Your Guide to the Digital SAT
The SAT is now a computer adaptive test. This guide includes everything you need to know about the digital SAT, including an overview of the structure and content, an explanation of computer adaptive testing, and tips on how to practice for a digital test.
Here at Test Innovators, we’re very excited about the new digital SAT. Computer adaptive technology allows for a shorter, more targeted assessment, which leads to a more positive test-day experience. Our team has updated our SAT practice platform to reflect these changes. We now have 10 full-length, adaptive digital SAT practice tests and over 1,000 additional practice questions for the digital SAT. Learn more.
Table of Contents
Digital SAT Test Dates
International students have been taking the digital SAT since March 2023. For U.S. students, the first digital SAT test date is March 9, 2024.
The SAT is offered 7 times per year: in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. Some schools also administer the test for their students during the school day. You can take the SAT as many times as you want to. We recommend you plan on testing at least twice.
Learn more about upcoming SAT test dates and registration deadlines.
Format of the Digital SAT
The new SAT is a fully digital test, taken on a computer within College Board’s Bluebook App. Jump to the Technology section for more information about the testing application and approved devices.
The Digital SAT is 2 hours and 14 minutes long and has 98 questions. The length of the test is one of the most substantial changes to the SAT, as the new test is 46 minutes shorter and has 56 fewer questions than the old paper test. Click here to view a side-by-side comparison of the digital and paper SAT.
The Digital SAT has two sections: (1) a Reading and Writing section and (2) a Math section. Both sections are divided into two modules of equal length.
On test day, you start with Module 1 of the Reading and Writing section. You have 32 minutes to answer 27 questions. During this time, you can move freely around Module 1, but you can’t move onto Module 2 until your time is up.
Once your 32 minutes are up, you’re moved directly to Reading and Writing Module 2, where you have another 32 minutes to answer 27 more questions. During this time, you can move freely around Module 2, but you can’t go back to Module 1 or move onto the Math section. After Module 2 is over, you have a 10-minute break.
After the break, you start Module 1 of the Math section. You have 35 minutes to answer 22 questions. Once again, you can move freely around the module you are currently taking, but you can’t move ahead to the next module or go back to a previous module. When your 35 minutes are up, you move directly to Module 2, where you’ll have another 35 minutes to answer 22 more questions.
| SECTION | Module | TIME | NUMBER OF QUESTIONS |
|---|---|---|
|
Reading and Writing | Module 1 |
32 minutes |
27 questions |
|
Reading and Writing | Module 2
|
32 minutes |
27 questions
|
|
Break
|
10 minutes |
----
|
|
Math | Module 1
|
35 minutes |
22 questions |
|
Math | Module 2
|
35 minutes |
22 questions |
|
TOTAL
|
2 hours and 14 minutes (without the break) |
98 questions |
What are operational and pretest questions on the digital SAT?
Each Reading and Writing module contains 25 operational questions and 2 pretest questions, and each Math module contains 20 operational questions and 2 pretest questions.
“Operational questions” are questions that count towards your score. “Pretest questions,” also known as “experimental questions,” are questions that are being tested for future use. These questions do not count towards your score, but rather are used to check the quality of the question and collect data on difficulty. There won’t be a way to tell which questions are operational and which are pretest, so you should treat all questions as if they were scored.
Computer Adaptive Testing
A computer adaptive test adapts to your level as you take the test. Essentially, your performance determines which questions you see next.
There are various kinds of computer adaptive tests. The digital SAT is a section adaptive test, or more specifically “a multistage adaptive test in two stages.”
What does this mean? As mentioned above, the Reading and Writing Section and the Math section are each divided into two modules. Module 1 contains a broad distribution of easy, medium, and hard questions, with a medium average difficulty. Module 2 also contains a mixture of easy, medium, and hard questions. However, the average question difficulty is either harder or easier than Module 1, depending on your performance in Module 1.
In other words, students with a stronger performance in Module 1 will see questions targeted to a higher level of difficulty in Module 2.
What do these changes mean for me on test day?
The computer adaptive element is understandably a source of anxiety for many students. However, this new format could really have a positive impact on your test-day experience. For one, the computer adaptive model makes it possible to have a significantly shorter test. The new test is 46 minutes shorter and has 56 fewer questions. You also have more time per question on the digital test, which allows you to focus more on demonstrating your knowledge and less on demonstrating your test-taking speed.
Can I still skip questions and review previous questions on the digital SAT?
Yes. The digital SAT is not a question-by-question adaptive test. You can move around to any question within a module. However, you won’t be able to move onto the next module or go back to a previous module. For example, if you are in Module 1 of the Math section, you have 35 minutes to work on the 22 questions of that module in any order you choose. You cannot move onto Module 2 until your 35 minutes are up, and you cannot return to the Reading and Writing section.
