College Board’s SAT is an entrance exam used by nearly all colleges and universities to help make admissions decisions. Most high school students take the SAT for the first time in the spring of their junior year however, some start as early as freshman year. 

SAT covers math, reading, and writing. The lengthy test gives admissions officers a tangible measure of students’ college readiness. The nearly 100-year-old exam is fully transitioning to a digital format towards the beginning of 2024. The current paper format will no longer be offered after January 2024.  

College Board has decided to change the format of the SAT to make it easier, and more relevant for some students. 

The new SAT will be easier for some students. 

The traditional SAT took 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete meanwhile, the new digital version will only be 2 hours long. In addition, there will be 56 fewer questions on the digital SAT and students will have more time to answer each question. For many students, these changes make the SAT more approachable and less stressful. 

It is also important to note that the new SAT will be an adaptive exam. Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) adapts exam questions in real-time to the ability of each test taker. For the SAT, the algorithm will administer easier questions after a person answers incorrectly. 

According to Circus Assessment, adaptive assessments tend to be less frustrating for examinees. The overall experience is more favorable than a traditional exam. 

Although students are still tested on math, reading, and writing, the new SAT will test content that has been de-emphasized in the past. The reading and writing section will feature a wider range of passage types, including poetry. As for the math section, the SAT will place a greater focus on geometry and trigonometry. Even though there is more emphasis on different content, reading passages will be more concise and all math questions are more direct and can be solved with calculators. 

Finally, the new digital format allows for various built-in, online tools. Students will be able to mark questions for review, and annotate, and will have access to a count-down clock, a built-in graphing calculator, and a math reference sheet. 

Marking questions for review allows students to quickly flag difficult questions and return to them later. The countdown clock will be available for each module and can be hidden. The built-in calculator is available for any question on the math module (students are allowed to bring their calculator as long as it meets College Board’s standards). Lastly, students will have access to a math reference sheet with common formulas students may need for the math section.

The digital version of the SAT will be more relevant for some students. 

According to a 2019 survey, around 63 percent of high school students in the United States use digital learning tools at school to learn every day. 

Since students are used to learning digitally, the new digital SAT aligns with these learning experiences. 

Overall the digital SAT’s format and content will make it more accessible and beneficial for students. The test will be shorter, the reading and math section will be more concise, questions will be more direct, students will have access to a wider range of built-in, online tools, and the test will be more relevant.