One of the new features in the SAT college-admission
exam for 2016 is a partnership between the nonprofit Khan Academy and the
College Board that provides students with free online prep tools. The test preparation
material will be also offered through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America,
making online and in-person tutoring available to students who need more
support.
“Our aim is to level the college-assessment practice
field,” said David Coleman, CEO and president of the College Board.
Diagnostic tests created by Khan and available to
students on the College Board website determine skill level in each section of
the SAT and then direct them to videos on the Khan site to review. Students
will be able to access four full-length practice tests, personalized practice
recommendations, practice questions, video lessons, and quizzes.
“It’s more about learning the material than traditional
test prep,” Khan said in a report for National Public Radio.
“Not what test prep is traditionally associated with: tricks and ‘When in doubt
pick C,’ or test-taking strategies, but mainly the best way to perform well on
something like the SAT is to have a mastery of the skills—the math, the reading
and writing. That’s the goal. And hopefully it changes people’s perceptions
about what test prep actually is.”
