A new admissions requirement will soon be implemented at Penn State and many other universities across the country, with the introduction of the new Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) in March 2005.

For the first time, a writing component will be added to the SAT, which includes a student-written essay and multiple-choice questions.

According to the College Board's Web site, the new SAT will improve the test's alignment with current high school and college curriculum and institutional practices. By including a third measure of skills -- writing -- the new SAT will help colleges make better admissions and placement decisions for potential students. The new SAT will reinforce the importance of writing throughout a student's education, according to the Web site.

Gregg Rogers, English department associate director of composition, said the new writing component would help universities develop a better sense of the writing strengths of incoming students.

"It is a step in the right direction to giving colleges a little bit more of an accurate picture, although limited, of a student's writing capabilities," Rogers said.

The American College Testing (ACT) assessment will introduce a writing component in February 2005 that will be optional for students taking the test. When applying for admission to Penn State, students must submit either SAT or ACT scores.

David Gildea, assistant communications and undergraduate admissions director, said the school would gradually implement the SAT writing scores over time.

"By 2008, the writing scores will be fully implemented in our admissions," Gildea said. "Additionally, students who choose to take the ACT will be required to take the written portion of that test by 2008."

Many students believe adding a writing component to the SAT is not necessary to accurately evaluate a student's abilities.

"Students who are applying to schools already have too many things they have to worry about it," Alisa Finn (junior-marketing) said. "Adding something that is going to have such a small overall impact in admissions is just not worth the stress."

Although a student's standardized test scores are an important aspect of the application process, Gildea said they are simply one of many factors considered when students apply for admission to Penn State.

"We are advising high school students not to panic," Gildea said.

"The most important factor we consider when reviewing applications will continue to be the student's performance in high school, as measured through their GPA."

There are some students who say that they think the new writing component is an unnecessary addition to the SAT.

While still other students said they believe the new addition will actually be helpful to students in the future.

Renee DeSantis (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said that she believes introducing a writing component to the SAT might not be necessary for students applying to colleges and universities but would help prepare in-coming college freshman for more writing that would likely take place throughout a college student's career.

"I don't think the writing portion of the SAT is really necessary because Penn State and a lot of other colleges want well-rounded students, not just someone who scores high on the SAT," DeSantis said.

"At the same time though, high school students spend a lot of time studying for the SAT, so I think it will be effective in helping them prepare for writing in college."