Until 2015, the SAT was considered the test for students with strong reading ability, while the ACT catered to those with more of a math focus. The last revision, however, reversed the calculus by creating a math-forward assessment that emphasized more advanced topics, graphical literacy, and no-calculator math than ever. The revision was also intended to align the SAT with the Common Core philosophy of testing fewer topics in greater depth than prior assessments.
To be fair, College Board ran from the politically unpalatable Common Core curriculum alignment not long after launch and never made good on the promise of fewer math topics anyway; on the contrary, the more recent version of the test required knowledge of more concepts and formulas than ever.
Interestingly, the digital SAT appears, at least in its earliest days, to be making a more earnest commitment to mathematical depth rather than breadth:
Interestingly, the content blend leans more heavily towards high school algebra, statistics, and trigonometry and away from the kinds of topics taught in earlier grades. Even more interestingly–and particularly exciting to most teens–the digital SAT brings an definitive end to the no-calculator math experiment. Not only are students permitted to bring their own graphing calculator to the test, but the dSAT interface includes a robust embedded Desmos graphing calculator–a powerful tool for any test taker.
WHAT’S THE SAME?
As ever, the SAT still tests a wide range of math topics in a way that emphasizes problem solving and conceptual understanding.
WHAT’S NEW?
The dSAT restores the option to use a calculator on every question, which may be needed now more than ever. This new test demands a greater degree of sheer algebraic prowess than previous iterations did.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
The Math section of the digital test appears a natural progression from the last paper-and-pencil version. The SAT remains a test that reserves its highest scores for test takers who combine outstanding problem solving skills with deep conceptual and operational understanding of high school math.
Mike Bergin