As college admissions have become more competitive and students are working harder to edge out their colleagues, scores of the redesigned SAT are on the decline nationwide.

The average combined scores of the high school class of 2006 slipped by seven points, marking the lowest scores in 31 years. Math scores dropped by two points and reading declined by five points, according to a College Board press release.

However, Caren Scoropanos, spokesperson for the College Board — creator and administer of the SAT — said although the drop is the largest it has been in decades, it is not a considerable drop compared to last year's.

The drop from the 2005 to 2006 is "less than 1 percent" more than the drop from 2004 to 2005, Scoropanos said. "That's one more missed question in the math section and a half of a point off the reading section."

As classes of test-takers are becoming more competitive every year, last year's high school graduates were introduced to a brand new SAT.

The new test dropped the analogies section and included a new essay portion. The College Board decided to add the essay section to the test to reinforce an important, life-long skill.

"Writing is critical in the college experience as well as beyond college," Scoropanos said. "It's not an optional skill."

The University of Wisconsin Office of Admissions did not return phone calls to The Badger Herald, but according to the department's website, the average ranges in SAT scores of this year's freshmen was between 1770 and 2010 points out of a possible 2400.

Applicants to UW are required to take the SAT or the ACT, but they don't need to take both. In addition, it is required for incoming freshmen to take the writing portion of the SAT, even if they took a previous SAT test lacking the new section.

The first wave of students to complete the redesigned test offered mixed reviews.

UW freshman Megan Clingman found the test was difficult to finish, considering the amount of time allowed to take it.

"It was hard with the time constraint," she said.

The test has a time limit of three hours and 45 minutes.

UW freshman Phil Bridge's impression of the test differed from Clingman's, however.

"I actually found the SAT to be pretty easy," Bridge said.

Bridge added the time constraint did not concern him, but rather his own test-taking ability.

"I found that during the test, the only thing that could beat me would be myself," Bridge said.

However, when Bridge got to the writing section of the test, he had second thoughts about the difficulty of the exam.

"Writing was the most challenging part," Bridge said. "It was something that stuck with you throughout the rest of the test."

Despite the decline in scores, the College Board is confident about the new SAT.

"We are constantly improving the test and improving it fairly," Scoropanos said. "[There is] no plan in the near future to change the test."