Hot New Tip: New Digital SAT challenging Reading Problems Analyzed and Easily Explained
Freshmen and Sophomore High School Students should start thinking about the Digital SAT Coming out in 2024
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This email will be very educational. Please share this email note with other families with high school or middle school teens.
Tigerway Students and Parents,
The New Digital SAT is only 11 months away for Sophomores and Underclassmen.
Starting in 2024, the current format of the SAT 1600 Format will be completely revamped, and the new digital format will usher in.
It is our goal in the Program to keep all students and parents proactively aware of these new changes and prepare for what is to come in the changing standardized testing landscape.
In today’s email, we’ll review 2 English questions from the new upcoming format so that you slowly acclimate to the challenges that lay ahead.
Even though the new format is 11 months away, we are actively evaluating the new format and will be updating our Digital Library with the New Digital SAT Content throughout the year.
We expect that by mid-point of 2023, we will be able to offer coaching for the Digital SAT that is being released in 2024.
Our Private Coaching Staff Members are already getting training at Tigerway on the new format. We will have the best prep, practice, and strategy resources on the new digital test later this year.
Let’s talk about a couple sample questions now.
Question 1 on Digital Reading: Understanding the Purpose.
Commentary:
On the new Digital SAT, students will need to read MANY a high number of different passages with individual questions associated with different passages.
Today, there are about 10-11 questions associated with one passage on the current SAT 1600 format.
On the Digital SAT, there will be 1 question associated with each passage.
This is a significant change compared to the current format and implies that a person’s focus needs to be very strong in order to digest the many different topics that he/she will need to tackle in a short period of time.
In this question, we’re dealing with Function, which is another way of thinking Purpose of the passage (why this specific piece of info was included).
Let’s breakdown this question mathematically:
Sentence 1: A description of the setting with a vague description of the individual
Sentence 2 (in focus on the question): The beginning introductory details on the individual
Sentences 3-5: More intense detail on the individual is provided.
In this case, we can see that Sentence 2 is a setup for further description on the character later on.
Logically, the answer is D.
Question 2 on Digital Reading: Understanding How Authors would Respond to Each other
Commentary:
This New Digital SAT question is a recreation of the current “Paired Passages” questions we see on the format.
In these questions, we see two passages written by 2 different Authors. The goal is to understand how one author would react when they see how another Author has presented facts, figures, and conclusions based on their experience.
Here, in Text 1, the main idea is that diversity in an ecological community has to do with the historical diversity of the community. The claim is that the historical diversity number of species is driven by the NUMBER of species living in those habitats.
In Text 2, the argument is that after adding a diverse mix of species (aka increasing the Number of species) and allowing them to naturally develop, they found little to no difference in the pools’ species diversity.
For this reason, Author of Text 2 may DISAGREE that an increase in number of species will increase historical diversity.
The best to describe this problem is that Author 2 may think it’s plausible, but the data isn’t supporting this conclusion. This makes answer choice C the most appropriate.
Why the other choices are wrong (make sure to always vigorously contest the other choices to know with certainty that you are correct)
Choice B says not compelling with ANY experimental data. That’s not supported because Author 2 only used zooplanktons for this experiment. It’s possible other species may prove Theorist 1 correct.
Choice A contradicts the main idea in Text 2
Choice D also contradicts the main idea in Text 2. The research study disagrees with Text 1’s conclusion, not agreeing with it.
Our Program’s commentary on these questions:
We find these questions more challenging than the current format on Reading.
The format of needing to read 1 whole passage to answer 1 question is much more of a mentally challenging experience than reading one passage and answering 10 questions related to it.
Interestingly, Students surveyed by College Board have indicated that they find the new exam more friendly and less stressful.
However, according to College Board experimental data, there was no score inflation between their experimental beta tests and the current SAT format, despite the perception that the new test is easier. This means that while students THINK they did better, the reality is that they fell for a lot more traps than they had anticipated.
For this reason, we believe that many students may be lulled into thinking that the new format is easier, and less stressful. But the final score will not reflect their complacency.
If you have a Sophomore or Underclassmen (Freshmen or younger), make sure to plan ahead as the new exam is coming in 11 months.
The SAT, along with strong grades in classes, is a key determinant to getting more merit aid at a time when College endowments are under stress to over whom to provide more scholarships to.
More scholarships and merit aid will result in lower student loans (that have a range of 5-7% interest rate) down the road.
Smaller/fewer student loans mean an accelerated path to building a powerful (and truly less stressful) future for oneself.
In our experience and observation, student loans are a major drag on a college graduate’s ability to live on their own after graduation.
Putting in dedicated work today as a 15-17 year old means living (far) more comfortably as a 21-22 year old in just under 4 years. Think long-term, not short-term.
Some action points could be:
Sophomores proactively could take the current SAT Format (1600) this year and AVOID the new SAT Format
Advanced Freshman can proactive take the current SAT Format at the tail end of 2023 to get a data point in before the new format kicks off in 2024
Freshman and Sophomores can start proactively preparing for the new Digital SAT and be ready to take the exam in Spring 2024.
At the same time, it is important to demonstrate very strong grades in the HARDEST classes at school.
Course Rigor, and the performance in the hardest classes, is going to be one of the best considerations points for elite college admissions at Top 30 Ranked U.S. Schools.
If you want to make sure your academic rigor and SAT strategy is as optimal as it can be, let’s talk strategy.
For SATs and Academic Coaching, we can help you.
Also: For Holistic College Planning (School Selection, Getting Ready for College, The Planning Process), one of our recommended Partners Jack Delehey has just released a new Community that has great free premium resources. Feel free to check it out.
Tigerway is a proud Founding Member of the National Test Prep Association (NTPA) where the NTPA consistently communicates with the College Board’s SAT Exam Team and ACT Exam to understand the future of academics and standardized testing.
Connect with us Today - get your Grades, SAT/ACT Scores, and increase the likelihood of admission offers into the most selective U.S. Universities:
Text us directly on our website: https://www.tigerwayprep.com/
Or book a call with our program officer Jasmine Ngo at 781-510-0738 to get priority status on the private coaching waitlist.
Other Educational Providers that have Partnered with Us:
ShortForm (a great tool to enhance your reading foundation): To increase Reading Comprehension Skills, learn more than ever from important non-fiction books at https://www.shortform.com/larry and receive 5-days of unlimited access and an additional 20% discount on the annual subscription.