The College Board announced last week that the full suite of SAT assessments will be going completely digital in the next two years.
The changes will begin in spring 2023 with the international SAT. All PSAT-related assessments will convert in fall 2023, and the U.S. school day and standard digital SAT will debut in spring 2024. Paper testing options will no longer be available after
the digital assessments launch.
“The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give and more relevant,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of college readiness assessments at the College Board, in the announcement from the company.
This change comes on the heels of a massive shift to test-optional admissions policies in light of the pandemic, and it has already prompted a number of reactions in the form of op-eds and social media commentary.
The College Board has indicated that it will not just be converting the current SAT. Instead, the company says it is taking advantage of new possibilities created via a digital platform.
Here is what we know about the changes coming to the SAT:
The monitored test will still need to be taken at school or in a test center. The test cannot be taken at home.
Test-takers can use their own laptop or tablet. If a student does not have access to a device, the College Board will provide one to the student for the test.
Test scores will be available in days, not weeks.
Score reports will be expanded to include information about four- and two-year colleges, scholarships, and workforce training options.
Each student may have a different exam with the digital option.
The test administration time will shrink from three hours to two hours.
Scores will remain on a 1600 scale.
Students will still be able to access free practice materials from Khan Academy.
Students will be able to use a calculator on all math questions. A calculator will be built into the testing application, but students will also have the option to bring their own.
The College Board piloted the digital SAT with students. Those students reported feeling less stressed about the test, and appreciating a more concise test as well as a built-in timer available on the screen, according to the College Board.
Test administrators should feel a reduced burden in preparing for a test event – no more securing and sorting test documents or preparing the finished test materials for submission.
The testing landscape has been in a state of flux since the pandemic began. College admissions processes associated with standardized testing continue to shift daily. There will be those who welcome these changes for students and those who continue to
believe these tests remain biased and create a barrier to opportunity for students.
NCAN will keep monitoring and reporting on changes to the testing landscape. We will also continue to listen to our members about how we can best advocate for equity in testing.
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