Digital SAT from 2023 – Impact On Students Applying For Foreign Universities

The Scholastic Assessment Test or SAT is going digital in 2023. Currently, a paper-based multiple-choice test, the SAT assesses a student’s proficiency in Math and English Reading and Writing. It provides crucial data to admission officers who evaluate thousands of students from different countries. 

The SAT is especially important for international students as there may not be enough understanding of how a national board compares with the US high school curriculum and other boards like Cambridge or International Baccalaureate. A high SAT score provides confidence in the student’s academic prowess and ability to succeed in college.  Over the years several colleges in India, Canada and Asia have acknowledged the importance of the SAT score and made it a mandatory part of their admissions. In January 2022, it was announced that from 2023, SAT will go digital. Several other changes were also announced which are covered below.

Test Duration

Currently, SAT is a three-hour test. In the new format, the test duration will go down to two hours. This will mean a lesser number of questions. However, it is expected that students will have more time per question which means a substantial reduction in the number of questions. The lesser number of questions will automatically lead to a greater weightage per question. In other words, students will lose more points per the wrong answer. 

Math Section

Currently, there are two parts of the Math section, (a) without a calculator and (b) with a calculator. In the new digital format, calculators will be permitted for the entire Math section. This will reduce the focus from calculation to choosing the right approach. The conceptual understanding will become more important, and the questions are likely to be harder than before. 

Reading Comprehension

In the current format, lengthy passages are provided within Reading Comprehension. Students need to answer multiple questions based on each passage. Due to the length of the passages, students need to re-read the passages. If a student does not grasp a particular passage, they may answer several questions incorrectly. In the new format, a larger number of shorter passages will be provided. It is expected that only one question will be based on each passage. This will shift the focus to analyzing the shorter passage for the relevant answer. 

Ease of Administration

The digital SAT will simplify the test administration. Currently, the question papers and the answer sheets need to be sent to the test centres. Upon completion, the filled answer sheets are sent back for evaluation. This involves a lot of planning and security. In the new digital format, it will be easier to ensure the secrecy and sanctity of the test. It may also be possible to offer the SAT several times during the year. Additionally, since the test is being administered online, it will be possible to provide the result within days instead of several weeks.

How should students appearing for SAT prepare?

We recommend that students that are appearing for Grade X in 2022 should plan on completing their SAT test in 2022. Students in India can appear for SAT in March, May, August, October and December. There is plenty of time for students to prepare well and to ace the test in 2022. 

The reason for our recommendation is that the current SAT format, difficulty level, scoring and test pattern are well defined. In a six-month period, students can prepare and ace the SAT. There are plenty of test prep materials that students can use to prepare. 

With the new digital SAT, there will be a period of transition. While the SAT is currently scored out of 1600, in the new version the maximum marks may be different. The preparation required for the new format will change substantially. Students that will appear for SAT in 2023, should strengthen their Math concepts. Similarly, in the Reading section, they will have more time available to analyze the passages. 

The admission rates for top universities are less than 5%. A good SAT score improves your chances for admission and scholarships and is a crucial part of your university application.