( CNN ) -- The days of memorizing arcane , recondite vocabulary words might be ending for high school students who will take a redesigned SAT in two years . An emphasis on `` relevant , '' commonly used words is one of many changes the College Board unveiled Wednesday in an attempt to make the 88-year-old exam `` more open and clear than any in our history . '' With fewer questions overall , the new test aims to assess students ' analytical skills and better help them prepare for college . `` Recent SAT results tell a troubling story about students ' readiness for and likelihood for success in their postsecondary endeavors , '' the College Board said . `` Far too few students are ready to succeed in the kinds of education and training that they will need to participate effectively in an increasingly competitive economy . '' The College Board released 211 pages of detailed test specifications , including sample questions to show how the test is changing . Here 's a look at some examples across all sections : . The new test will have fewer questions overall that are scored differently : . Multiple-choice questions will contain four answers instead of five . Instead of a point for each correct answer and a deduction for an incorrect answer , the new test will use `` rights-only scoring , '' which means a point for a correct answer , but no deduction for wrong answers . Blank responses will have no impact on scores . In a return to previous versions , the test will be scored on a scale from 400 to 1600 instead of the current scale of 600 to 2400 . With 153 questions -- 52 in reading , 44 in writing and language and 57 in math -- the new test will have fewer questions than the current version 's 171 questions . But , there will be no more mandatory essay , leading to the next big change . The written essay will be optional and scored separately from reading , writing and math : . It 's optional in the sense that individual postsecondary institutions will determine whether they will require it for admission . Those who take it will have twice as much time -- 50 minutes -- to complete it . Instead of asking students to take a position on a presented issue , the new version aims to evaluate reading , writing and analytical skills by asking students to produce a written analysis of a provided source text . For example , the College Board documents provide a passage and asked students to write an essay explaining how the author `` builds an argument to persuade his audience '' by looking for `` evidence , such as facts or examples , to support claims , '' or stylistic elements , `` such as word choice '' to add power to the ideas expressed in the passage . No more $ 5 words ! `` Relevant words '' are in : . Instead of requiring students to memorize words they might never use in real life , questions in the new test will focus on understanding the meaning of `` relevant '' or commonly used words from the context in which they appear , and `` how word choice shapes meaning , tone , and impact . '' Here 's an example : . `` The coming decades will likely see more intense clustering of jobs , innovation , and productivity in a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions . Some regions could end up bloated beyond the capacity of their infrastructure , while others struggle , their promise stymied by inadequate human or other resources . '' As used in line 55 , `` intense '' most nearly means . A ) emotional . B ) concentrated . C ) brilliant . D ) determined . The test will `` focus on math that matters most -- algebra : . What matters most , according to the College Board , is algebra , data analysis and what it calls `` passport to advanced math , '' which includes quadratic and higher-order equations , geometry and trigonometry . Students will have 80 minutes -- 10 minutes longer than the current version -- to answer 57 math questions . Most will be multiple-choice but some will require students to provide answers . And , unlike the current version , students will be required to put away their calculators for 25 minutes . Students will have to analyze texts based on the strength of the writer 's arguments . Students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to interpret and synthesize the underlying ideas of a variety of sources , from informational graphics and political speeches to fiction novels and scholarly texts . One sample question asks students to read a political speech and determine which lines support the overall argument .
Emphasis on `` relevant , '' commonly used words is one of many changes in new SAT . College Board releases 211 pages of test specifications and sample questions Wednesday . The goal was to make the exam more accessible for students who are not familiar with math or English language arts.