[Bhs] COLLEGE/CAREER: SAT Requirements for Class of 2006

[bhs at idiom.com]

SAT REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS of 2006
Ilene Abrams
<iabrams at berkeley.k12.ca.us>

The College Board has developed a new SAT test which will first be given to
the class of 2006.  Like, the current SAT, it will include verbal (to be
called critical reading) and math sections.  However, the new SAT will add a
writing section. The writing section will include both multiple choice
questions and a student-written essay. To accommodate the new writing
section, test time will be extended to 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Other changes to the test include:
The analogy questions in the verbal part of the test will be eliminated;
Short reading passages will be added;
The math section will include some Algebra 2 questions.

The new test will first be given in March of 2005.  The October 2004 PSAT
will model all of the changes to the test, except that it will not include
the new writing section.

ACT will offer an optional writing section for those students who wish to
take it.  

As a result of these test changes, the UC system has modified its test
requirements.  Beginning with the class of 2006, these requirements will be:

1.  The new SAT (or the ACT with Writing).  The old SAT test will not be
accepted for admission.
  
2.  Two SAT II Subject Tests in two different subject areas: history/social
science, English literature, mathematics, laboratory science or language
other than English.  The UC system will NOT accept the SAT II writing test
or the Math IC to meet this requirement.  The following SAT II Subject Tests
can be used to fulfill the requirement: Literature, U.S. History, World
History, Math IIC, Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, French Reading, French
Reading with Listening, German Reading, German Reading with Listening,
Spanish Reading, Spanish Reading with Listening, Modern Hebrew Reading,
Italian Reading, Latin Reading with Listening, Japanese Reading with
Listening, Korean Reading with Listening, and Chinese Reading with
Listening.  If a student takes more than two tests, the University will use
the best two scores from different subject areas.

I recommend that students in the class of 2006 who are planning to attend a
four year college or university take the new SAT in March 2006.  Students
may also take the SAT in May of 2006 or the ACT with writing.  I also
recommend that they take one or more SAT II tests in June of 2006 if they
are planning to apply to colleges which require them, including the UC¹s.
Students who are now completing a science class or an advanced level of
foreign language may take the SAT II in these subjects on June 5, 2005.  The
regular registration deadline for that test is April 29th.

If you have further questions, please consult the College Board website at
www.collegeboard.com or e-mail me at <iabrams at berkeley.k12.ca.us>.