What’s the difference between SAT and Digital SAT exam?
Hello, this is TestGlider, the Global No.1 AI English Test Tutor, proven by 720,000 global users. Many students take the SAT to enter American universities. In 2024, the SAT has transitioned to a digital format. Many of our users have recently asked about the digital SAT.
Today, we will explain what the SAT is and investigate the changes in exam regulations, question types, and evaluation methods that come with the digital SAT.
① What is the SAT?
The SAT is a standardized test administered by the College Board for college admissions in the United States. A standardized test aims to provide a fair, valid, and reliable assessment.
② Digital SAT Evaluation Subjects
The section that the Digital SAT evaluates has been simplified to ‘Reading & Writing‘ and ‘Math‘. The SAT lasts 2 hours and 14 minutes, during which students answer 54 questions in the reading & writing section for 64 minutes and 44 questions in the math section for 70 minutes. There is a 10-minute break between the two sections, making the total exam time 134 minutes. The traditional SAT lasted 3 hours, but the exam time has been reduced with the digital SAT.
What else has changed significantly? Let’s find out together!
③ Digital SAT Changes
1) Changes in Exam Regulations
The most significant change is that the exam will be taken using electronic devices. Personal devices can be used if you download the Bluebook app in advance.
If you don’t have a personal device, there’s no need to worry. You can request a device in advance and receive it on the test day to take the SAT as usual. Even if you don’t plan to use your personal device at the test center, it’s still recommended to familiarize yourself with the Bluebook app and set up your device for the test environment.
※ Points to Note
Since you will take the exam using digital devices, you might think you can take it anywhere. However, you can still only take the Digital SAT at designated test centers. Also, if you need a device, be sure to request it in advance to receive it on the test day.
2) Changes in Question Types
In the Reading & Writing section, the range of topics has been broadened, while the length of passages has been reduced. Instead of long passages with multiple questions, the new format presents short passages with a single corresponding question. The vocabulary tested will focus on words commonly used in everyday life.
The Math section has also seen significant changes. Questions will now be simpler and more straightforward. Students can use calculators for all math questions. This has led to an increase in the number of students studying how to solve problems using calculators or learning various calculator functions.
3) Changes in Evaluation Methods
Most notably, the digital SAT has changed to an Adaptive Test. An Adaptive Test adjusts the difficulty of the next question based on how well people answer the current one. The digital SAT uses modules to adjust question difficulty. A module refers to a set of questions that make up the ‘Reading & Writing’ and ‘Math’ sections.
Exam takers will first answer questions in the first module, which contains a mix of easy and difficult questions. The difficulty of the second module will depend on how well they performed in the first module. If they do well on the first module, the second module will be more challenging. If not, the second module will be easier.
Difficult questions are weighted more heavily. Therefore, doing well on harder modules can earn you higher scores. This could provide a better opportunity for admission to top US universities.
In this post, we explored the changes brought by the digital SAT. The transition to an Adaptive Test has made studying more challenging for many students, as the difficulty of the next module depends on their performance. Despite this, there are still ways to practice for the digital SAT in a test-like environment.
To learn more about TestGlider’s new SAT service, check the link below!
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