On December 2nd, 2023, the world of standardized testing lost its oldest member. After 97 years, the paper SAT is officially no more, replaced with the new, shiny digital version. And on March 9, 2024, students all over the world took this test. The verdict? The test was too hard. The new adaptive feature of this test had made it so almost no one knew what they were doing, and the tests were incredibly different from practice tests provided by College Board. 

Paper SAT (1926-2023)

For 97 years, students took the SAT on paper. It contained four sections, two reading and two math. Students read texts, offered revisions for drafts, and answered math questions with and without calculators. That’s not to say that the SAT was the same for this entire time. In the 1920s, there was a period of two years where math was entirely removed from the SAT.  More recently, the SAT had an essay section, which was offered from 2005 to 2021.

But through this all, the SAT was still on paper. On December 2, 2023, the last paper SAT was taken, ending a nearly century long era.

Hannah’s Opinion

I was one of the students who took the last paper SAT.  I chose to take it earlier than I would’ve otherwise because, despite taking the digital PSAT a year after the paper PSAT, I still did better on the paper and I really like the paper College Board uses for tests.

The paper SAT had a number of benefits to it. Although the passages are longer, there are less of them, and there are more questions about each individual passage, allowing students to spend more time understanding each passage. Also, the passages are easier to annotate, because you can write notes directly on them, which is more natural than the digital SAT’s method of having you electronically highlight the passage. 

The math is also better. Being able to solve the problems right next to where they’re written is much easier, especially with word problems, where information in the problem beyond just the numbers is important for solving. 

And, of course, the paper SAT isn’t adaptive. Everyone is getting the same test, and a student's performance on one section doesn’t impact their questions on the next. For a standardized test, having everyone take the same test seems important. 

Of course, everyone has their own experiences. For some people, taking a test digitally is a better option. But removing the paper SAT entirely and moving to an adaptive digital SAT seems like a poor decision. Changing both the medium and the style of the test at once is, in my opinion, a poor decision by the College Board.

Digital SAT (2024-)

Believe it or not, the digital SAT is not actually taken on the College Board website. The exam is administered via Bluebook, an application created by the College Board that will also be used for AP exams, which have also switched to being digital. 

One of the first major changes made to the exam is the fact that the digital SAT is notably shorter at only two hours and fourteen minutes. According to College Board advisor Priscilla Rodriguez, the digital exam will be “easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” as it makes both the testing and grading process more efficient.

The exam still contains the standard four modules, but the format was adjusted significantly. For starters, the exam is adaptive. To elaborate, however a student performs on the first module of each section will determine the level of difficulty of the questions they see in their second module. If an individual performs poorly on the first module of math, they can expect to see relatively basic problems on the next module. 

Another adjustment made was in the timing of each module. Both reading and writing modules provide 32 questions to be completed in 27 minutes, and the math modules provide 22 questions to be answered in 35 minutes, which offers more time per question. 

As for the resources provided during the test, calculators are now permitted on both math sections of the digital SAT, and test-takers can access Desmos, an online graphing calculator,  from the Bluebook application itself. As for many digital assessments, questions can be bookmarked and reviewed prior to submitting. 

Students can also annotate reading passages digitally by highlighting them, but there are no more long passages. Rather, the exam contains 54 short passages in total—one per reading and writing questions.

Finally, the digital SAT is self-paced. While proctors will tell test-takers when to begin, the time that they have per module is ultimately determined by the digital clock, which starts when the test is opened and cannot be paused. This often means that students being administered the test in the same room will have slightly staggered start and end times. The exam clock even controls the ten minute break in between the two sections, starting immediately after the reading and writing section and beginning the math section after the time has elapsed. Students have the choice of whether or not they can see the clock on the screen, but they are unable to hide the clock once it reaches five minutes prior to the module closing.

Bela’s Opinion 

One aspect that bothered me was the fact that I could no longer use many free SAT materials to study. As a younger sibling, I have access to plenty of paper SAT practice material in my household. In both the Natick High library and other local libraries, students can access practice books. The free testing materials included four practice tests available on Bluebook and free practice questions from Khan Academy. However, I refuse to credit the College Board for these questions as these are from the generosity of Sal Khan himself. Yes, I could go to my local Barnes and Noble or onto Amazon to purchase study materials, but I resent the fact that I would have to pay yet another fee. 

 Furthermore, while the practice exams were a fantastic self-esteem boost, they did not feel indicative of the level of difficulty that would be on the actual SAT.  After lamenting my SAT score with my friends, it appeared that everyone I discussed the exam with scored significantly worse. After performing exceptionally on practice exams, we found ourselves in shock after taking the digital SAT. By no means would I complain about a score that I deserve, and it’s quite possible that I do, in fact, deserve the score I received. The purpose of practice exams are to indicate to an extent where a student is at, which allows them to prepare accordingly. If the practice tests provided are far easier than the exam itself, students do not have an accurate sense of where they are and therefore what areas they should focus upon. 

Side note: the actual SAT was the first time I ever scored better in reading and writing than I did in math. 

I also dislike the individualized timing feature. While I firmly believe that students should receive the maximum amount of time, there are inevitably going to be individuals who begin their exam before the proctor lets them know they are allowed to. There were test-takers in my room that were a full two or three minutes ahead of me, and it was incredibly disruptive. When these students finish their first two modules, their ten-minute break timer immediately begins while there are others in the room still being administered the exam. If there are multiple students leaving the room while others are still taking the test, it can be distracting, but these students who completed their exam earlier also deserve to use their limited break. 

Along with the timing itself, I truly resent the clock feature. During the paper SAT, the times would be written on the board, and the clock itself would be visible in the room. However, there would not be a timer being displayed on the whiteboard, as that would rouse distress and anxiety. I understand that students are able to hide the timer for the majority of their exam, but the fact that they are unable to conceal it during the last five minutes is absurd. These final minutes are the most stressful for students, and they should have the choice of whether or not they are constantly able to see that their time is running out. I felt so distracted by this feature that I actually folded a piece of my scrap paper over the clock on the screen. 

Whether or not you like the digital SAT, students who are planning to attend college should prepare themselves for taking it, especially considering the fact that schools are starting to remove their test-optional policies. Fortunately, the first DSAT was administered last month, so future test-takers can be more aware of the new features and challenges on the exam. 

Ultimately, the best way one can prepare for an exam like the SAT, whether paper or digital, is incremental studying as opposed to last-minute cramming. Booking your exam months in advance, taking a practice exam, and studying in the areas you are weak in will aid students in feeling confident on test day. It also goes without saying, but ensuring that you receive at least eight hours of sleep the night before is crucial.

Good luck on your exams!