The College Board implemented a new digital SAT format in spring 2023 for students from abroad and in March 2024 for students in the United States. This marked one of the biggest updates to the test in the 97-year history of the corporation. By aligning the format with how students are already studying online, this significant change aims to make the exam more equal and lessen test-taking anxiety.
This article will go over the salient characteristics of the new SAT format, the key differences between the digital and older versions of the exam, and the crucial details you need to know to successfully navigate this changing format.
Key Differences Between the Digital SAT and the Old SAT
Let’s examine the key differences between the previous SAT and the digital version. A table that illustrates this is shown below.
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Paper SAT
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Digital SAT
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Time Duration 3 hours and 15 minutes
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The exam is 2 hours and 14 minutes long.
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Reading and Writing are two separate categories. Students are given 100 minutes to complete.
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Whereas Reading and Writing are one combined category. Students are given 64 minutes to complete.
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The Math section included 45 multiple-choice questions with 13 student-produced response questions. Time allocated for this section is 80 minutes.
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Now the Math section includes 33 multiple-choice questions with 11 student-produced response questions. Time allocated for this section is 70 minutes.
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Exam results took approximately five weeks to be sent out.
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Test results will be ready in a few days after submission.
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The pencil-and-paper edition of the SAT will remain similar in many ways to the new digital version. In other words, the exam will still evaluate the same fundamental skills, be administered in an official testing facility, be scored on a 1600-point scale, and allow you to use assistive technology or take extra time if you are granted accommodations.
It’s vital to note that there will be various modifications with the new test. The following list contains the six main distinctions between the new and present SAT versions.
1. Computers are Taking the Place of Pens and Paper
The SAT will now be given entirely on computers, therefore bubble answer sheets will soon be obsolete under the new structure. You have the option to take the SAT on a computer in the testing facility when you register, or you can bring a laptop or tablet that you own or have borrowed from friends, family, or the school.
It needs to be able to connect to Wi-Fi if you are bringing your device. You can see the specifications for various devices here. It must also be running one of the authorized operating systems and have a specified amount of free space. As a last step, ensure that the morning before the test, you have downloaded the Bluebook testing software and completely charged your computer.
The testing organization will take care of you if you don’t have access to a computer or are unable to borrow one on test day. It is possible to request the shipment of a College Board-issued computer to the testing center at the time of registration. In addition to providing the name of an adult (such as a teacher, counselor, school administrator, or adviser) who can attest to your character, you must make your request at least 30 days before the exam date.
You won’t lose anything if you lose power or your Internet connection while taking the exam! Your progress will be preserved even when you rejoin because the online SAT regularly stores your work.
2. Use of Calculators
About gadgets, the SAT print edition presently permits the use of calculators on just one of the two sections that comprise the Math test. It is possible to utilize a calculator during the full Math part of the digital SAT format, in contrast. The digital SAT offers an onscreen calculator if you don’t already have one, so you won’t have to remember to bring yours or the correct sort, just like with your No. 2 pencil.
Make sure your scientific calculator or graphing calculator is on the College Board’s list of approved gadgets, though, if you would rather bring your own. You will be placed apart from other test takers if your device includes characters that are one inch or larger or if it has an elevated display that other students may be able to see. Keep in mind that you are only permitted to use battery-operated, handheld calculators.
3. Test Will Now Adapt to You
Reading and Writing will be the first portion of the online SAT, while Math will be the second. Currently, the SAT consists of three sections: Literature, Writing and Language, and Math. Two components, referred to as modules, will be separated out of every section.
Before going on to the second module, you will have to respond to questions in the first. The second module’s questions, however, will vary for every test taker based on their performance on Calculator that is integrated into the testing application later in this post. Simply make sure it’s on the College Board’s list of approved gadgets if you would rather bring your own scientific or graphing calculator.
The SAT will be more individualized for you and more accurately measure your talents because of its new adaptive structure.
