Moving into the digital age, the College Board has made the move to provide students with a new digital SAT and PSAT.

The College Board is trying to retool the exam that has stressed out millions of students in the face of questions about whether college admissions tests are fair, or even necessary.

A growing number of colleges have eliminated the requirement that applicants submit scores from the SAT or the competing ACT, and the trend of “test-optional” admissions accelerated greatly during the coronavirus pandemic. More than 1,800 schools did not require standardized test scores for 2022 admissions, according to the nonprofit organization FairTest.The number of SAT test takers declined from 2.2 million high schoolers who graduated in 2020 to 1.5 million in the class of 2021, according to the College Board. About 1.7 million students in the class of 2022 have taken the test to date.

Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of college readiness assessments for the College Board, said the changes would make the test more relevant.

“In a largely test-optional world, the SAT is a lower-stakes test in college admissions,” Ms. Rodriguez said in a statement. “Submitting a score is optional for every type of college, and we want the SAT to be the best possible option for students.”

When Will Students Take the Digital Test?

We will make the transition to the digital SAT at international test centers in March of 2023 and at U.S. schools and test centers in spring of 2024.

Most students take the SAT for the first time in spring of their junior year of high school.

• So students testing internationally in the class of 2024 will be the first to take the digital SAT.
• In the U.S., students in the high school class of 2025 will be the first class to take the digital test.

All students will take the digital PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT/NMSQT starting in fall 2023.

What’s Staying the Same

While the digital SAT Suite will bring a number of student- and educator-friendly changes, many important features of the SAT Suite will stay the same.

• Measures the Knowledge and Skills That Matter Most–The digital SAT Suite will continue to measure the knowledge and skills that students are learning in school and that matter most for college and career readiness.
• Scores Will Remain on the 1600 Scale–The SAT will be scored on the same 1600 scale and educators and students can continue to track growth across the suite over time.
• Take the SAT in School or a Test Center–The digital SAT will still be administered in a school or in a test center with a proctor present—not at home. 
• Free Practice for Everyone–Students will still have free world-class practice resources on Khan Academy® and full-length practice tests on the digital testing application.
• Connect Directly to Scholarship Opportunities–Students will continue to connect directly to scholarships.
• Accommodations for Those Who Receive Them–We’ll continue to support all students on test day.

What’s Changing

We’re not just putting the current SAT on a digital platform—we’re taking full advantage of what it means to deliver an assessment digitally.

• Take the SAT Suite on a Laptop or Tablet–Students can test on a personal device or a school-issued device. If students don’t have a device, we’ll provide one on test day.
• Shorter Test Experience–The SAT will take about two hours instead of there and feature shorter reading passages with one question tied to each.
• Faster Score Delivery–Students and educators will get the information they need to make key college decisions quicker.
• Calculators are Allowed on the Entire Math Section–A graphing calculator will be built into the testing app or students can bring their own.
• Students Get More Relevant Information–Digital score reports will also connect students to information on two-year colleges, careers, and workforce training programs.
• The Digital SAT Will Be More Secure–Each etudent will see a unique version of the test—and schools, districts, and states will have more flexibility in when to test.