The Scholastic Aptitude Test, more commonly known as the SAT, has long been one of the most widely taken tests for college admissions. Each year, over 1.7 million high school students sit in a room, most likely stressed out, for hours on a Saturday and take the test. And while the SAT has made several changes over the last few years – a different point scale, the optional essay, and now, more importantly, test-optional submissions – it is once again updating and improving its model.
In keeping up with the times and students’ skill sets, the latest version of the SAT has now gone digital. This Digital SAT was given a practice run on the class of 2025 during their Fall 2023 PSAT. While the general aspects of the SAT remain the same, such as the 1600-point scale, taking the test in an academic setting, and continuing to measure the knowledge and skills that students are learning in high school and that matter most for college and career readiness, several items are changing.
Among the changes:
- Computer – The biggest change, as the name suggests, is that students will take it on a computer. Students will also be allowed to use their own laptops and if they do not have one, the College Board will provide them with one for the test day.
- Length – The digital SAT will be shorter, about two hours instead of three for the current SAT, with more time per question.
- Reading section – The digital test will feature shorter reading passages with one question tied to each, and passages will reflect a wider range of topics that represent the works students read in college.
- Math section – Calculators will be allowed on the entire Math section.
- Results – Students and educators will get scores back in days, instead of weeks. And, to reflect the range of paths that students take after high school, digital SAT Suite score reports will also connect students to information and resources about local two-year colleges, workforce training programs, and career options.
The SAT will begin being administered digitally in 2024; test and registration dates are now published.
