Digital SAT FAQ ®

On January 25th, The College Board announced big changes that will be coming to the SAT® in
Spring 2024, including making the SAT a computer-based test. Here are some answers to questions
we’ve seen from students. parents, and counselors about The College Board’s big announcement.

Is the SAT going to be an online test?

No, the College Board very specifically announced that the SAT is becoming a digital test but NOT an online test. A
“custom-built digital exam application” has been developed to administer the Digital SAT.

Are students going to be able to take it at home?

No, the SAT will still be offered at testing centers. Students will still register for a specific site on a specific day, and
they will be proctored in-person. Even though students will be going to a testing center for their SAT
administration, they will now be taking the exam on a laptop or tablet.

Does that mean students can take the Digital SAT on their own laptop or tablet?
Yes, you will be allowed to bring your own device to a testing center. The College Board has said that students who
do not have their own device will have one provided by their school or by The College Board themselves.

What will happen if the internet goes out during a Digital SAT administration?
The College Board has guaranteed their digital exam application will continue functioning even if a student loses
internet connectivity in the middle of a test. The test will also be saved if a student’s device runs out of power.
Students should be able to plug in to a power source and pick up where they left off.

Will The College Board be placing the current test into a digital format?
No, the SAT is also getting an overhaul. The test is going from three hours to two hours, and the questions
themselves are getting retooled to streamline the test. The SAT will cover the same material and still be mostly
multiple-choice questions. Most importantly, the SAT is becoming a Computer Adaptive Test.

What does a "Computer Adaptive Test" mean?

A computer adaptive test is one that presents questions of varying levels of difficulty to students based on their
performance on previous questions. This will allow the College Board to provide unique tests to each student,
increasing test security.

Should students start prepping now for the new Digital SAT?
No. In Summer 2022, the College Board will be releasing the full format for the exam, including number of
questions and section timing. In Fall 2022, the College Board will release full Practice Tests. The first International
administration of a Digital SAT will be in Spring 2023, and the DIgital SAT will be available to US students in Spring
2024.

What should students who struggle with computer based tests do?
Although the SAT is moving to a computer based format, it will still be a standardized test. And standardized
tests can be beaten. You will also still have the opportunity to take a Paper and Pencil format until Fall 2023, and
the ACT® is remaining a Paper and Pencil test for the immediate future.

For more information, visit PrincetonReview.com or call 800-2REVIEW

The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. SAT® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorses this product. ACT is a registered
trademark of ACT, Inc.