With the plans for next year’s standardized testing already announced, the state of Michigan’s decision to use the SAT in place of the ACT for the juniors of 2016 has some heads turning.

“The state’s decision to change tests was a big surprise to me. I think it will take us some time to get a new plan in place for preparation and execution of a new test,” counselor Michelle Pietraszkiewicz said. “Because the SAT is going to be completely redesigned, I just don’t know what to expect. This is something that is going to happen for at least three years, so it is something that we have to do no matter how we feel about it.”

The revised SAT Suite of Assessments (consisting of the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT™ 10, and PSAT™ 8/9) will focus on the knowledge and skills that current research shows are most essential for college and career readiness and success. The exams will reflect the work students are doing in classrooms across the country and across the globe.

“I studied for the ACT originally when I was preparing for junior year,” sophomore Alex Joitke said. “I now heard that they are going to offer the SAT and although I am not excited about another test to study for I am glad the school is trying to help us along on our career path as much as possible.”

The redesign is centered on key changes that will provide students and educators with enhanced information by reporting more scores than before. The key changes in question will be made to vocabulary, analyzing, relevant math topics, problem solving, history, testing strategies and finally, there will be no penalty for wrong answers.

“It is just another new challenge. Change is hard, but we just have to deal with it. Until we go through it, we will not really know if it is going to be a change for the better or worse,” Pietraszkiewicz said. “At least it is still a college entrance test that students can use for admission, which is better than the MEAP test we had several years ago.”