By now, you’ve probably heard the news: the SAT is going digital in March. But, as with all new things, this change brings unfamiliarity and even misinformation. So what should you know about the Digital SAT? Read on for info from our test prep experts.
1. The test is shorter!
This is great news for students. The Digital SAT is 2 hours and 14 minutes of working time, about an hour less than the former paper version.
2. Section difficulty is adaptive.
There are four modules on the test: two for Reading & Writing and two for Math. Students will take a medium-difficulty first module, and their performance on it will determine whether they get a lower or higher-difficulty second module. To reach a top score, students need to get to the higher-difficulty module two.
3. The test may feel easier, but it isn’t necessarily easier to score well on.
The shorter passages and overall time mean students often walk out feeling like it was an easier test. But, because it’s both shorter and adaptive, on average, the Digital SAT is just as difficult to score well on. It takes high accuracy to do well.
4. Reading and grammar are combined.
In the previous version, students saw one Reading and one Writing & Language (grammar) section. On the Digital SAT, reading comprehension and grammar are combined in the Reading & Writing section.
5. Math allows a calculator.
The previous paper SAT had one section that did not allow calculators and one that allowed calculators. Both Math modules on the new Digital SAT allow a calculator, and the test platform even includes a (very powerful!) built-in graphing calculator.
6. Scoring is complicated.
The scoring algorithm on the Digital SAT is complicated. Questions have varying point values, and two per module are unscored experimental questions that won’t count for the score. Different combinations of incorrect questions can also lead to differing point values off. The most important thing? Students should focus on accuracy and getting as many questions correct as possible!
7. Reading & writing passages are short and sweet.
Compared to the long, in-depth passages from the previous form, the Digital SAT passages tend to be 3–5 sentences. They vary in difficulty, with some tricky ones testing topics like poetry and data interpretation.
8. Math is heavy on Algebra.
The topics tested are similar to the previous version. Students will see geometry, data analysis, and trigonometry, but the heaviest emphasis will be on topics from Algebra I and Algebra II.
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