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1,500 students to sit for new SAT

DUBAI —The first new SAT test in the UAE will be held tomorrow, with over 1,500 students likely to take the test at 12 centres spread across Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

SAT is a high-stake admisson test, and most US colleges insist on SAT scores as an admission requirement.

The 12 test centres where the test would be held are: Dubai International School, Dubai National School, Sharjah American International School, International School of Choueifat (Sharjah), International School of Choueifat (Dubai), International School of Choueifat (Abu Dhabi), Al Mawakeb School, Al Sanawabar (Al Ain), Al Nahda National School, Abu Dhabi International School, Ruwais International School (Abu Dhabi) and Amer International School (Abu Dhabi).

The new SAT differs from the old on several counts, with an essay component adding to the jitters. But, though this might seem paradoxical, the essay on the new SAT actually benefits mediocre writers.

"Students also have more time per question on the math section. They should work slowly. Answer only 15 questions but get 13 of them right. You don’t get points on the SAT for trying. Work slowly – get more right," said Kamal Kalwani, CEO, ScorePlus, the local chapter of The Princeton Review, New York.

Khaleej Times spoke to a cross-section of high school students from Sharjah and Dubai on the eve of the test. Most of them said they were ready for the new SAT. "I took a preparatory course. The essay part doesn't scare me any more," said Shady Samir, an Egyptian student of the American University in Dubai, who scored a maximum of 1540/2400 in a diagnostic test.

Shreya, a student of the Indian High School, said: "I've learnt some tricks and strategies. How to identify the wrong answers? How to tackle long passages?"