The digital SAT has debuted internationally and will most likely remain the only form available for international students from now on. Many are a bit apprehensive after witnessing CollegeBoard’s struggles with digital AP exams in recent years, but so far the feedback has been mostly positive.
Here is a quick breakdown of the primary differences between the two test formats:
WHERE and WHEN:
The test is still required to be taken at a school or official test center. However, the possibility of more test dates and flexibility in test centers scheduling them may make it easier for students to find a test date that fits their schedule and location. For international students, this could make a big difference as their previous test dates and locations were more limited. Students will register for the test on the CollegeBoard site as they did previously, however the new schedule for Fall/Winter 2023-24 has not been released yet. Students who have signed up for the Spring/Summer dates at international sites will already have the digital format. The digital format will be implemented in the US starting Fall 2023 for PSAT and Spring 2024 for SAT.
COMPUTERS and CALCULATORS:
Students can bring their own tablets or laptops or they can use those provided at the test site. It is beneficial for the student to bring their own device as they will be more familiar with it and provided laptops are limited. Graphing calculators will also be built in to the test, so students who feel comfortable using those can leave their own at home. The Desmos calculator which is built in is a great tool for students who are familiar with it, but if they are not, it is recommended to bring their own. Students will still be provided scratch paper and can use a pen/pencil to work on solutions as needed.
Before test day, students need to download the Bluebook App to their testing device. They should make sure it is sucessfully installed and familiarize themselves with it.
VERBAL SECTION:
The verbal section of the SAT will now have much shorter passages, mostly just a few sentences, as they are limited to how much text will fit on a computer screen. Students will only answer a single question about a short passage and then move on to another entirely different one. It would be beneficial to do some practice questions to get used to the format.
ADAPTIVE TESTING:
A major change with the digital SAT is the new adaptive testing model. Now, students will face different sets of questions based on the accuracy of how they answered the first module of each section. There are two possible levels of questions the students will receive and the highest score possible on the SAT will be different based on which level of questions they get. You can read more about this model here. Don’t be alarmed, it is not a sudden switch to much more difficult questions if you get the higher level for your second module. There is still a balance in the difficulty of the questions. The test prep experts at Applerouth who have seen more of the new test have assured me that students actually have to get a lot of incorrect answers to get the ‘lower’ level of questions. It also shouldn’t be looked at as a disadvantage. Instead of having these students struggle and lose time with harder questions, they are able to focus their energy on questions more appropriate for their level. Everyone gets to take a shorter test and spend more time on each question with this new model.
NEW TOOLS:
There are a few tools available within the digital format that can definitely help students. Students could practice making use of these tools to test more efficiently. My favorite two are:
Answer Eliminator – a tool to eliminate answers students deem as incorrect from view so they can focus on the remaining answers
Question Flag – students can now flag questions within a section for further review later.
TEST PREP:
As the new format has not been out long, most test prep companies have not done a lot of updating to their materials. When searching for a test prep company, I definitely recommend asking them how they have adapted their materials. Many of the tutors and companies do not have experience with the new test or access to materials to prepare students for the digital SAT. However, the official CollegeBoard site now has digital SAT prep materials available for free. Also, Applerouth has done a great job of getting materials ready for digital SAT prep.
The international ACT has been digital for years and as with the paper format, it is much different than the SAT. Students should consider taking a practice test for both the ACT and SAT to decide which test is the best for them.