The SAT changes: What choice should you make?

This is the year for the roll out of the new SAT. The old SAT will be given through January, then the spring administrations will feature the new SAT. You may be wondering what the difference is, so here are the highlights:

        1) The new SAT returns to the original 1600 point scale, with Critical Reading and Math combined. Writing is now optional and has a separate score.

        2) The reading section will have less of those obscure words that students struggled with. It will be focused on evidence-based reading: 
"The new Reading test will be made up of four single passages, each followed by 10‐11 questions, and 1 dual‐passage set, also followed by 10‐11 questions. There will be three different types of passage: (1) U.S. or world literature; (2) history or social studies; and (3) science. Some of these passages will be primary sources pertaining to significant events and ideas in history. Other passages—especially in science and social studies—will contain charts or graphs that you will be expected to interpret and use in connection with the text. And the questions themselves? You’ll still need to identify the main point, the tone or attitude, and the meaning of certain words or phrases. You’ll also need to identify the evidence that supports an answer choice, which means that some questions will be connected." ((http://www.testive.com/parent-resources/new-sat-evidence-based-reading-and-math/))
        
       3) There will no longer be a quarter point loss for wrong answers.

The SAT has also combined with Khan Academy to provide free test prep for the new SAT. In addition, the fall PSAT will be in the new format, so current juniors can compare last year's old PSAT results with this year's to decide if they want to take the last old SAT in January.

Another wrinkle in the fabric is the changing attitudes of colleges to the tests. Colleges are changing both their SAT expectations and the ACT as well, especially for the optional writing sections. In light of this, it is very important to check with the colleges you are interested in for their current testing requirements. Although their websites should clarify things, sometimes it takes time for policy changes to make it to the webpage, so an email or a call to the admissions representative for your area will help you be sure of what you should sign up for.

So, what do I suggest? As I always have, I think juniors should take both the ACT and the SAT. For the ACT, check with the colleges you are interested in about whether to take the optional writing section. For the SAT, it is harder: if you did really well on last year's PSAT, you might want to take the old SAT in January. If you do well on this year's PSAT, then the new SAT may be the best choice, and like the ACT you should check with your prospective colleges to see if any require the writing section. 
The important thing to remember is that your application is more than just your test scores. Do your best,  prepare as much as you can, but try not to get too stressed out about them.

Caution needed in college search

The internet has been a great blessing for college-bound students. Instead of sending out a request and waiting for paper information packets to arrive, students can now find out most anything with the click of a button. But, unfortunately, that can bring out possible problems, as well.
Colleges work hard to have their internet pages be informative and interactive; prospective students can ask for more information with just a click of a button. And they can be sure that they are contacting a reputable website. Big name companies, such as College Board, College Navigator, and US News and World Reports college ranking (as useless as I think most of the rankings are), will probably be no problem, as well. But there are many websites that appear, claiming to provide information about colleges and other college related topics, and how does the student know this is legitimate? I recently read an article that made me wonder: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/01/13/for-those-trying-to-sort-through-the-maze-of-college-options-a-web-site-offers-answers-and-college-officials-shudder/
This article looked at a website claiming to be a "one-stop" website for all college information, but is apparently using logos and other proprietary information without permission. Colleges are concerned that requests for information coming through this site may never reach them. And there are concerns that the information that the site collects about students may be going out to secondary sources that the student is not interested in. Keep in mind that if you provide name, address, email address or other personal information to a site you cannot be sure of, that information may be used in ways that are not in your best interest.
I am not sure why a student would even want a "one-stop" college info site--part of the college search process is finding various sources and comparing their information. Colleges are obviously trying to attract students to apply, but comparing their information against other reputable sources can add more dimension. And, of course, visiting a college is an important step in the application process. Unless it is absolutely impossible, visiting a college is vital to really get a feel for a campus's atmosphere. If you test drive a car that only will cost you $20,000, shouldn't you test out a college you will spend 4 years and much more than $20,000 on?
So be cautious where you give out  your information, and don't expect the college search to an easy, one-stop process. It is worth the time and energy to be sure of your choice before signing that acceptance of admission.