According to Judd Pfieffer, one of the English and SAT prep teachers, this March 2016 the SAT and ACT will be different than they have been in the past years.

“If you take the SAT or ACT before March it’s going to be the old version, but if you take it after March it will be the new one,” Pfieffer said.

Just by reading for 30 minutes a day the score on these exams will go up.

“Everyone is interested in something,” Pfieffer said. “Nobody has a hobby of staring at a wall and sleeping all day. If you like to cook, read a cookbook with recipes, or if you like games read over.”

Pfieffer shares some tips for preparing for these tests.

“My best tip is to take an outside class if they are able to, if students can’t do that then as they read each paragraph on the reading portion they should write the main ideas and tone of each paragraph,” Pfiffer said.

Just by getting a good score on either of these tests students are eligible to receive a scholarship of some type.

“Lots of students think they can only get the National Merit Scholarship which is the top one percent. It’s a great scholarship but it’s not the only one there is. There are so many more for getting a good score on the test,” Pfiffer said. “Student’s get nervous for the test because they know how important it is- I’m glad they take it seriously.”

Senior Isabela Doberenz took the SAT this past June and stressed over the test before taking it.

“It was sort of stressful, because it’s like the rest of your life as to where you get accepted into college depends on this test and what you score,” Doberenz said.

Doberenz says if she could change the way she prepared for the test she would have done things differently.

“I don’t normally study for things but I wish I would have prepared myself months before with taking an SAT prep class and actually reviewing the SAT book because it basically walks you through the whole test,” Doberenz said.

Junior Ricky Ramirez is nervous for the test because where you get accepted is all depending on what you score.

“Students stress out over the test because the SAT and ACT plays a big role when applying to colleges because we all want to get into a good school,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez heard about the changes going on from his English teacher and is waiting on taking the PSAT this year to see the changes there to determine when he will take his SAT.

“I want to see the changes made with the PSAT then decide if I want to take the SAT before or after March,” Ramirez said.

The two tests share similarities between each other.

“On the writing and language sections, it’s basically grammar and students just need to practice grammar,” Pfiffer said.

“The new SAT and therefore the new PSAT grammar section is more like the old ACT than it is the old SAT test, so if they are looking for extra help on the grammar section, they might want to look at old, released ACT tests that are online.”

The last piece of advice is to take a deep breath.

“I don’t know if they should be nervous, but it’s defintely the most important test they will take,” Pfieffer said