The SAT Test Is Going Digital And Getting Shorter

SAT College Exams To Undergo Major Changes

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The College Board announced new changes to the SAT test that will help reduce the stress associated with the college entrance exam. Starting in 2024, the SAT test will be going all digital and will be shortened.

Currently, the test takes about three hours to complete. The new test will take about two hours and will cover "a wider range of topics that represent the works students read in college." The reading passages will be shorter, and students will be allowed to use a calculator on the math section of the exam.

"The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant," said Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of College Readiness Assessments at College Board. "We're not simply putting the current SAT on a digital platform -- we're taking full advantage of what delivering an assessment digitally makes possible. With input from educators and students, we are adapting to ensure we continue to meet their evolving needs."

The College Board also said it plans to get results to students much faster. Instead of waiting for weeks to get their scores, students should expect to get the results back in a couple of days. In addition, the results will also include "information and resources about local two-year college, workforce training programs, and career options."

The changes to the tests come as many colleges are phasing out SAT requirements for admission. According to the nonprofit organization FairTest, over 1,800 colleges will not require prospective students to submit results from standardized tests when they apply this year.

There was a significant drop in the number of students taking the SAT from 2020 to 2021. The College Board said that 2.2 million high schoolers who graduated in 2020 took the test, but in 2021, that number fell to 1.5 million. That number has rebounded with 1.7 million students who are set to graduate in 2022 taking the test.


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