4. A Quicker and Shorter Exam
The updated digital exam will be substantially shorter, with fewer sections and a more flexible framework. This year’s digital SAT will last two hours and fourteen minutes, with more time to answer each question than the existing pencil-and-paper exam, which lasts about three hours.
The Reading and Writing portion, for instance, will feature shorter texts with only one question to respond to each. You’ll also be better able to focus on each question and have more time to answer it because the test’s questions will all be more straightforward and succinct.
5. You’ll Get Your Scores Back Sooner
Your SAT results will be available to you in days rather than weeks thanks to the new digital system. Having an early understanding of your performance will give you more time to choose which schools to receive your scores from. Additionally, you will have more time to prepare for the test as you can take the SAT later and still satisfy college application deadlines.
For those who intend to retake the SAT in order to get the best results, on the other hand, faster scoring is advantageous because it will save you time in determining whether another attempt is required.
6. Enhanced Security
The College Board occasionally cancels the test results of all the students who took the exam at the same time and place if the paper form of one test taker has been corrupted. Score reports have also been canceled and delayed as a result of test leaks and cheating scandals in previous years. However, the next online SAT will provide far higher security because each student will receive a unique digital test form that discourages answer sharing and reduces the likelihood of cancellation.
Let’s examine the new SAT’s content, structure, and timing now that you are aware of the main differences between the paper and digital versions.
New Digital Reading and Writing Section
The current SAT consists of a 35-minute Writing and Language (W&L) component with 44 questions and a 65-minute Reading section with 52 questions. The new digital SAT will include two modules, each lasting 32 minutes and consisting of 27 questions, in its combined Reading and Writing (R&W) Section.
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Reading and Writing Section
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Paper SAT
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Digital SAT
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Time allotted for the two sections/the entire section (in minutes)
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100
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64
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Number of modules
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2
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2
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Number of questions per module
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Reading: 52
R&W 1: 27
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W&L: 44
R&W 2: 27
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Time allotted per module (in minutes)
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Reading: 65
R&W 1: 32
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W&L: 35
R&W 2: 32
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Number of reading passages
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Reading: 5
R&W 1: 27
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W&L: 4
R&W 2: 27
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Word count of each reading passage
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500–700
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25–150
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Questions per reading passage
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10–11
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1
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Compared to the paper exam, the reading passages on the digital SAT will be shorter, and you will only have to respond to one question per passage rather than numerous ones. Just be warned that reading these condensed portions will be every bit as difficult, if not more so, than reading the longer ones that are now on the paper test.
The Reading, Writing, and Language parts of the SAT exam are organised based on the subjects covered in the selected passages. The five reading selections centre on literature, science, history, another topic related to history, and another issue related to science—often in that particular sequence. The four passages from Writing and Language centre on science, the humanities, history, and careers, however the order of emphasis varies.
Compared to the previous test, the new SAT will include a wider range of subjects, tenor, and style, with an increased number of questions from the humanities and a few additional poetry questions (mostly written by authors from the early 1900s and earlier). Instead of being arranged according to the reading topic, the passages and the questions that go with them will be classified according to the skill set that they are testing. Each digital SAT reading and writing module should evaluate the following abilities:
- Information and Ideas (12–14 questions): Utilize specifics from synopses, tables, and infographics to identify the primary idea, select the strongest proof for a claim, respond to comprehension queries, or deduce the most sensible course of action to finish an extract.
- Craft and Structure: 13–15 questions Define terms and phrases that crop up in lines of poetry or sentences of prose; assess the arguments made in sections; or make connections between the concepts in two snippets (e.g., figuring out if one notion builds upon the other or if two paragraphs are making similar or distinct claims).
- Expression of Ideas: 8–12 questions To select which of the answers achieves a certain aim (e.g., which answer reflects a comparison, or which answer represents a contrast), choose the transitional word or phrase that helps readers understand the author’s meaning. Alternatively, you can use a brief set of offered notes.
