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The Digital SAT is the latest version of the standardized test that has been used for college admissions for 100 years.
Although the SAT has been around since the 1920s, it remains one of the best ways to demonstrate your intellectual abilities. However, the college board that administers the SAT worldwide has listened to test takers over the years and recently implemented some important changes.
The SAT, once known for its second-largest pencils and Scantron bubble wraps, now offers an online option, part of a broader shift to digital education and testing. Here's why this shift is happening, what you can expect from it, and how well it compares to the traditional in-person testing experience.
Development of the SAT
You might be surprised to learn that the SAT grew out of a military IQ test originally designed to determine which Army recruits were likely to become officers. Today, the SAT serves a similar purpose by assessing students' college readiness.
Traditionally – and the way I endured it – the SAT was only offered in person with a 10-minute break between each section. Currently, the in-person testing format lasts just over two hours and covers reading, writing, and math with a total of 154 multiple-choice questions. In contrast, the digital SAT is slightly shorter and only has 98 questions in total.
Why did the College Board create a digital SAT? The transition began with us listening to feedback from new test takers and recognizing the need to adapt the test to the needs of future test takers. However, this transition was certainly accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, as test administrators were forced to get creative with the testing environment.
All in all, students are now learning and testing a lot more online. Additionally, we are seeing a general transition to or addition of digital testing options across all major standardized tests. The College Board has chosen to digitize the SAT to keep pace with industry standards and will continue development based on feedback and future technological advances.
However, it should be noted that digital SAT is currently only available at certain locations. While it was also offered to students outside the US from spring 2023, the official start date in the US is spring 2024.
Overview of the digital SAT
To be clear: The digital SAT is not just the paper SAT converted into an online platform. So what can you expect with the move to a digital format?
What stays the same?
Here's what the college board maintained on the digital SAT:
- Measuring the knowledge and skills that are most important for your studies and your career.
- Conducting the test in schools or test centers in the presence of an examiner.
- Provides access to free test prep and resources.
- Supporting students who need accommodation on exam day.
- Rating the test on a 1600-point scale.
What will change?
Here's what you can expect for the first time on the digital SAT:
- The ability to test on a laptop or tablet. (Note that an examiner will still be present on test day via the Test Day Toolkit.)
- Integration of adaptive testing – more on this below!
- The total duration of the test will now be shorter (two hours instead of three).
- Shorter reading passages instead of a few long texts.
- You are allowed to use your calculator in all areas of mathematics.
And if you don't have your own computer to test with, one will be provided for you!
Overall, these changes to the SAT and the addition of an online testing option create a safer, more accessible, and more equitable testing structure while making it easier for students to navigate the tests and streamlining scoring procedures for examiners. For example, while the digital SAT doesn't require high bandwidth, the College Board worked with a handful of schools to ensure digital testing could be administered to students in rural areas.
However, one of the coolest new features of the digital SAT is the integration of multi-step adaptive testing, which has been used for large-scale digital standardized assessments for nearly 40 years. With adaptive testing, the sets of questions you receive throughout the test “adjust” based on your performance on the previous set of questions. Essentially, the SAT adapts to your skill level by selecting questions of varying difficulty from a set of predetermined test questions. The better you do in the first section, the more challenging the questions in the second section become.
Adaptive testing is preferred for standardized testing because it allows fair and accurate measurement of the same concepts in less time while maintaining test reliability. This image shows how adaptive testing is implemented during the test and contributes to your overall score:
While many students and test administrators are ready to embrace a full transition to digital SAT, others aren't so sure yet. If you are concerned about relying on technology to evaluate your test score, remember that errors can always occur, even with a paper test. There is no real way to 100% avoid the potential problems that arise. But the College Board is actively monitoring the testing process and gathering feedback to further improve your test day experience!
Related: College Entrance Exams 101: What You Should Know
Preparing for the digital SAT
Preparing for the digital SAT is not much different than preparing for the written SAT. You should start the process early by planning your schedule from now until your expected college enrollment date. Timing is the most important aspect of the college admissions process, and you should take the SAT well before any admissions deadlines.
Depending on how much free time you allow into your schedule, you may also choose to retest based on your initial SAT score. If you're looking for ways to boost your score, we recently reviewed the best SAT test prep courses. We've also compiled numerous resources for preparing for college, from understanding the college admissions process to saving and paying for college tuition. We know this is an exciting time for you and we want it to be as stress-free as possible!
Once you schedule your SAT test date, I recommend taking a detailed practice test to determine your strengths and weaknesses. The College Board offers a test preview and four full-length practice tests in Bluebook, with the same time restrictions as on test day. Practice tests have two benefits: They familiarize you with the digital testing experience and help predict your score on the actual SAT.
And don't forget that the College Board also partners with Khan Academy to provide students with free SAT resources and test prep. Considered the most comprehensive SAT prep course currently available, Khan Academy's SAT course offers students a tailored learning experience to strengthen the areas that need the most work. This means you can prepare for the SAT with some of the best materials available – all at no cost to you!
Related:
What is a good SAT score? Strategies for success
Final thoughts
The digital SAT represents a further step towards the digital age and is in line with what is commonly offered in other educational and testing environments today. With the integration of adaptive testing, instant feedback, and increased accessibility, the digital SAT offers a promising glimpse into the future of education, where a fair, accurate, and secure testing process opens the door to higher education for all students.
Looking forward, development of the digital SAT will likely continue based on feedback, industry standards, and the desire to continually improve standardized testing. However, new technologies often bring with them the need to overcome new challenges. As the digital SAT makes its way to testing centers near you, consider the resources available to help you navigate these changes like a pro.
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