Since its debut in 1926, the SAT has become a worldwide standardized test used for college applications, scholarships, and academic placements. Recently, the SAT has changed drastically in terms of its testing medium, structure, and types of questions.
The test is now computer adaptive and intends to give students a test that is customized by their performance while also being substantially shorter. In the United States, students taking PSAT-related assessments will take the test digitally in Fall 2023 to ensure students get to know the test before its released both nationally and internationally in Spring 2024.
College Board has stated there are two main reasons for the changes being made: It will be easier to take and give to students all over the world over an easily accessible platform, and to make the test more relevant, concise, and direct. “We’re not simply putting the current SAT on a digital platform. We’re taking full advantage of what delivering an assessment digitally makes possible,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of college readiness assessments at the College Board.
It’s easy for College Board to say the SAT is “easier,” but is this a new source of worry for students? Well, according to the statement released by College Board, we know that the SAT should now give students more time on average to answer questions. This not only makes the test-taking experience feel less rushed, but it also focuses on measuring skill over test taking speed. Going digital also means receiving scores quicker- scoring can be completed in a matter of days or weeks while making the process more secure. While for the paper and pencil SAT, if a single test is compromised, an entire group would be invalidated.
There are also lots of changes going on with the structure and formatting of the test itself. Instead of having separate Reading and Writing sections, they are now combined, allowing for an efficient measure of English Language Arts content, literacy knowledge, and skills. The new SAT also features a larger number of shorter passages instead of a few long ones to expose students to a wider range of topics they’ll likely encounter in college.
To the joy of many students (especially writers), the math section will allow calculators throughout the entire portion. They’ve also included a graphing calculator tool for students to use within the testing platform. This permits students to accurately reflect on how calculators are used in both schools and the real world. The new and improved math section will also feature more concise word problems in hopes of accommodating students who speak other languages.
While the changes made to the SAT make the test sound far easier, the SAT will continue to maintain the same levels of rigor in terms of complexity and academic disciplines. However, College Board has complied with feedback from the people, and have made necessary changes to the SAT in hopes to make the test equitable for each and every test-taker.