- Standard English Conventions (question 11–15): Select responses that demonstrate your proficiency with standard grammar and mechanics.
Each student will receive a unique test form, which means that the sequence and quantity of these questions will vary, according to the College Board.
New Digital Maths Section
A 25-minute No-Calculator section with 20 questions and a 55-minute Calculator section with 38 questions make up the Math section of the analog SAT. Calculators may be used during the whole math section of the new digital SAT format, which consists of 44 questions spread evenly over two modules and lasts 70 minutes.
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Math Section
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Paper SAT
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Digital SAT
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Time allotted for the entire section (in minutes)
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80
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70
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Number of modules
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2
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2
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Number of questions per module
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No Calculator: 20
Calculator: 38
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Stage 1: 22
Stage 2: 22
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Time allotted per module (in minutes)
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No Calculator: 25
Calculator: 55
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Stage 1: 35
Stage 2: 35
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Number of questions per type
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Multiple choice: 45
Grid-in/student-produced response: 13
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Multiple choice: 33
Grid-in/student-produced response: 11
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The reading component of the math portion of the digital SAT will no longer be tested. Some of the more challenging word problems in the Math section can be found in the paper edition. More succinct, direct questions that test your mathematical comprehension rather of your reading comprehension will be found in the online format.
While they have different names, the math areas covered in the digital SAT are identical to those covered on the paper test:
Algebra (previously called Heart of Algebra; 13–15 questions): Develop, analyze, or solve linear equations and inequalities as well as systems of equations.
Advanced Math (previously called Passport to Advanced Math; 13–15 questions): Create, interpret, or solve a variety of problem types, such as quadratic equations, polynomial operations, or absolute-value equations.
Problem Solving and Data Analysis (no name change; 5–7 questions): Answer prompts about ratios, rates, or proportions; convert units; calculate percentages; analyze data with one or two variables; or infer data and evaluate claims from statistics.
Geometry and Trigonometry (previously called Additional Topics in Math; 5–7 questions): Solve problems involving perimeter, area, or volume; angles, triangles, or trigonometry; and circles. The digital SAT will have nearly double the number of geometry and trigonometry questions as the paper version (15% of the section as opposed to the previous 8%).
Similar to the section on reading and writing, each student will receive a different set of prompts in a different order.
Two question formats are also included in these four topics:
Multiple choices: On the test, you will choose one option from a list of four options.
Student-produced, or grid-in, response: Rather than selecting a solution from a list of options, you will have to come up with your own and then enter your responses digit by digit.
You will not be allowed to use any other apps during the testing period on the updated standardized test. But there will be a ton of useful resources on the digital SAT platform to assist you in navigating the test. Let’s examine the fresh and improved elements of the examination.
Desmos Calculator
As long as it is an authorized device, you are permitted to bring your personal handheld calculator to the test if you possess one and use it frequently. You can utilize the Desmos graphing calculator during the entire Math part, though, as it is integrated within the Bluebook testing tool.
The Online Notepad
The test in Bluebook will not allow you to annotate graphs, charts, or diagrams. If you are the type of person who usually works through arithmetic questions by hand, the digital SAT offers an online notepad. If you would like, the proctor will supply paper; alternatively, you may bring a pen or pencil.
Nothing you do with scratch will be acknowledged. However, you may find it helpful to write out calculations or double-check your answers using the offered paper or the online notepad.
The Countdown Clock
You may keep track of how much time is left in each step of the digital SAT format by using the countdown timer located at the top of your testing screen. One option is to cover up the clock if it worries you. You will receive a notification at the end of the five-minute module, whether it is hidden or visible.
Mark-for-Review and Strikethrough Tools
Some standardized exams, like the GRE, had previous digital versions where test takers could only answer a question at a time and could not go back to answers they had already answered, even within the same section. On the other hand, you are able to navigate between questions on the digital SAT as long as they are part of the current module.
