Beginning in March, all students in SWFL taking the SAT will take it in digital form. Previously, students took the test with paper and pencil. The digital format was implemented last Fall for the PSAT.
Here is a breakdown of the primary differences between the two test formats:
WHERE and WHEN
Students register for the test on the College Board website at www.satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat. The test must still be taken at a school or official test center. However, the possibility of more test dates and flexibility in test centers’ scheduling may make it easier for students to find a test date that fits their schedule and location.
COMPUTERS AND CALCULATORS
Students can bring their tablets or laptops or use those provided at the test site. It is beneficial for the student to bring their own device, as they will be more familiar with it and limited laptops will be available. Graphing calculators will also be built into the test, so students who feel comfortable using those can leave their own at home, but if they are not, it is recommended to bring their own. Students will still be provided with scratch paper and can use a pen/pencil to work on solutions as needed.
Before test day, students must download the Bluebook App to their testing device. They should make sure it is successfully installed and familiarize themselves with it.
VERBAL SECTION
The verbal section of the SAT will now have much shorter passages, mostly just a few sentences, as they are limited to how much text will fit on a computer screen. Students will answer only a single question about a short passage and then move on to another entirely different one. Doing some practice questions to get used to the format would be beneficial.
ADAPTIVE TESTING
A significant change with the digital SAT is the new adaptive testing model. Now, students will face different sets of questions based on the accuracy of how they answered the first module of each section. The students will receive two possible levels of questions, and the highest score possible on the SAT will be different based on which level of questions they get. Don’t be alarmed; it is not a sudden switch to much more difficult questions if you call the higher level for your second module. There is still a balance in the difficulty of the questions. Students must get many incorrect answers to get the “lower” level of questions. It also shouldn’t be looked at as a disadvantage. Instead of having these students struggle and lose time with more complex questions, they can focus their energy on questions more appropriate for their level. With this new model, everyone gets to take a shorter test and spend more time on each question.
NEW TOOLS
There are tools available in the digital format that can help students. Students should practice making use of these tools to test more efficiently.
Optional Countdown Clock – This feature can be hidden if the student prefers.
Answer Eliminator – a tool to eliminate answers students deem as incorrect from view so they can focus on the remaining answers.
Question Flag – Students can now flag questions within a section for further review.
Reference Sheet – consisting of standard formulas for math questions
TEST PREP
When searching for a test prep company, ask them how they have adapted their materials to the new format. The Collegeboard.org site has digital SAT prep materials available for free.
Ashley McNaughton is the founder of ACM College Consulting. www.acmcollegeconsulting.com.