The New Digital SAT: Everything You Need to Know

The SAT is adapting to the changing world by going digital. The College Board recently announced that the SAT will be administered online starting in 2024. The transition to the digital SAT test will be made at international test centers in March of 2023 and at U.S. schools and test centers in spring of 2024. The digital SAT will take place in a school or in a test center, not at home.

The New Digital SAT: What’s Changing

This means that the class of 2025 and beyond will be taking the SAT on computers. And, the switch to computers is not the only aspect of the test that’s changing:

  • Calculators will now be allowed on the entire math section.
  • The reading section will feature shorter passages with only one question per passage.
  • Schools and students will have more options for test dates.
  • Each student will take a unique test, and the whole test will be around two hours instead of three.
  • Scores will be made available in days instead of weeks.
  • The digital test will have virtual scratch paper, and students will also be provided with paper scratch paper. They can bring a pen or pencil.

Despite these differences, the digital test will otherwise be very similar to the current paper SAT, as it will still be scored on a 400-1600 scale and will test the same reading, writing, and math concepts. Accommodations will still be available to those who are approved for them, and free practice materials will be available before the exams. The first digital PSAT in the 2-hour format will be administered in the fall of 2023, so students in the class of 2025 have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the digital format before taking the digital SAT. You can visit the College Board digital SAT website for more information or to view frequently asked questions.

Timeline for digital SAT

Source: CollegeBoard.org

 

Digital April School Day Tests 2022 — old 3-hour format, not the new 2-hour format

While these changes won’t take place for two more years, this year’s April School Day Test (2022), which takes place on April 13-15 and April 19-20, 2022 will also be administered digitally. However, the April 2022 School Day Test will be in the current 3-hour format, not the new two-hour format which will launch in 2024. A paper version will be available for schools who do not have the technical resources for digital testing, so students should ask their school administrators if they will be taking the 2022 April test digitally or on paper.

 

Browser Tools for the Digital SAT

These online tests will include browser tools such as an underlining tool, a widget for enlarging text, a “mark for review” button, virtual scratch paper (as well as paper scratch paper), and a reference sheet of basic math formulas. Students should bring their own College Board approved calculator and pencil, as usual, though they may also use the embedded graphing calculator on the digital test. A list of approved calculators and more features that students will have on this digital SAT School Day Test can be found at this link. Further, students and parents can preview the digital April SAT School Day Test here (just click on “guest user” and then “sign in”).

 

Digital PSATs

The new, shorter PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9 will be delivered digitally in 2023 and the PSAT 10 in 2024. Schools will have the option to administer the 2022 PSAT 8/9 digitally in the old format (for 8th and 9th graders), but they will need a contract with College Board to do so. Again, we recommend that students ask their schools about their planned method of administration (digital or paper) if students plan on taking the PSAT 8/9 this year.

As always, check the College Board Newsroom website to stay up to date on announcements regarding these tests. Good luck studying!

Susan Santucci is the founder of Ivy League Tutoring. She has a Master’s degree from Harvard and has been an SAT test prep expert and author for over 25 years. She’s helped thousands of students get into colleges, such as Princeton, Stanford, Brown, Yale, and MIT.