top of page

TEST CENTER CODE: 74326

HIGH SCHOOL CODE: 694244

CHINA COUNTRY CODE: 457

Taking the SAT...

 SAT dates and registration deadlines for SY 2015-2016

 

 

 

What is the SAT?

 

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a globally recognized college admission test administered by College Board. It is required for admission to many universities in the U.S. and around the world. There are two SAT tests - SAT I (also known as SAT Reasoning) and SAT II (also known as SAT Subject tests). SAT I is more widely used as it is a broader measure of a student's academic aptitude, whereas SAT II is subject-specific, and gives students an opportunitity to show their knowledge in specific subject areas of their choosing. Whereas most universities in the US require the SAT, most do not require SAT II. However, doing well on the SAT II gives students a competitive edge in the application process.

 

 

School year 2015-2016 is an important transitional year for the SAT. Students who take the exam in October, November, December 2015 and January 2016 will take the "OLD" SAT. The new and redesigned SAT will be administered in May and June 2016, and beyond.

 

 


"Old" SAT (administered through January 2016)

 

 

The SAT Reasoning Test (or SAT I) assesses student reasoning based on knowledge and skills developed by the student in school coursework. The SAT Reasoning Test is a 3 hour and 45 minute exam that consists of 10 sections, which test verbal and mathematical reasoning ability as well as writing and grammar. The essay will always be the first section of the SAT, and the 10-minute multiple choice writing section will always be last. The remaining sections will occur in any order.

 

Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, and the writing section will also contain an essay sub-score and a multiple choice sub-score.

 

 

 

Redesigned SAT (from May 2016 on)

 

 

The Redesigned SAT Reasoning Test will replace the current SAT in May 2016. Here are some of the most important changes:

 

1) Free test prep: Thanks to a new partnership with Khan Academy, students will be able to access high-quality online test prep without signing up for programs like Princeton Review or Kaplan. The Khan Academy test prep has an exclusive relationship with the College Board, which designs the SAT, meaning the free prep might also be the best prep.

 

2) No penalty for wrong answers: Students won’t be penalized for wrong answers anymore, which means an end to the days of staring at the bubble sheet and guessing whether it’s worth it to guess.

 

3) Revamped essay: Instead of penning a personal essay for the writing section, students taking the new SAT will be asked to read a passage and then explain how the author is persuading the audience. The essay question will be consistent and will be widely available before the test, but the students won’t see the passage until they take the test.

 

4) Evidence-focused reading: Just like the new essay section, the reading section will also be more focused on evidence. Students will be asked a question about the text, and then asked which piece of evidence best supports that answer. That means if you get the first question wrong, it could be difficult to get the second question right.

 

5) No more obscure vocabulary: Instead of quizzing students on words they’ll never use again like “abrogate” or “plaudit,” the new SAT asks students to define a word based on how it’s used in context. Sample questions show familiar words that can have various meanings—for example, “intense” can mean “concentrated,” “emotional” or “determined,” depending on the context.

 

6) More graphs and charts: The new test will have an increased emphasis on questions that make students infer information from graphs and charts, especially in the reading section. Students will also be asked to revise sentences in order to make them consistent with information in graphs.

 

7) More great texts: The new SAT reading section will include excerpts from U.S. founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, as well as other important works by authors including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will not be expected to be familiar with the documents beforehand (so it’s not like an Advanced Placement History test) but they are included to make sure the SAT is more relevant and more closely aligned to what kids are actually learning in school.

 

 

 

 

 

SAT Subject Tests (SAT IIs)  - same for old and new versions of the SAT

 

Subject Tests are achievement tests designed to measure a student‘s knowledge in a particular subject area. Students take the Subject Tests to demonstrate their mastery of course content that they have studied in high school. Many colleges use the Subject Tests for admission, for course placement, and to advise students about course selection. Some colleges specify the Subject Tests they require for admission or placement; others allow applicants to choose which tests to take. Subject Tests fall into five general subject areas: English, History and Social Studies, Mathematics, Languages, Science.

 

All Subject Tests are one-hour, multiple-choice tests. However, some of these tests have unique formats:

 

- The Subject Test in Biology E/M contains a common core of 60 general-knowledge multiple-choice questions, followed by 20 multiple-choice questions that emphasize either ecological (Biology E) or molecular (Biology M) subject matter. After completing the core questions, test takers choose the section for which they feel most prepared.

 

- The Subject Tests in Mathematics (Level 1 and Level 2) have some questions that require the use of at least a scientific or graphing calculator. Mathematics Subject Tests are developed with the expectation that most students will use a graphing calculator.

 

- Subject Tests in Languages with Listening (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish) consist of a listening section and a reading section. Students taking these tests are required to bring an acceptable CD player with earphones to the test center. ONLY offered in November.

 

 

Who should take the SAT?

 

Students who plan to go to university in the U.S., Korea, Japan and Hong Kong should take the SAT. Some universities in these countries do not require an SAT for students whose first language is not English, or those who take IB, but many unviersities do. Universities in Canada, UK and Europe typically exempt IB students from taking the SAT. Additionally, SAT scores are sometimes required when students apply for certain merit scholarships.

 

 

When and how many times should I take the SAT?

 

The SAT is offered six times each year (October, November, December, January, May and June). Students should plan to take their first SAT in the spring of their junior year (grade 11), and then again one or two more times in the fall of their senior year. Technically, students can take the SAT as many times as they wish, but scores typically do not change dramatically after about two to three tries, regardless of how intensively one might prep for it. On any given test date, a student may take either the SAT I or SAT II (up to 3 subject tests), but not both. 

 

 

Where can I take the SAT?

 

Our school is a test center and all SCIS students are welcome to take it here. This is the only place within mainland China where our students can take the SAT, as according to College Board policy, there are no open test centers in China, i.e. students can only take the exam at schools, which they attend.

 

 

How can I register to take the SAT?

 

You can register online at sat.collegeboard.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bottom of page