近日，美国大学理事会（College Board, CB）宣布：SAT考试改革将有原来宣布的2015年推迟到2016年，比先前宣布的时间推迟了一年。

　　在一份官方给出的简短说明中，美国大学理事会说推迟一年将会给高等教育伙伴2年的时间来计划重新设计考试，这样的安排能够有利于高校及学生有更多的时间的准备。在新SAT推出之前，允许学生参加PSAT/NMSQT 考试。PSAT考试将于2015年改革。美国大学理事会的目标是提供一个专注、有效和清晰的评估系统。新SAT设计工作会继续进行。

　　美国大学理事会表示明年春季会有更多的信息提供给外界。在写给高校指导顾问的信中，美国大学理事会主席 David Coleman说在过去他倾听了来自高校、SAT国家与地方委员会等多方信息，社会反应说College Board需要更多的时间，合作伙伴也需要更多的时间来消化理解。现在College Board的官方还没有对这次推迟进行评论，然而这次推迟让许多观察家震惊，因为许多人一直在批评现在的SAT，而为新SAT改革而兴奋。然而一些人担心这次推迟是否能够被正确的解释和理解，现在人们对未来SAT改革的期盼是如此的强烈，特别是新SAT对写作部分的修改特别让人们期待。

　　SAT目前面对ACT的严重竞争，在今年2月College Board 宣布SAT改革时，ACT以成为更多人申请大学时的考试选择，ACT被认为更与大学课程体系与美国联邦核心课程标准一致。

　　很多观察员及相关人士均表示不能理解这样的延期，因为目前的SAT考试遭到诸多诟病，因此改革带来的新变化备受期待。Jed Applerouth，国家考试预备服务创办人表示，他对College Board的这一说法感到震惊，他没有感觉到谁给College Board压力让他们推迟了新SAT，没有人会在这个推迟中获益。Robert Schaeffer, 国家考试指导中心官员，一个College Board的长期批评者通过电子邮件说，他对这个推迟不感到震惊，因为一开始在2015年推出新SAT本来就不现实。

　　The new SAT will not be arriving until 2016, one year later than originally announced。

　　A brief statement released by the College Board's press office said that "this change in the timing of the redesign will serve our members in higher education by providing two years to plan for the redesigned exam and it will allow students to take the revised PSAT/NMSQT before the revised SAT. Our goal is to deliver an assessment system that is focused, useful and clear. Member input will continue to be integral to this work and we look forward to sharing additional information regarding the revision of our exams in the spring." (The new PSAT will start in 2015.)

　　In an email sent to high school guidance counselors, David Coleman, the president of the College Board, said: "We heard clearly from our members -- including our Board of Trustees, national and regional councils, the SAT committee, attendees at our national forum, and particularly those in higher education -- that you need more time, and we listened."

　　College Board officials were not available to discuss the delay. But some observers were surprised by the move because so many people have been critical of parts of the current SAT and excited about the changes. At September's annual meeting of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, Coleman held a session for high school and college admissions officials. While some did worry about whether the changes would be properly explained, there was near universal praise for the prospect of change -- especially for the end or major overhaul for a writing test that has been widely criticized by writing teachers (and by Coleman himself)。

　　The College Board announced in February that it planned to overhaul the SAT. The announcement came as ACT had overtaken the SAT as the admissions test taken by the most people. Further the ACT has been seen as more aligned with the high school curriculum and the Common Core State Standards -- whose development was led by Coleman before he came to the College Board。

　　Jed Applerouth, founder of a national test-prep service, said he was scratching his head at the statement that the College Board was delaying the revised SAT because of demand for a slower change. He said that in his discussions with high school counselors and college admissions officials, he wasn't hearing anyone push for delay. "The ACT is gaining more momentum, and will have more market share in another two years," he said。

　　"Everyone has been excited about the prospect of changes," he said. "I don't see how anyone benefits from a delay."

　　Robert Schaeffer, public education director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, and a longtime critic of the College Board, said via email that "the delay is not surprising. David Coleman's initial target of a spring 2015 roll out for the latest version of an 'all new, improved' SAT was incredibly optimistic."

　　No Change in PSAT Schedule

　　The memo Coleman sent to high school counselors caused confusion among some because it referred to both fall and spring versions of the PSAT, which has historically been given only in the fall. Some thought this meant that the College Board was changing that policy and adding another testing time for the PSAT。

　　But a spokeswoman for the College Board said that was a mistake, and that the PSAT will remain a fall test。