Connecticut Students: Must prepare for the New SAT

“I am thinking of having Holly just focus on the ACT.” Mrs. O’Brien, a mother of a junior from Valley Regional High School said. “Since the new SAT is changing, I read somewhere that it makes sense to do the ACT.”

I had read similar articles. Even before the HUGE news that Connecticut will require all public school students to take the SAT, I thought the general advice to focus on the ACT was not wise. The new SAT, like the current SAT, will be used by colleges for admission purposes. The new SAT, like the current SAT, is a test of reading, math, and writing ability. In my deep experience with these tests, most students, with similar preparation, will perform similarly on both the current and the new SAT.  For that reason, even before the Connecticut SAT mandate, I was cautious in suggesting that students only focus on the ACT.

Now that students have to take the SAT to abide by Connecticut law, they should prepare vigorously for the new SAT.