in sentences. A perfect score is now 2400, and the average is around 1520.

		OLD SAT		NEW SAT
Perfect Score		1600		2400
Average Score		1050		1520
Subject Areas		Reading and Math		Reading, Writing, and Math
Math Question Formats		Multiple Choice Student-Produced Response Quantitative Comparison		Multiple Choice Student-Produced Response
Math Content		Arithmetic Geometry Algebra I		Arithmetic Geometry Algebra I Algebra II
Reading Question Formats		Sentence Completion Long Reading Passages Analogies		Sentence Completion Short Reading Passages Long Reading Passages
Writing Question Formats		No writing test		Essay Improving Sentences Identifying Sentence Errors Improving Paragraphs