Testing and the new digital SAT continue to be hot topics in the college admissions world. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Laura Heslin Whitmore, owner of Strategic Test Prep, about her take on the new digital SAT and top tips for preparing for it. We discussed some of the changes in the SAT, the adaptive format, the DESMOS calculator, and some great tools to use as you prepare.

Digital SAT English Section

Laura tells us about the changes, valuable skills needed to do well on that section, and how you can better prepare for it. While the sections are shorter, students need to be able to analyze the text quickly and possess a strong level of vocabulary. Being able to paraphrase and break down the information quickly are skills that will be very valuabale here.

Digital SAT Math Section

We talked about the more conceptual nature of the math questions and the power of the built-in DESMOS calculator. Students should absolutely learn how to use the calculator well before the test.

Adaptive Testing

Students who do not reach a certain score on the first base-line module of the test, will be given the ‘easier’ module for the second half of their test. This means that these students will have a lower maximum score possible. It is estimated that students who get the easier module will be able to obtain a max score of around a 600 in each section. It is important for students to do well on this first module to be able to get the higher maximum scores. Using process of elimination and taking advantage of the answer-eliminator tool are important. Understanding the test format and preparing well will help with this.

How early should students take the SAT?

This is a vety dependent upon what academic levels the students have, but Laura recommends students begin testing sophomore year in order to allow time to take the test 2-3 times and have ample time to prepare before senior year. Students get so busy as they reach end of junior year and often it is difficult to find the time to study and schedule the SAT or ACT.

How many times should students take the SAT?

There is no magic number, but typically she does see a point where students max out their scores. This is not necessarily because they have reached their full potential, it is more because they are just mentally done with it. They get burnt out on prep and testing and just stop improving at a certain point.

Great Resources for Preparing for the Digital SAT

Of course the best resource to start with is the official College Board Bluebook. They have official questions and 6 full tests available for free with more coming soon.

Laura’s app, Preptly, is a great resource for students to use to prepare for the test on the go. It was created specifically for the digital SAT and is continuously updated with new questions and materials. Students are able to use the app to prepare for short amounts of time whenever they can.

For English:

Erica Meltzer’s Reading and Writing Test Book: Digital SAT

Vibrant Publisher’s prep books

For Math:

College Panda

1600.io

Blueprep is another company which offers a free full test and paid prep materials using the same format as the Bluebook.

And of course, you can contact Laura and her great team of tutors at Strategic Test Prep for one-on-one tutoring.