NEWS: SAT TO GO COMPLETELY DIGITAL IN 2024

According to a College Board announcement, both international and domestic students will be able to take the SAT(Scholastic Assessment Test) in a automated version in the following years. The exam has undergone improvements thanks to the new Automated format that make it more approachable and less intimidating for students. What does this entail for you, then? How is the automated exam changing? What remains constant? Read on for solutions!

Vice President of college readiness assessments at College Board Priscilla Rodriguez asserts that the automated exam will be “easier to take, easier to offer, and more relevant.”

“We’re not simply putting the current Scholastic Assessment Test on a automated platform,” she continued. “We’re taking full advantage of what delivering an assessment digitally makes possible. With input from educators and students, we are adapting to ensure we continue to meet their evolving needs.”

The exam was lengthened from three to two hours, with shorter passages covering a wider range of subjects and one question for each reading part. There will be a quicker delivery of results.

According to the College Board, the new modifications will provide schools more flexibility for when and how to conduct the exam. Rodriguez emphasized that “when we go automated, we will be able to give each student a customized version of the Scholastic Assessment Test.” She stated that this improves exam security and gives schools greater flexibility in how and when they administer the test. As more students take the exam throughout the school day, the flexibility will maintain opportunities accessible to more children.

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WHAT ARE THE CHANGES AS THE SAT MOVES TO DIGITAL?

In a statement released today, Bob Schaeffer, executive director of FairTest, a nonprofit that supports making the exams optional, claimed that the exam’s transition to automated is merely a “repackaging” of the test and does not appear to take the test’s critics’ concerns about its reliability or equity seriously.

“Transforming an unnecessary, biased, coachable, and poor predictor multiple-choice exam that few schools currently require from pencil-and-paper delivery to an electronic format does not magically transform it into a more accurate, fairer, or valid tool for assessing college readiness,” Schaeffer wrote.

Today, more than 1,800 colleges and universities have test-optional admissions rules, up from 1,000 just before to the pandemic, according to data from FairTest.

Although the exam’s format will change, many other aspects will not. Students who took the automated Scholastic Assessment Test were pleased with the minor adjustments that were made. These students’ testimonials speak of decreased stress, enthusiasm for the online test’s capabilities, and a quicker test-day experience. Six significant Scholastic Assessment Test revisions are listed below.

how you approach the exam
The automated exam will only be taken on a tablet or laptop, unlike the old paper-and-pencil form of the test. On the day of the test, if you don’t have a personal or institutional device, one will be provided (requests to borrow a College Board device must be made before test day).
how you approach the exam
reduced test duration
A notable addition to the new exam is a shortened examination duration. Due to reduced portions and a new section-adaptive test format, the automated exam will last two hours as opposed to three.
format for section-adaptive tests
The automated exam will more effectively test the same fundamental skills as the present Scholastic Assessment Test thanks to its section-adaptive style. There will be two separate “modules” or question sets for the verbal and math parts, respectively. The complexity of the second module will depend on how well you do on the first module. For instance, if you do well on the first math module, the second math module will include harder questions.
Calculators permitted in the mathematics section
You can use a calculator for the entire math part on the programmed exam. You have the option of using the onscreen graphing calculator that will be included in the testing software or bringing your own authorized calculator.
fewer and shorter readings
Shorter reading passages that are simpler to read and analyze will be included on the automated version of the exam. Each reading passage will be accompanied by a single question.
faster delivery of results
You won’t have to wait weeks to get your Scholastic Assessment Test score report; instead, you’ll get it digitally in a few days. As a result, you’ll have to wait less impatiently for the results and have more time to study your mistakes and retake the exam if you want a higher score.

WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED AS THE SAT GOES DIGITAL?

Although the automated Scholastic Assessment Test is expected to undergo several modifications, some essential aspects will not change.

What is evaluated on the exam automated?
First and foremost, the automated Scholastic Assessment Test will continue to assess the same crucial knowledge and abilities you have been gaining in class to gauge your readiness for a profession and higher education.
where the automated exam is offered
The automated exam can be taken in a classroom or testing facility with a proctor on hand. No alternative exists for taking the automated exam at home.
Scores on the test
The 1600 scale now used by the paper-and-pencil exam will be carried over to the automated version. This is critical since it will allow you to monitor your development over time. Between the automated exam and the paper-and-pencil version, there is a precise correlation of scores. As a result, a score of 1120 on the test’s automated edition has the same meaning as a score of 1120 on the test’s paper version.
Accommodations The College Board will keep assisting students who need accommodations for the Scholastic Assessment Test.

WHY IS THE SAT GOING DIGITAL?

There are several reasons that the Scholastic Assessment Test is moving to an adaptive automated format. The automated Scholastic Assessment Test will be more secure, as you (and every other student) will have a unique test. The adaptive nature of the digital exam will also allow you to have an accurate score in less time. Another added benefit is that you will have more time to answer each question. Overall, the automated exam will provide security and flexibility to schools and families around the world.

WHAT MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE TO THE SCORE REPORT?

While the score report will still contain all of the information you expect to see about performance and growth, there will be some practical additions. Upon taking the automated exam, your score report will connect you to information about workforce training programs and two-year colleges. Your interests, accomplishments, and goals will drive these connections.

WHAT ABOUT THE MATH SECTION'S FORMULAS?

There will be a reference page containing frequently used math formulas on the automated version of the Scholastic Assessment Test.

IS THE DIGITAL SAT EASIER?

Yes, according to students who have taken the test and College Board specialists, the automated Scholastic Assessment Test is simpler than the paper-and-pencil version. According to College Board’s Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of College Readiness Assessments, “the automated test will be easier to take, easier to offer, and more relevant.”

When will the SAT fully go to digital?

At foreign test centers, the switch to the digital test will happen in March 2023; in US schools and test centers, it will happen in the spring of 2024.

	PSAT	International SAT	U.S. SAT
Spring 2023	Paper-and-pencil	Digital	Paper-and-pencil
Fall 2023	Digital	Digital	Paper-and-pencil
Spring 2024	Digital	Digital	Digital

Meanwhile, the College Board asserts that the Scholastic Assessment Test is a “objective measure” of a student’s preparation for college. Additionally, according to its organizers, even if the test is voluntary, kids will still take it. According to a statement released this week by College Board officials, “when practically every college turned test optional during the epidemic, millions of students nevertheless took the Scholastic Assessment Test.” According to the organisation, students still want to take the test so they can submit their results if they do well.

The test is a lower-stakes test for college admissions in a world where most tests are optional. Every sort of college offers the option to submit a score, and we want the Scholastic Assessment Test to be the greatest choice for kids, said Rodriguez in a statement. No of where they attend high school, every student can access possibilities that will influence their lives and careers thanks to the Scholastic Assessment Test.

additional equity

“The move to a automated test format is long overdue,” said Jerome Lucido, a research professor at the USC Rossier School of Education, in an email interview with EdSurge. Automated testing will be more secure, he says, and the shorter format will also make the test “less of a mental grind.”

However, how colleges use exam scores in the decision-making process—and whether the shorter tests are valid—will determine if the changes will bring about more equity, argues Lucido. The validity of the tests will become known as they get administered, he said.

To improve equity, he said, colleges should not use “cut scores,” where the applications of students are not reviewed below a certain score level, and they should place the scores within the context of a student’s educational opportunities.