You’ve probably already heard that the SAT is going digital. Uncertainty and confusion accompany any transition. So much so that, if not a universal truth, at least the cliche “change is scary” is well-worn.

We believe there is nothing to fear in this new format based on previous adjustments to the test. The new digital SAT could appear different, but underneath the new paint, it is still the same old coachable standardized test.

Related Blog Post: New Digital SAT Format

What are the major changes happening?

• Digital – students will take the test on a personal or a school-issued device.
• The digital SAT will be a two-hour test as opposed to three hours, and each of the reading portions will be shorter and have one associated question.
• Scores will be released more quickly enabling students and educators to make quicker decisions regarding college and university applications.
• The test app will come with a graphing calculator, or students can bring their own for the complete math component.
• Students will be able to connect with various courses, careers, and training programs thanks to digital score reports.
• The fact that each student will take a different version of the test, the digital SAT will be more adaptable and secure. This would stop unpleasant incidents like question papers leaks or cheating!

For more details, check our video on SAT, ACT & AP Tests.

SAT: Paper-Pen vs. Digital

The present SAT will be transformed into the Digital SAT. With the new format, college preparedness skills will be prioritized above speed and accuracy. The current SAT reading part has lengthy paragraphs and difficult historical texts which requires patience to complete the section. The test is anticipated to contain a wider variety of brief excerpts from the humanities and sciences that explore more current topics in finance, economics, and the environment. Additionally, we might notice a stronger focus on using graphical data in conjunction with passage text to provide answers. However, at this moment, everything is just conjecture. The usage of calculators throughout the whole Math portion suggests that the test has undergone major alterations. Along with the SAT’s emphasis on Algebra and Word Problems, we might observe a trend to simpler questions, like the ACT Math portion, as well as the addition of additional geometry and trigonometry problems.

The digital SAT exam 2023 will continue to examine the same skills and information that students gain in high school and those that are most crucial for college and job readiness, even if College Board is altering test content to better accommodate digital delivery.

What remains constant?

• The digital SAT will continue to assess the same abilities and information found on the paper version.
• The same 1600-point scale will be used for scoring.
• The test’s subject.
• At-home testing will not be an option, even though students will be allowed to take the exam on their own laptops or tablets. The only places where the SAT will be given are schools and testing facilities.
• Accommodations for students who need them during testing will still be provided.
• The SAT’s used in colleges.
• How students prepare for exams.

Advantages of Digital SAT

While the majority of the test will remain the same, the new digital SAT will include several extremely important changes that will affect how students study for and take the test. Some of the most major modifications to the digital SAT are listed below:

Time and SAT Duration

Test weariness is a genuine issue, thus the students who found it difficult to concentrate for three hours would appreciate the time reduction. Stress among pupils is reduced by shorter duration

For overseas students, there are now seven chances to take the SATs throughout the year as opposed to five, which brings it into line with the US market.

Shorter SAT sections

Section lengths will be reduced along with the overall test period. The revised SAT will have shorter reading portions and more direct questions. And also one of the most important factors is that the Reading and Writing sections will be combined in the new Digital SAT format

Calculators on the SAT

At the moment, there are two categories for SAT math: math with a calculator and math without a calculator. For every math question on the new digital SAT, a calculator is permitted. So the students do not have to worry about the calculator they have to carry to the test center or can avoid the confusion of which calculator has to be carried to the center as in Pen Paper SAT, not all calculators are allowed

The Test will become Adaptive

The computer-adaptive nature of the digital SAT means that the complexity of the questions in the other sections will depend on how well you perform on the first portion. The questions in the second half will be more challenging if you do well in the first section. Students can also mark questions to come back to later.

Announcement of SAT Results

The results for the current paper-based test version are revealed between two and six weeks after the test. About ten days after you receive your free score, it is sent to the universities you have chosen. With the new digital SAT, the results will be available in days as opposed to weeks, cutting down on waiting time.

According to the College Board, the Digital SAT 2023 will be more relevant, easier to administer, and easier to take.

Following a pilot study conducted by the Board in November 2021 that revealed the SAT is less stressful for 80% of students, it is anticipated that more students will take the test the following year.

The decision to make it available online would also help the Biden administration’s attempts to reintroduce foreign students to US campuses.

Related Blog Post: Digital SAT-The Future of Standardized Testing 

But aren’t computer-based exams typically more difficult?

There are both clear benefits (no time wasted bubbling responses; the onscreen clock makes it simpler to tell how much time is left) and drawbacks to either test format, and it is true that some students prefer one over the other (can be harder to directly annotate questions on the screen; easier to make little mistakes when rewriting questions on scratch paper). But we’ve discovered that on average, the ACT scores of our computer-based students are on par with those of our paper-based students.

Conclusion

The criterion for the overall score was lowered from 2400 to 1600 in 2016 and 2021, which was one of the key modifications to the SAT. The Board eliminated both the SAT Subject examinations and the optional SAT Essay in 2021. With every modification throughout the years, the goal has been to simplify the exam and provide test-takers with a comprehensive testing experience. We anticipate that colleges will regard the digital SAT in a similar way to how they assess the existing SAT.

Feel free to reach out to us for any query related to the new Digital SAT pattern.