The Latest on the Digital SAT
We’ve posted a lot lately about the College Board’s announcement of a fully digital SAT test format. In this post, we will break down the most recent round of updates on digital testing from a test preparation industry meeting with the College Board.
For a deep dive on the how and why of the digital SAT, read this original post. For a summary of global features of the new version, read this one.
Students have responded exceedingly well to the digital SAT. The College Board released a pilot version of the exam to approximately 1600 students, 80% of whom were international and 20% of whom were domestic. 85% of students rated the experience as either “Excellent” or “Good,” with students commenting that the digital SAT is “WAYYY better than the original paper [test]” and “It was easy to understand, and I loved the new features which made taking the SAT feel less nervous.” Overall, the consensus from students is that the digital SAT is significantly less stressful than the paper and pencil version of the exam.
Official digital SAT practice tests will be available in June or July. These tests will be hosted on the platform and in the format of the actual digital SAT, with the adaptive feature integrated. (Non-adaptive PDF versions will be available as well.) The College Board plans to launch two official practice exams, but has not yet determined the total number of official SAT practice tests that will eventually be available. There will also be one adaptive PSAT available for practice. Good news for students: these tests will all be available on Khan Academy, who will continue to partner with the College Board during this transition into a digital SAT format.
The Reading section will likely still incorporate paired passages. Though the passages are changing in length, students should still expect to use their comprehension and synthesis skills with multiple shorter texts. The reading section is where we’ll see the majority of the alterations to fit the digital format. This section is forecasted to include up to fifty (!) short passages and a wider array of source material (incl. poetry, a first for SAT). Each passage will only have one question linked to it, making for faster comprehension and more straightforward interpretation of questions. However, students will have to shift quickly between grammar questions and reading comprehension questions as the Reading and Writing sections will be integrated into one “Verbal” section. Our team of expert tutors will continue to keep you informed about any updates in strategy that these changes in format will require!
Scores will be available in days, rather than weeks, alleviating the pressure of waiting and allowing students to take SATs later in their admissions timeline while continuing to meet application deadlines. It’s also interesting to note that the College Board is attempting to reflect the range of career paths students might take after graduation: digital SAT score reports will connect students to information about local two-year colleges, workforce training programs, and alternative career options. This move is part of a larger cultural shift towards educational equity for low-income and minority students – the College Board is responding by enhancing the free study materials available on Khan Academy, providing students with the necessary technology to take the digital SAT (e.g., renting laptops to students), and expanding the School Day SAT program.
Of course, any sort of shift in the structure of the SAT is bound to be met with uncertainty and anxiety. These changes will most significantly affect international students in the class of 2024, with US students in the class of 2025 first confronting a digital PSAT in Fall 2023. For support during this time of transition, we encourage you to reach out to our team for advice or assistance.
