How the Digital SAT and College Application Trends Affect Your College Prep
Summary:
The SAT has undergone significant changes, including a shift to a digital format, impacting students' college preparation strategies. In addition to the digital SAT, other college application trends, such as increased early admission options and a surge in applications, are also influencing the college preparation landscape.
Key Points:
- The SAT has transitioned to a digital format, featuring a shorter duration, adaptive testing, and faster score reporting.
- Colleges are placing less emphasis on standardized tests, with more institutions going test-optional and focusing on GPA, extracurriculars, and other application components.
- Emerging college application trends include the rise of video submissions, increased use of early decision options, and the need for students to diversify their applications with unique experiences.
The SAT was created in 1926 (nearly 100 years ago!) as a means for college recruitment boards to gauge the intelligence of potential scholars. Differing from the ACT in its initial purpose, both tests are administered to assist college admission boards in selecting students who they believe will succeed at their university. Remarkably, the SAT was taken by more than 1.9 million students in the graduating high school class of 2023.
But things are changing. Most notably, the SAT went fully digital in the spring of 2023. But what does this mean for students? And, what other college application trends are on the horizon that will affect college preparation?
Let’s take a look.
What Does Digital Conversion Mean for SAT Takers?
There are numerous benefits to digitizing the SAT. For one, the test is now adaptive, meaning your tests will vary depending on the answers you give. This better reflects each student’s experiences and specific aptitudes. This also means that you can potentially take a varied version of the test each time you take it.
So, what does the updates to the test mean for incoming college students?
How Will These Changes Affect College Admissions?
The general content, difficulty, and scoring system of the SAT aren't changing. Thus, the difficulty level of the digital version of the SAT is essentially the same as the current version.
However, the way that colleges view the SAT (as well as the ACT) has changed significantly in recent years. Many colleges have gradually been putting less weight on standardized test scores and focusing more on other application components, such as GPA, high school classes, and extracurriculars.
Also, due to the pandemic, nearly every college became test optional, and hundreds of schools have chosen to remain test optional. If a school is test optional, that means you can choose if you want to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of your application. If you don't, the other components of your application will be weighted more heavily.
Regardless, let’s review the updates made to the SAT.
SAT Going Digital
It’s important to know the changes that the digital version of the SAT brings, so that you can make plans for yourself. The six key changes to the SAT are:
- It is now digital.
- It is shorter (2 hours instead of 3).
- You have more time to answer each question.
- Calculators are allowed for the entire math section.
- Reading passages will be shorter and more targeted.
- You'll get your scores back in days instead of weeks.
Beyond the top six key changes listed above, here is a complete list of the changes you can expect with the digital SAT.
| Type of Change | The Old SAT | What’s Changing | What It Means For You |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | Formerly administered in pencil-and-paper format. | The SAT is administered through an app called Bluebook on a laptop or tablet. | You can take the SAT at school or a testing center using a personal digital device, one borrowed from your school, or the College Board. The Bluebook is available for download beforehand. |
| Length | SAT lasted three hours. | The digital SAT will last for two hours and 14 minutes. | The SAT is now shorter by an hour. |
| Format 1 | SAT consisted of three sections: reading, writing and language, and math. | The digital SAT will consist of two sections: reading and writing, and math. | A more streamlined exam. |
| Format 2 | The SAT had four sections. | Both sections of the digital SAT will be divided into two modules. You will complete Module 1 before you can move on to Module 2 on both exam sections. | You won’t be able to skip back and forth between modules during the exam. |
| Format and Content 1 | The exam was unable to adapt to fit your knowledge and skills. | Adaptive testing generates an individualized digital SAT exam for you. | Your performance on Module 1 on both sections generates the questions you receive in Module 2. Every test taker’s exam will be different. |
| Format and Content 2 | Included both long and short reading passages, with sets of corresponding multiple questions. These did not explicitly focus on aligning with college material. | SAT reading passages will be shorter, and correspond with only one exam question. All questions will be more direct and concise. | Your exam performance will be a better reflection of your college and career readiness. |
| Tools and Rules — Math | Students’ exams were timed by a proctor. Reference sheets were included in the paper exam booklet. You could not use a graphing calculator. | Access now includes a digital countdown clock, a method to flag exam questions and come back to, a built-in graphing calculator (available for the entire section), and a digital reference sheet. | All exam tools will be housed in the Bluebook app to ensure a smoother exam experience. |
| Scoring | Score reports were delivered in a couple of weeks. | Official score reports are delivered much more quickly, likely within a few days of your exam date. | Obtaining scores more readily helps you decide quickly whether to send your score reports to colleges, or retake the SAT. |
| SAT Prep | You could download and take paper-and-pencil practice exams, but no app for digital practice was available. | Using your digital device and the Bluebook app, you’ll be able to take full-length practice SATs before your exam. | More targeted, individualized practice for the exam, and the need for adjustments so you're ready for adaptive testing. |
Other College Application Trends to Know
Beyond the digital updates to the SAT, there are a number of other changes that you can expect if applying to college soon. These include:
- The emergence of additional early admission options: Some schools are now choosing to adopt a second early decision option. Many times titled EDI and EDII, this means that if you don’t get into your original early decision school-of-choice, some schools now allow you to apply early decision to their school as a second choice.
- Increase in applications: A recent Common App Research Brief reveals a significant surge in college applications for the 2024-25 academic year. During the robust early application season, 836,679 first-year applicants applied to 834 participating colleges. This marks a 41% increase compared to recent years. This means a tougher competitive pool of applicants. Thus, students are seeking more inventive ways to diversity themselves.
- Video submissions and interviews: In the age of AI tools, colleges value authenticity more than ever. An excellent way to do this is through video submissions and interviews, which an increasing number of institutions are offering applicants. Many universities are also embracing third-party technology like InitialView. Similar to the Common App Personal Statement, InitialView allows you to create an introductory video that is sent to multiple schools simultaneously.
- Diverse opportunities for differentiation on the rise: How applicants get the attention of college application boards is evolving. Whether it’s unique extracurricular activities, job shadowing, mentoring, or participating in high school enrichment courses, students are getting the attention of college boards by demonstrating their keen interest in a wider variety of compelling ways.
Not to be outdone, the ACT is now in the process of going digital as well. Read more about that process here.
Digital updates to the SAT are a positive step in helping students get into the school that is right for them. In addition, other college application trends on the horizon are also enabling students to set themselves apart.
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