SAT going digital in 2024

Posted May 3, 2022

By Jonas Hobson-Reeves

Staff Reporter

The SAT is moving to a digital format starting in 2023 internationally and 2024 in the U.S.

There are multiple changes that come along with the change in format such as a shortened version of the test, allowance of graphing calculators in the math portion, faster results, and adaptive questions that change difficulty based on your results.

One of the biggest driving factors towards making this change is the Coronavirus pandemic which caused difficulties in test taking for students and teachers alike. With this change, pilots conducted last year saw decreases in the stress, rigidity, and the overall length.

Some schools are trying to move away from using standardized testing altogether as an important factor, with more than 1,800 four year colleges announcing plans to make the test optional, which would change the decades-long dominance of standardized tests.

The College Board considered going digital once before, but decided not to over concerns of continued and uninterrupted internet access for three hours, so the SAT will now automatically save the test-taker's progress in the event of the loss of the internet or power.

“In a largely test-optional world, the SAT is a lower-stakes test in college admissions,” vice president of college readiness assessments for the College Board, Priscilla Rodriguez stated. “Submitting a score is optional for every type of college, and we want the SAT to be the best possible option for students.”