BEIJING - The SAT will change in 2016, and one of the changes is worrying some people in China. The test is required for most students who want to apply for an American four-year college. The new test will include documents from American history like the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Some Chinese officials are concerned that having these documents on the SAT will spread American ideas.

This week, journalists in China reported that Chinese leaders are paying attention to the new SAT. The reason they are anxious, reporters explained, is that the new SAT could make American ideas more popular. If students preparing for the SAT study American history, they may be more likely to agree with American points of view. This could make them less likely to agree with their own government.

It Might Make Them Think

The College Board, the company that makes the SAT, admits that the revised test will contain powerful ideas. Documents like the Bill of Rights include arguments that could influence students. The U.S. Constitution, for example, discusses the rights of citizens to speak out against their government.

These are some of the ideas that China's leaders are worried about. China's government is more strict than America's when it comes to what citizens can and cannot do. The government also tries to control what people say and think. For example, the Chinese Communist Party works hard to shape the beliefs of China's youth. Students are required to take "thoughts and morals" lessons to study Communist ideas. These classes start as early as first grade.

There is no way for the government to control what appears on the SAT, however. Some sections on the SAT may go against the Chinese government's way of thinking. Even though the ideas of Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine may seem familiar to American students, they were revolutionary for their time. For students growing up in China, they may be revolutionary still. This could by why China's government does not want its students reading them.

The Test Will Go On

Some people in China think the government is wrong to be troubled about the new SAT. Zhang Ming, who teaches at Renmin University, says the government should allow students to think more freely. It is possible that the new SAT might influence Chinese students. But these students are already being influenced by their own government. Ming believes the government should stop its "thoughts and morals" lessons before they criticize the SAT.

However it affects students, the SAT will probably continue to be popular in China. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of Chinese students have gone to school in the United States. Since 2010, China has sent more students to the United States each year than any other country.

Many of these students take the SAT. Starting in spring 2016, this will mean that they will study some American history, even though their government may not want them to.