You may have heard that the SATs will be changing after January 2016. Just how drastic will these changes be?

In terms of content the new SAT will be more like the ACT. No other changes over the decades have been this dramatic to the content of the SATs and this is the most similar that the SATs and ACTs have been.

The new SAT will still have reading, writing and math sections. However, the reading and writing will now be combined in a score out of 800. This means the 1600 scale is making a comeback and replacing the 2400.

The change also means that the math section will be weighted more than in the old SAT. If you’re planning to take this new test, make sure to brush up your knowledge of basic calculations. Now you will only be able to use a calculator on the longer of the two math sections. The math section will now also have multi-step problems.

Like the ACT, the new SAT will also have four choices now instead of five, combined with no penalization for wrong answers. Now instead of leaving answers blank, you have nothing to lose when guessing and everything to gain.

Sentence completions are also being ditched in this new format with evidence support questions taking their place. These are two-part questions, where you answer a question about the passage and then  pick evidence to prove your first answer. The reading and writing section will also now contain more complex passages. The passages will be more history- or science-based to test your comprehension. In addition, the new SAT will include graphs that you have to interpret regarding the passage such as how the data supports the author’s argument.

The essay will be very similar to the Advanced Placement Language and Composition free response question two, which calls for  analysis of the author’s argument in the given passage. If you are taking AP Language, studying for the AP test will help you with this essay, but if you are not then you should look at past free response questions to practice. Keep in mind that to answer the prompt, you have to explain what the argument is and how the author argues it.

If you’re a high school junior, colleges will be accepting both the old and new SATs. However, starting with the class of 2018, there is no option.  For those taking the new SAT, keep in mind when studying: focus less on vocab memorization, and more on critical thinking/analytical skills.