Is the digital SAT easier?

Since the test will become fully digital all over the world in 2024, will this format change make it easier for the students? Read further to find why this is unlikely to be beneficial for some students

According to a 2021 pilot study conducted by the College Board, 80% of students reported that taking the test digitally was less stressful than taking it on paper and pencil and 100% of educators have a positive opinion on this format. Therefore, in 2022, it was announced that digital SAT is going to be a permanent way to assess students.?

As per Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of College Readiness Assessments at College Board, “The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,”.The advantages to the digital SAT are many, and one of them is that it is now a shorter test with two sections and takes roughly about two hours instead of three hours with three sections in the traditional test. This will allow students to spend more time per question.?

Some other features that make it easier is that there are shorter passages with individual questions in the digital version compared to longer reading passages in the paper-and-pencil? test. So those of you who are tired of reading longer and irrelevant passages in the paper format will have a welcome change in this new test. For the Math section, there is an in-built calculator that will definitely help students.?

The scoring is the most significant change in the digital SAT. The performance of a candidate in the first section will trigger the system to create a second module that is either easy or difficult. The scoring scale, however, remains the same (as in out of 1600) as the traditional test.?

Since the test has gone digital, many believe the test has gotten easier. Has it though?

While the digital SAT creates the impression of an easy test, it is not introduced with the idea of making it easier than the paper-and-pencil test. Although the conciseness of the questions and the shorter time to complete the test makes it less stressful for the students, it means that this test is looking forward to testing the student’s skills and concept knowledge on a deeper level. The adaptive testing as mentioned earlier, makes it difficult for some students to face the second module as it totally depends on their learning. Our practice tests and study resources will help you organise your preparation and get the top scores in SAT. It is also important to learn how to use Bluebook and make sure you download the app to begin your practice.

Conclusion

The ease of the test totally depends on the students’ preparedness levels. At Unihawk, we ensure that you are fully prepared and start viewing it as a test that just gets easier the more you learn and practise on it. So, how do you feel about the digital SAT?