Starting March 2023, The digital version of the SAT, called the “DIGITAL SAT” came into effect, replacing the old SAT paper-pencil test version. Originally designed as an aptitude test, the new DIGITAL SAT is a standardized test created and administered by the College Board. It is a multiple-choice, computer-administered test. The DIGITAL SAT comprises two sections: English (reading, writing, and language) and Math. The scores measure a student’s readiness for college and are strongly predictive of college performance. Past results indicate that students with higher SAT scores are more likely to have higher grades in college. Apart from universities in the US, many in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and a few in India employ SAT scores to award admissions and scholarships to undergraduate applicants.
TEST STRUCTURE
Each assessment in the digital SAT Suite has two sections: The Reading and Writing section and the Math section. Both the Reading and Writing and the Math sections are further divided into two equal-length and separately timed modules. Inbuilt calculators are allowed throughout the Math sections. Each Reading and Writing module lasts 32 minutes, while each Math module lasts 35 minutes. Thus, in every assessment, students have 64 minutes to complete Reading and Writing section and 70 minutes to complete the Math section. Also, when students complete the Reading and Writing section, they are moved to the Math section after a 10-minute break between the sections.
The sections are two-stage adaptive. The first module contains a broad mix of easy, medium, and hard questions. Based on how students perform in the first module, the questions in the second module will either be more difficult or less difficult. When time runs out on the first module of each section, the test delivery platform moves students to the second module. The test taker can move backward and forward among questions in each module before time runs out.
DETAILS OF DIGITAL SAT EXAM
| EXAM TYPE | Digital (Laptop or Tablet at a test centre) • Frequency: Usually 5 times a year |
| ACCEPTED BY | USA, India, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and many more. |
| SCORES | 1. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 200-800 2. Mathematics: 200-800 Total: 1600 |
| SCORE VALIDITY | Technically, there is no expiry date, but many universities do not accept scores that are older than 5 years. |
| TEST | 2 hours and 14 min (10-minute break between the sections) |
| RETAKE THE TEST | No limit placed on re-taking the test. |
| EXAM FEES | Registration Fee is $60, plus a $49 regional fee. |
| EXAM CENTRES | Surat, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi and many more— |
For latest updates and more visit: www.collegeboard.com
NEW DIGITAL SAT VS PAPER PATTERN TESTS
Old SAT Paper-Pencil Test | Digital SAT Test |
The test lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes. | The test length is shortened to 2 hours and 14 minutes. |
The test duration for the reading and writing sections is 100 minutes. | The test duration was shortened to 64 minutes for the reading and writing sections. |
The Reading has 5 passages with 52 questions (65 minutes). | Reading and writing are combined into one section (54 multiple-choice questions). Each section includes short passages and may contain informational graphics. |
Writing and language have four passages with 44 questions (35 min). | |
The test duration for the math section is 80 minutes. | The test duration for the math section is 70 minutes. |
No calculator section calculators with 15 multiple-choice questions + 5 student-produced response questions. | The calculator is allowed throughout the Math section. The math test section contains 33 multiple-choice questions + 11 student-produced response questions. All questions are intermixed. |
The calculator section has 30 multiple-choice questions + 8 student-produced response questions. |