Digital SAT Scores
The digital SAT is still scored on a 1600-point scale. You receive a score for the Reading and Writing section, a score for the Math section, and a total score. Section scores are calculated from your performance on both modules and translated into a number between 200 and 800. Your two section scores are added together to give you your total score, between 400 and 1600.
Are scores on the digital SAT and the paper SAT the same?
Yes. Digital and paper scores can be used side by side as a standard metric. College Board has conducted a number of studies to link the scaled scores on the digital SAT to the scaled scores on the current paper SAT. For example, a 1160 on the digital SAT is statistically equivalent to a 1160 on the paper SAT.
Technology for the Digital SAT
Students take the digital SAT on a computer within the Bluebook App, which is College Board’s digital testing application.
What tools and features are available in the Bluebook App?
- Timer: You can see how much time is left in the current module. You’ll get an alert when there are 5 minutes left.
- Answer choice elimination: You can eliminate the answer choices that you think are wrong.
- Flagging questions: You can flag questions that you would like to review later.
- Question menu: You can see which questions you’ve skipped or flagged for review and jump to any question in the module.
- Highlighting and annotation: In the Reading and Writing section, you can highlight and annotate text.
- Formula sheet: In the Math section, you’ll have access to a formula sheet.
- Calculator: In the Math section, you’ll have access to a built-in graphing calculator.
What type of device do I need for the digital SAT?
Students can use a variety of devices for the digital SAT, including personal laptops and iPads, school-owned desktops and laptops, and school-managed Chromebooks. Please visit College Board’s website for the most up-to-date list of approved devices and system requirements.
What if I don’t have a computer for the digital SAT?
Students who don’t have access to an approved device can borrow one from College Board. This option is available to both US and international students who are taking the test on a standard weekend test date. Students need to make the request to borrow a device during the registration process and must do so at least 30 days before the test date to allow time for shipping. Please refer to College Board’s website for more information about borrowing a device.
Can I bring my own calculator to the digital SAT?
Yes. The Bluebook App includes a built-in graphing calculator, but students may also bring their own approved calculator to use during the Math section. Please refer to College Board’s website for a list of approved calculators for the Digital SAT.
Accommodations on the Digital SAT
College Board remains committed to accessibility and continues to support the same range of accommodations that were available on the paper test, including extended time and double time. However, some of these accommodations are administered differently on the digital test. There’s also a new, linear paper version of the test for students with relevant accommodations.
The process for requesting accommodations has remained the same. You need to apply for accommodations and receive approval before you can register for the SAT with accommodations. This process can take up to 7 weeks, so it’s important to start as early as possible. Please visit College Board’s website to learn more about accommodations on the digital SAT.
The Reading and Writing Section
The entire Reading and Writing section is 64 minutes long and contains 54 multiple-choice questions, each with its own short passage or pair of passages.
The section is split into two modules, which are each 32 minutes long with 27 questions. Each module is organized by question type, so that questions testing similar skills are grouped together. Within each of these groups, the questions are arranged in order of increasing difficulty. The following question types appear on each module of the Reading and Writing section:
- Craft and structure: ~ 28% of the section | 13–15 questions overall
- Words in context
- Text structure and purpose
- Cross-text connections
- Information and ideas: ~ 26% of the section | 12–14 questions overall
- Central ideas and details
- Command of evidence
- Textual
- Quantitative
- Inferences
- Standard English conventions: ~26% of the section | 11–15 questions overall
- Boundaries
- Form, structure, and sense
- Expression of ideas: ~20% of the section | 8–12 questions overall
- Transitions
- Rhetorical synthesis
How long are the passages on the Digital SAT?
The passages are between 150 and 900 characters (that’s 25 to 150 words, assuming an average word length of 6 characters) and discuss a wide range of topics. Some passages also contain informational tables and graphs.
The Math Section
The entire Math section is 70 minutes long and has 44 questions. It is split into two modules, which are each 35 minutes long with 22 questions. Students have an average of 1 minute and 35 seconds to complete each Math question.
In each module, 75% percent of the questions are multiple-choice and 25% of the questions require student-produced responses. In other words, there are a total of 33 multiple-choice questions and 11 student-produced response questions.
Approximately 30% of the Math consists of in-context questions, also known as word problems. These questions have an average of 50 or fewer words per question.
Questions within each module are arranged roughly by order of difficulty with easier questions towards the beginning and harder questions towards the end.
What topics are covered on the Digital SAT Math?
The digital SAT Math section covers four broad content domains: (1) algebra, (2) advanced math, (3) problem solving and data analysis, and (4) geometry and trigonometry. Questions from each content domain appear in both modules.
