One of the biggest updates to the SAT is the introduction of the new digital version in spring 2023 for students studying abroad and March 2024 for students in the United States. With this significant change, the exam style will be more in line with how students are already studying online, which should increase equity and decrease test-taking anxiety.
However, what is changing specifically? Beyond the switch from analog to new SAT digital format, there is a lot to learn. We'll cover all you need to know about the new SAT digital format including tips on how to prepare for digital SAT, in this article so you can prepare efficiently.
Important Variations in the New SAT Digital Format
There won't be many changes made to the new SAT digital format from the pencil-and-paper original. For instance, the exam will still evaluate the same fundamental skills, be graded on a 1600-point scale, require administration at a certified testing facility, and grant you the right to make accommodations such as extra time or assistive technology.
However, there will be a few significant changes with the new test that you should be prepared for. The six main distinctions between the new SAT digital format and present SAT versions are listed below.
Pencils and Paper are Being Replaced by Computers
Test takers have gone into complete panic when they realize they don't have the two No. 2 pencils they need for the paper exam. However, as the SAT will now be given entirely online under the new structure, bubble answer papers will soon be obsolete.
When you register, you have the option of using a computer in the testing center or bringing a laptop or tablet that you own or have borrowed from friends, family, or your place of education.
Your own device needs to be able to connect to Wi-Fi if you're bringing one. It must also have a specific amount of free space and be running one of the authorized operating systems; you can check the specs for various devices here. Lastly, the morning before the test, confirm that you have downloaded the Bluebook testing program and that your computer is properly charged.
You may also bring your own mouse, whether you're using one from the exam site/school or your own. Additionally, you can bring a keyboard if you're using a tablet; however, if you're using a laptop, you can't use an external keyboard. The only thing you'll need to do if you're using a computer given by the exam venue or school is make sure any additional guidance you want to bring is compatible.
The testing firm has you covered if you don't have access to a computer and can't borrow one on test day. You can request during registration that a College Board-issued computer be shipped to the testing location. Requests must be made at least 30 days prior to the exam date, and you must provide the name of an adult who can attest to your character, such as a teacher, counselor, adviser, or school administrator.
It's okay if you lose electricity or your Internet connection while taking the test! Your work is regularly saved by the online SAT Exam, so any progress you make will be preserved even when you disconnect.
Utilizing Calculators
Speaking of gadgets, only one of the two sections of the Math test on the print edition of the SAT currently permits the use of calculators. On the other hand, you can utilize a calculator for the whole Math portion on the digital SAT format. Similar to your No. 2 pencil, you won't have to worry about remembering to bring your calculator—or the appropriate kind—because, in the event that you don't already have one, the digital SAT offers one on screen.
For additional guidance, you can refer to specific SAT math section tips. We'll go into more detail regarding the Desmos Calculator that is included in the testing app later on in this post. If you would rather bring your own scientific calculator or graphing calculator, simply make sure it is on the College Board's list of approved gadgets. You may only use portable calculators that run on batteries, and if your gadget contains characters that are one inch or larger or a raised display that other students may be able to see, you will be sitting apart from other test takers.
Now, the Test Will Adjust to You
The current three portions of the online SAT exam—Reading, Writing and Language, and Math—will be reduced to two: Reading and Writing will be the first subject, and Math will be the second. We'll further split each section into two sections, or modules.
Prior to going on to the second module, you will respond to questions in the first one. However, each test taker's second module questions will vary based on how they did in the first module.
The digital SAT will be better suited to your specific demands and more accurately evaluate your skills because of its new adaptable structure.
A Shorter Exam
The new digital test will be much shorter, with fewer components and a more flexible framework. While the present paper-and-pen exam takes about three hours, the digital SAT will only take two hours and fourteen minutes, giving you extra time to complete each question.
In the Reading and Writing portion, for instance, the paragraphs will be shorter and each one will only require you to respond to one question. Additionally, since all of the test's questions will be shorter and more direct, you'll be able to focus on each one and have more time to respond to it.
Your Scores will be Displayed Sooner
Your SAT results will be sent to you in days rather than weeks with the new digital format. You'll have more time to choose which test results to send to which institutions if you know how you did sooner. Additionally, it implies that you can take the SAT later and still get admitted to colleges on schedule, giving you additional time to prepare for the exam.
On the other hand, expedited scoring is advantageous if you intend to retake the SAT in order to get the best marks possible because you won't have to wait as long to see if you need to try again.
Enhanced Safety
The College Board will occasionally void the 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. Furthermore, score reports have been canceled and delayed as a result of test leaks and cheating scandals in recent years. However, the new online SAT exam will provide far higher security because each student will receive a unique digital test form, which discourages answer sharing and reduces the likelihood of cancellation.
Timing and Content of the Digital SAT
Now that you are aware of the main distinctions between the SAT's paper and digital editions, let's examine the new test's format, scheduling, and substance.
The Section on Reading and Writing
A 65-minute reading section with 52 questions and a 35-minute writing and language (W&L) section with 44 questions comprise the current SAT. Two modules, each lasting 32 minutes and consisting of 27 questions, will make up the new digital SAT's combined Reading and Writing (R&W) Section.
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 organized based on the subjects covered in the selected texts. The five reading selections center 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 center on science, the humanities, history, and careers, however the order of emphasis varies.
Compared to the analog test, the new SAT digital format 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): Determine the core idea, select the strongest evidence to support a point, respond to comprehension questions, or deduce the most logical method to finish an excerpt using details from succinct texts, tables, and infographics.
Craft and Structure (13–15 questions): Define terms and phrases that occur in sentences or lines of poetry, assess the arguments made in passages, and make connections between the concepts in two extracts (e.g., figuring out if a paragraph makes statements that are similar or different from one another or if one notion builds on another).
