The SAT has entered the digital age! If you have a junior or senior, you’ve likely heard that the SAT is now offered in a digital format (starting in 2023 internationally and 2024 in the U.S.). But what exactly does that mean for your teen? In this article, we’ll explain the key changes in the new digital SAT, how those changes impact the testing experience, and why it matters for students and parents. Understanding these updates will help you better prepare your child for success on test day.

From Paper to Screen: The Format Shift

The most obvious change is that the SAT is no longer a paper-and-pencil exam (except for certain accommodations). Students now take it on a laptop or tablet, using the College Board’s secure application (Bluebook). Here are the highlights of this format change:

• Device use: Students can use their own device (school-issued or personal laptop, or tablet) or one provided at the test center. Taking the test on a familiar device can be comforting for many students. However, if using a personal device, make sure it’s fully charged and the Bluebook app is installed and updated prior to test day.

• On-screen tools: The digital interface includes useful tools like a built-in graphing calculator for the entire Math section, a countdown timer, highlight and annotation features for reading passages, and an automatic flag to mark questions for review. The built-in calculator is Desmos, a popular graphing calculator that many students already know how to use, and it’s available on all math question.

• No internet required during the test: The test is delivered through the app, which means once the test starts, it’s not streaming questions from the internet. If internet drops, the test isn’t interrupted. Answers are uploaded when connectivity is restored. This design adds reliability to the test process.

• Security and cheating prevention: Every student gets a unique version of the test, so cheating by looking at a neighbor’s screen is impractical. The digital format has enhanced security through these unique test forms, making score cancellations due to cheating less likely.

Shorter and More Efficient Testing

One of the best changes (ask any student!) is that the SAT is now shorter than the old version. The test time is about 2 hours 14 minutes, down from 3 hours (not including breaks). How did they cut nearly an hour while still measuring the same skills?

• Adaptive Testing: The digital SAT uses a multistage adaptive format. In simple terms, each section (Reading/Writing and Math) is divided into two modules. How a student performs on the first module will determine the difficulty level of the second module. If they do well initially, the second module becomes more challenging; if they struggle, the second module adjusts to slightly easier questions. This allows the test to home in on a student’s ability more efficiently, using fewer questions than a fixed test would need. The result? The test can be shorter while maintaining accuracy. For students, it means you answer fewer questions overall (98 questions on the digital SAT vs 154 on the old SAT) and get more time per question on average.

• More time per question: Because of the adaptive design and reduction in total questions, students have significantly more time for each question on the digital SAT than on the paper SAT or ACT. Specifically, about 1 minute and 20 seconds per question on average. This can reduce the feeling of being rushed. Many students will find they can finish sections with a bit more breathing room to check their work, as opposed to the race-against-the-clock feeling of the past.

• Fewer, shorter reading passages: Instead of long reading passages that had 10-11 questions each (as in the old SAT), the digital SAT gives many shorter passages – often just one paragraph – with a single question per passage. The content is still rich (literature, historical documents, sciences, etc.), but the questions are more focused. Students no longer have to read a lengthy passage and juggle a dozen questions; they can read a short blurb, answer a question, then move on. This can help students maintain concentration and not get lost in lengthy texts.

• No separate sections for Reading and Writing: The new “Reading and Writing” section intermixes reading comprehension and grammar/editing questions in one combined section. In practice, your teen might see a short passage and be asked a question about its main idea (a reading skill), and the next question might present a sentence with an underlined portion to edit for grammar (a writing skill). This integrated approach mirrors how we use language in the real world and keeps the test section dynamic.

Content and Scoring – Mostly the Same

It’s important to note that what the SAT measures hasn’t drastically changed. The digital SAT still tests the core areas of reading, writing (grammar and expression), and math – the same knowledge and skills that predict college success. The scoring is also on the same 1600 scale, with 800 for Reading/Writing and 800 for Math. So a 1300 on the digital SAT means essentially the same level of performance as a 1300 on the old SAT.

Some content tweaks to be aware of:

• Vocabulary in context: The days of testing obscure “SAT words” are long gone, and that remains true. The focus is on understanding words in context within a passage. The digital format might even make vocabulary questions a bit more straightforward – often a concise passage with one word highlighted to interpret in context.

• Math content: The math tested is still Algebra, Problem Solving & Data Analysis, Advanced Math (covering some algebra II and precalc concepts), and a bit of geometry/trigonometry. One change: since a calculator is allowed throughout, the test might include a few more complex calculations or graph interpretations, but overall, the math concepts are unchanged. Mental math and reasoning are still crucial; just because a calculator is available doesn’t mean the math section is about heavy number-crunching – the thinking skills are still front and center.

• No-Calculator vs Calculator: On the old SAT, there was a distinct no-calculator subsection. On the digital SAT, that’s gone – students can use the calculator for all math questions. This is student-friendly, as it reduces anxiety about simple arithmetic errors. However, don’t assume it makes the test automatically easier; the math section still requires knowing how to approach problems. It just means if arithmetic isn’t your teen’s strong suit, they have backup. (Tip: Advise them to practice using the Desmos calculator ahead of time if they plan to use it, so they’re familiar with its functions.)

• Writing & grammar: The Writing questions (grammar and usage) on the digital SAT often use very short passages (1-2 sentences) or single sentence items. They cover the same rules – punctuation, verb tense, sentence structure, etc. The change is mostly in presentation (no long passages to edit, as it used to be). Many students find these questions more digestible now, since they can focus on one sentence at a time.

So, from a content standpoint, parents can rest assured: if your child has been studying for the SAT using existing materials or school curricula, that knowledge is still relevant. The big changes are format and timing.

Why These Changes Matter for Students

The College Board’s aim with the digital SAT was to make the test more “student-friendly” and reflective of modern classrooms. Here’s why the changes are significant:

• Less fatigue, more focus: A shorter test means students don’t have to maintain peak concentration for nearly as long. Fatigue was a real factor in the 3-hour paper test – students would often fade in the last section. Now, with a roughly 2-hour exam, plus the streamlined questions, students often report feeling less exhausted. This can lead to better performance, as they are more alert for each question.
• Adaptive = more precise scores: The adaptive format is designed to zero in on a student’s skill level more efficiently. For high-achieving students, the benefit is that the test will give them sufficiently challenging questions to showcase their abilities .