Longer SAT could mean lower scores

College Board officials say they expect a decline of as much as five points, on average, in the math and verbal sections of the new SAT test, leading many high-school counselors to conclude that the longer exam is wearing out test takers and hurting their performance.

At least 15 colleges and universities have reported even greater drops in the average scores on the nation's leading college-entrance exam among applicants for this fall's freshman class. The nine campuses of the University of California, the largest user of the SAT, saw a 15-point decline, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill reported a 12-point drop. Final national figures are not expected until August.

Last year's SAT was the first time students had to write an essay in addition to answering multiple-choice questions in the verbal (or what the College Board calls critical reading) and math sections. The new exam is 3 hours, 35 minutes long, compared with the previous three-hour test.

College admissions officers and testing experts offered several other possible explanations, such as fewer retests, more difficult material on the verbal and math sections, and more anxiety about the new exam.

"It was so much longer and the kids were so hyped about it because this test had never been given before," said Kathryn Napper, who observed the phenomenon both as admission dean at George Washington University and as the mother of a high-school senior.

Several high-school guidance counselors have asked the College Board to consider changes, such as more and longer breaks, that would keep students from becoming too tired. The New York-based nonprofit organization has said it is considering several options.

Jim Montoya, vice president for higher-education assessments for the College Board, sent a message to college admissions directors April 21 after eight colleges had reported large and unexpected drops in average scores. He emphasized the fact that fewer students were retaking the test, which counselors attribute to a price increase from $24 to $41.50.

"At this point," Montoya said, "we believe that this decrease in repeat test-taking may account for some of the average score decline. The average student who retests increases his or her combined critical reading and math scores by approximately 30 points."

Colleges said the ACT, the other much-used entrance exam, did not appear to show any unusual average score declines.