A feature that lets you highlight questions you want to go back to is also included in the new format:
This can be a great way to save time: after completing the simpler prompts, you can go back to the questions you tagged after finishing the more difficult ones. If you come across a prompt that is difficult for you, you can mark it and move on to other questions in the same stage.
You’ll see that you have the ability to cross out response choices that you know to be false. Therefore, you can mark the question for review, cross off the erroneous answers, and come back to it later when you have more time to consider it if you read through a question and can rule out even one or two of the four options but are having trouble deciding between the remaining options.
A Math Reference Popout
You won’t need to commit common formulas to memory for the math portion of the examination because you’ll have access to a reference popout during the exam. It contains helpful reminders on how to compute the volume of cylinders and cones, the hypotenuse of a right triangle, and the circumference or area of a circle.
Tips for Taking the Digital SAT
Familiarizing oneself with the latest digital SAT format is among the most crucial things you can do to get ready for the exam. Below are some of the tips to make yourself familiar with this
Practice Tests Can Help You Get Ready
If you intend to retake the digital SAT in order to get better scores, keep in mind that you will not be able to see how many questions you answered correctly or incorrectly in each section or how your score was determined as a result. This is due to the fact that every student receives a customised test that adjusts to their specific ability and has various weighted questions; your score isn’t determined solely by adding up the correct and incorrect answers. Additionally, no student will have access to the questions on their particular tests after leaving the exam due to the College Board’s intention to reuse questions from test to test in an effort to discourage cheating.
Use of Integrated Tools
For calculations and to plot notes or diagrams, unless you’re an instant math whiz, use the online notepad or the accompanying paper. When tackling more complicated problems, use the Desmos Calculator; but, if you are capable of solving difficulties without it, don’t waste time or energy on the calculator. If you need a fast review on common math formulas, don’t forget to pick the Reference icon.
It is possible to flag challenging tasks for later review after completing simpler ones in the Math and Reading and Writing areas.
Use the Elimination Process
The Strikethrough tool can be used to remove answers that you know are erroneous on multiple-choice questions because it is sometimes easier to recognize bad responses than to determine the appropriate ones. Perhaps by using a process of elimination, you arrive at the right decision. Moreover, selecting two options and then hazarding a guess increases your chances of winning points more than selecting at random from the four options because you only lose points for wrong responses.
You will not be able to utilise any real test to analyse which techniques worked or learn from your failures because you will not be privy to the questions on your customised SAT or know how your score was calculated. Therefore, you must improve your performance on your practice exams if you want to do better on the next real examination. When you study, try to replicate the actual test environment by finishing practice tests in a peaceful, distraction-free environment. You should also pay close attention to answer explanations, identify areas that require further practice, and record the tactics that help you come up with the right answers.
Double Check Your Work
If you complete a module earlier than expected, make sure you’ve chosen or put in the precise answers you meant to, and go back and review any questions you weren’t very sure about. You can also use the Desmos Calculator on the two Math courses to confirm that you answered questions on which you didn’t initially utilise the embedded device in a suitable manner. Additionally, be careful when entering your response to any grid-in or student-produced response questions as there is a higher chance of inaccuracy than with multiple-choice prompts.
Also Read:
Is the new digital SAT easier?
According to a test expert, the new format simplifies the exam. We are currently offering a new digital SAT for the first time. The test is more concise, flexible, and measures practical abilities. Although it’s simpler than previous iterations, one test specialist emphasises that the test is still challenging.
What is the layout of the digital SAT?
There are two areas on the digital SAT: maths and reading and writing. For a total of two hours and fourteen minutes, students have 64 minutes to finish the reading and writing portion and 70 minutes to do the math portion.
What are the changes in the digital SAT?
A new digital format, a shortened test period, and an integrated graphing calculator are among the modifications to the SAT. 16 January 2024, 11:16 a.m. Students will receive score reports from the digital assessments in a matter of days, as opposed to waiting weeks for results.
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