September 10, 2024

Last week, I attended a College Board counselor workshop focused on the latest updates in college preparation. The workshop covered new developments in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, digital SAT testing, and the CSS Profile. Here’s a brief overview of my key takeaways.

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program continues to be a powerful tool for students aiming to earn college credit and build essential skills. With 39 courses available, the AP Program offers benefits such as:

• AP classes help build critical college-level skills, from analytical thinking to advanced problem-solving.

• They demonstrate academic rigor and curiosity which may be beneficial during the admissions process.

• AP courses can lead to college credit, potentially saving on tuition costs and allowing students to skip introductory courses.

Starting in May 2025, AP exams will undergo a significant transformation:

• Digital exams: 28 AP exams will be administered exclusively online using the Bluebook App. This shift aims to streamline the testing process and enhance accessibility.

• Hybrid formats: For subjects like science, math, and economics, students will receive information digitally but will record their responses on paper.

• Paper-based exams: Language and music exams will remain paper-based due to the need for audio components. Art and design will continue using specialized apps.

Earlier this year, the College Board revamped the SAT to better meet the needs of today’s students. The Digital SAT is a modernized version of the traditional SAT, administered on a computer rather than on paper. It features a streamlined format with adaptive testing, meaning the difficulty of questions adjusts based on a student's responses. This format aims to provide a more efficient and flexible testing experience, offering faster results and a more personalized assessment of a student’s skills.

• No essay requirement: The digital SAT will no longer include an essay component, simplifying the test and focusing on core skills.

• Scores: The scoring format is 200-800 for reading/writing, 200-800 for the math section, for a total score of 400-1600.

• Faster turnaround times: Results for the digital SAT will be available in about two weeks, which is crucial for meeting early action and early decision application deadlines.

• Addressing test center availability: Recent issues with test center availability are being tackled by the College Board. Efforts include expanding and recruiting additional test centers to ensure more test-taking opportunities for students.

• Participation Levels: In 2024, the SAT suite participation has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels:

  • • • • 2.2 million students took the SAT

        • 3.2 million students took the PSAT

        • 488,000 students took the PSAT 10

        • 1.4 million students took the PSAT 8/9

BigFuture.org is a free resource for students navigating their college search. It offers a comprehensive college search tool, allowing users to explore over 2,400 four-year and 1,600 two-year colleges to find the right fit for their needs. For those seeking financial support, the site offers monthly scholarship drawings starting in 10th grade, with opportunities to win up to $40,000.

The CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile) is a financial aid application used by many U.S. colleges to assess a student's eligibility for institutional need-based aid. This year, the CSS Profile is available starting October 1, 2024. For families making under $100,000 or those who qualify for an SAT fee waiver, the CSS Profile is free.

For a deeper dive into standardized testing and the digital SAT, refer to my other blog articles that explore these topics in more detail. 

If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out!

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