As students prepare to navigate the pathways through high school, college and careers, the SAT Suite of Assessments will progressively measure the knowledge, skills, and understandings that are essential for college and career-readiness and student success.  This suite includes the PSAT 8/9 to establish a baseline, the PSAT/NMSQT to assess student progress, and the SAT to connect to the college application process.  The SAT Suite focuses on a deep understanding of the skills and knowledge shown by current research to matter most.  Key features include:

• Words in context: Students engage in close reading to interpret the meanings of relevant vocabulary words.
• Command of evidence: Students are asked to interpret, synthesize, and use evidence found in a wide range of sources; support their chosen answers; and integrate information from passages and informational graphics.
• Essay analyzing a source: Student taking the SAT with Essay read a passage and analyze it, using evidence drawn from the text to explain how the author builds a persuasive argument.  Note that the SAT Essay is optional.
• Math that matters most: Students encouter questions that focus on key content arreas such as Problem Solving and Data Analysis, mastery of linear equations (Heart of Algebra), and familiarity with more complex equations (Passport to Advanced Math).  The PSAT 8/9 does not include Passport to Advanced Math questions.
• Problems grounded in real-world contexts: Questions directly relate to college and career work with charts, graphs, and passages from science, social science, and other majors and careers.
• Analysis in science and in history/social studies: Students apply their reading, writing, language and math skills to solve problems in a broad array of contexts.
• U.S. founding documents and the great global conversation: Students read either an excerpt from one of the U.S. founding documents or a text from the ongoing global conversation about freedom, justice, and human dignity.