Expression of Ideas (8–12 questions): Choose the transitional word or phrase that best conveys the author's meaning to the reader, or utilize the brief annotations supplied to determine which response best serves a certain objective (e.g., indicating which response offers a contrast or a comparison).
Standard English Conventions (11–15 questions): Select responses that demonstrate your familiarity with standard grammar and mechanics.
The Section on Math
The math portion of the SAT is divided into two sections: a 25-minute section with 20 problems in the No-Calculator and a 55-minute section with 38 questions in the Calculator. The Math portion of the new digital SAT format will consist of 44 questions spread evenly over two modules, lasting 70 minutes, and allow you to use a calculator the entire time.
The math portion of the digital SAT will no longer assess reading comprehension. Sometimes the math component on paper has more difficult-to-understand word problems. Instead, the online format will have shorter, clearer questions that test your understanding of mathematics rather than your reading comprehension.
The math subjects included in the paper test and the digital SAT are still the same, however they have different names:
Algebra (formerly known as Heart of Algebra; 13–15 questions): Create, examine, or resolve equation systems and linear equations.
Advanced Math (formerly Passport to Advanced Math; 13–15 questions): Solve a range of problems, including absolute-value equations, polynomial operations, and quadratic equations.
Problem solving and data analysis (same name, 5-7 questions): Respond to questions regarding proportions, rates, or ratios; convert units; compute percentages; examine data involving one or two variables; or extrapolate information and assess statistical assertions.
Trigonometry and geometry (formerly known as Additional Topics in Math; problems 5-7): Solve issues with angles, triangles, or trigonometry; circles; perimeter, area, or volume. 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%).
Instruments Included in the New SAT
You will not be permitted to use any other apps during the testing period on the updated standardized test. To assist you in navigating the test, a number of useful tools will be available on the digital SAT platform. Let's examine the recently added and modified components of the test.
The Calculator on Screen for Desmos
If your personal handheld calculator is a permitted device, you may bring it to the test if you own one and use it frequently. However, a graphing calculator called Desmos is integrated within the Bluebook testing application, which you can utilize for the full Math section. You can locate the x- and y-intercepts, plot points, graph lines and curves, and do a number of other calculations using it.
If you intend to utilize the Desmos calculator, acquaint yourself with its many features well in advance of test day by playing around with it online and during practice exams. You should also test out the enhanced accessibility capabilities of the integrated onscreen device, such as compatibility with screen readers and other assistive devices.
The Digital Notepad
You will not be allowed to annotate graphs, charts, or diagrams in the Bluebook exam. Nevertheless, if you find yourself starting arithmetic questions from scratch, the digital SAT includes an online notebook. On the other hand, if you bring a pen or pencil, the proctor will supply paper upon request.
No credit will be given to you for any of your scratch work. However, if you want to double-check your answers or sketch out calculations, you can utilize the provided paper or the online notebook.
The Timer for Delay
You can see how much time is left in each stage of the digital SAT format by looking at the countdown timer at the top of your screen. You can decide to hide the clock if it worries you. You will be notified when you have five minutes left on the module, whether it is visible or not.
Tools for Mark-for-Review and Strikethrough
Test takers were forced to respond to each question individually in the past on digital versions of some standardized examinations, like the GRE. You were not allowed to go back and review previous questions, not even within the same section. On the other hand, as long as the questions are part of the current module, you can jump around between them on the digital SAT.
This can save you a ton of 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 go on to the others 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 Pop Out Reference to Math
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 pop out 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.
Advice for Taking the Digital SAT
One of the most crucial things you can do to get ready for the test is to familiarize yourself with the new digital SAT format. Here are some additional pointers for using the online SAT.
Utilize Practice Exams to Get Ready
If you intend to retake the digital SAT in order to get better scores, bear 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 customized 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.
You will not be able to utilize any real exam to analyze which techniques worked or learn from your mistakes because you will not be privy to the questions on your customized 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. Consider enrolling in SAT prep classes to enhance your preparation and maximize your scores
Concentrate on Working Accurately but Quickly
Your objective on exam day should be to simply answer as many questions accurately as you can in the allocated time, as each question has a different weight.
To maximize efficiency, commit the instructions for every kind of prompt to memory in advance so that you can start working on the exam questions right away. However, thoroughly study each reading passage and math question to ensure that you understand the question and what to consider before responding.
Use the Integrated Tools
Use the provided paper or the online notepad to perform calculations and draw out notes or diagrams, unless you're an expert mathematician. If you can confidently solve problems without the calculator, don't waste time by utilizing it; instead, use the Desmos Calculator to solve more complex problems. Additionally, if you only need a fast refresher on popular math formulae, don't forget to select the Reference icon.
Remember that you can mark challenging tasks for review and return to them after working through simpler ones in the Math and Reading and Writing sections.
Apply the Elimination Process
Use the Strikethrough tool to cross out the answers you know are incorrect on multiple-choice questions because it can often be simpler to spot incorrect answers than accurate ones. Through a process of elimination, you may get to the right decision. Furthermore, limiting your options to two and then hazard guessing increases your chances of gaining points compared to selecting at random from all four options because you only lose points for wrong responses.
Verify and Proofread Your Work Again
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 utilize 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.
High school students in the US and around the world frequently take the SAT, or Scholastic Assessment Test, as a part of their college application process. Even though the SAT is an important component of college admissions, many students find it difficult, exhausting, and tiring. By giving a thorough rundown of the exam's pattern and scoring system, clarifying what is being tested, and providing insights on proven study strategies, this site aims to make the SAT easier to take up.
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