A new, completely remodeled version of the SAT is due to debut next month, according to The New York Times. However, instead of excitement or even general acceptance for the change, the response to this revamped version of the classic college admissions test can best be explained as mixed and ambivalent.
In contrast to the old exam, the new SAT test uses longer reading passages and wordier math problems that are designed to weed out poor readers.
Three major factions have quickly emerged to voice their opinions about the validity of the new test.
Proponents of the new test have supported the newer version of the exam on the basis that reading is mandatory for success in a college setting, and they do not see any harm in simply making students better at it.
Others voice concerns about the impractical nature of the exam, especially from a social standpoint. Students may no longer have the complete concentration and dedication they once did, one commentator explained, especially in the face of rapidly developing technology that requires relatively nothing of its users.
Commentators have also mentioned the test has forced a new economic divide among test takers. Families that can afford exam prep provide an inherent advantage for their children, while lower income families who would like to do the same cannot.
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