One of the biggest changes that was made to the New SAT is that the Essay portion is now optional. This means that you can now choose whether or not you want to complete the Essay section based on the requirements of the schools you are applying to. Your Essay score will not factor into your final numerical score for the SAT; instead, it will be reported separately. Learn more
CollegeBoard Essay Information
Key Changes: CollegeBoard's Essay Analyzing a Source (PDF)
College policies for the new essay
Colleges that require the essay