In recent weeks, some elected officials have urged immigrants to apply before today's changeover to make sure they can take the old test.
Although naturalization applications are dramatically down over last summer, when they surged before the fee increased from $400 to $675, some immigrant advocacy groups say they have seen a preference for the old test among immigrants who have already studied and feel more comfortable with the old questions.
"Most people have wanted to take the old test," said Ana Bastida, director of programs for the Mexican immigrant association el Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanas en Norteamerica. "Every time there's something new, it's seen as another barrier."
The old exam was sometimes ridiculed for focusing on minutiae over historical and political concepts. There were seven questions on the colors of the flag and even a question on the name of the naturalization form itself (N-400).
But the new exam has its potential flaws too, including questions and answers that are open to interpretation.
For some, the changes in the exam raise an old fear: that immigrants could be denied citizenship based on the whims or prejudices of the examiner, a problem until the test was standardized more than two decades ago.
Harry Pachon, president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC, called the new test a "step backward" for that reason.
"There's latitude in answering the questions and that's where the problem lies," he said. "There's potential for abuse and not knowing what to prepare for."
Rosalind Gold, a senior director with the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, said she planned to keep a close watch on how the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the new test to see if passage rates really are higher and if any problems are reported.
Others expressed concern about teaching prospective citizens about the new questions.
In recent weeks, state Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), who represents central Orange County, home to a large immigrant population, has urged residents to apply in time to take the old test, fearing that the transition to the new exam would be hampered by a lack of teaching materials.
At a citizenship workshop last month at Santa Ana College, 700 people ready to apply for naturalization moved through stations designed to help them file their applications before today.