The content domains are broken down into the following testing points:
- Algebra: ~ 35% of the section | 13–14 questions overall
- Linear equations in one variable
- Linear equations in two variables
- Linear functions
- Systems of two linear equations in two variables
- Linear inequalities in one or two variables
- Advanced math: ~ 35% of the section | 13–15 questions overall
- Equivalent expressions
- Nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables
- Nonlinear functions (such as quadratic, polynomial, exponential, absolute value, rational, radical, etc.)
- Problem solving and data analysis: ~ 15% | 5–7 questions
- Ratios, rates, proportional relationships, and units
- Percentages
- One-variable data: distributions and measures of center and spread
- Two-variable data: models and scatter plots
- Probability and conditional probability
- Inference from sample statistics and margin of error
- Evaluating statistical claims: observational studies and experiments
- Geometry and trigonometry: ~ 15% | 5–7 questions
- Area and volume
- Lines, angles, and triangles
- Right triangles and trigonometry
- Circles
Can I use a calculator on the digital SAT?
Yes. You can use a calculator on the entire Math section. Students can use the built-in calculator, or they can bring their own approved calculator. Please see the technology section for more information.
How to Prepare for the Digital SAT
Although the new digital SAT is quite different from the paper SAT, how to prepare is essentially the same. The key difference is that it’s imperative to practice on the computer because that’s how you’ll be taking the test.
Practicing for the digital SAT, like any test, can be broken down into three steps.
The Three Steps of Test Prep:
1. Take a full-length practice test.
Start by taking a full-length practice test. Be sure to simulate test-day conditions as much as possible, so no cellphones, TV, or other distractions. Practice tests help you get acquainted with the style and format of the test, and they serve as a diagnostic to help you identify what you need to work on and how much you need to improve to reach your goals.
2. Review the results.
Once you’ve taken the test, go through your results. Take note of what you did well and what you need to improve. Did you manage your time well? Were there patterns in the types of questions you missed?
It’s best to go through the test question by question and review the questions you missed, skipped, or guessed. Read the answer explanations to make sure you understand how to arrive at the correct answer, and make note of any concepts you need to review.
3. Target the areas that need work.
Once you’ve discovered what you need to improve, spend some time practicing those specific skills. Review relevant concepts, learn and practice key strategies, and complete targeted practice exercises that focus on a specific content area or question type.
When you’ve had some time to practice the areas that need work, take another full-length practice test and repeat the process. Keep repeating these three steps until test day.
Full-length Digital SAT Practice Tests are Essential
Authentic, full-length practice tests are key to practicing well and should serve as the backbone of your SAT preparation. Practice tests will help you get an accurate picture of the style, format, and demands of the test. You’ll go into the test with more confidence if you know exactly what to expect.
It’s important to simulate the test-day experience by taking timed practice tests in one sitting, so that you can get an accurate feel for timing and build up your endurance. While the new digital SAT is shorter with more time per question than the paper test, it’s still essential to get used to the demands of the test length and timing.
We have 10 full-length, adaptive practice tests for the digital SAT and over a thousand additional practice questions. Learn more.
Understanding the Content is Critical
The initial part of test prep focuses on getting acquainted with the test and learning key strategies for various question types. Familiarity with the style and format of the test is imperative and strategies can be very useful. However, focusing exclusively on these two areas is usually not enough to result in a meaningful change in your scores.
Mastery of the content is critical, and almost all students need some work in this area. There are strategies that can help when you encounter unfamiliar content, but there is a limit to how helpful they can be if you don’t understand the underlying material.
For example, if you don’t understand geometry, it will be difficult for you to answer roughly 15% of the questions on the Math section, which effectively puts a ceiling on your Math section score. By improving your understanding of geometry, you increase the number of questions you are able to answer, and therefore increase your score potential.
Identifying and studying the areas that you need to improve will help you increase your score potential and can result in meaningful changes to your overall performance.
When to Start Preparing for the SAT
You should start your SAT prep in the spring of your sophomore year or the following summer, so that you have ample time to prepare. Because you can take the SAT multiple times, it’s best to take your first test in the fall or early spring of your junior year. That way you have several opportunities to take the test again before applications are due.
If you haven’t started preparing, don’t fret. Taking a practice test is incredibly beneficial no matter when your test date is. Taking a full-length practice test will help you familiarize yourself with the SAT, so that you know what to expect on test day.
Originally published on December 15, 2022. Updated on February 26, 2024.
Sara Laszlo
Sara Laszlo has nearly ten years of experience in private tutoring and test preparation, with a special focus on helping students prepare for the SAT and ACT. An opera singer by training, Sara is especially interested in exploring better ways to practice and improve skills, whether musical or test-related. She holds a B.A. in Classical Civilization from Duke University and a Certificate of Merit in Voice from the New England Conservatory of Music.
