Digital SAT Test
Preparation

Overview of the Digital SAT®

Taking the Digital SAT?

In March 2016, the SAT change was a better and more relevant version of the earlier massive vocabulary. Rolling out in 2023 abroad, the new Digital SAT is going to give the SAT a fresh guise. 

The Digital SAT is a standardized test used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The Digital SAT is a multiple-choice, computer-adaptive test administered by the College Board. The Digital SAT Suite uses Multistage Adaptive Testing (MST), meaning the Digital SAT Suite fairly and accurately measures the same things with a shorter, more highly secure test while preserving test reliability. 

Why is the Digital SAT important? 

1. Most four-year colleges require you to submit an admission test scores as part of your application. 
2. Many colleges publicize the average Digital SAT score of their admitted students. This allows you to see how your score compares with those of the students at the colleges you’re considering. 
3. Some colleges and educational organizations award scholarship money to students based in part on Digital SAT scores.
4. By opting in to the Student Search Service® when you register for the Digital SAT, you can receive free information from colleges and scholarship programs. 
5. It focuses on the skills needed for college.  

Structure of Digital SAT

The Digital SAT is composed of two sections: Reading and Writing, and Math. Students have 64 minutes to complete the Reading and Writing section and 70 minutes to complete the Math section for a total of 2 hours and 14 minutes. 

Each section is divided into 2 equal-length modules, and there is a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing section and the Math section. The first module of each section contains a broad mix of easy, medium, and hard questions. Based on how students perform on the first module, the second module of questions will either be more difficult or less difficult. 

 

Compared to the ACT®, the Digital SAT provides 68% more time per question: 

 Format

 Reading and Writing (RW) Section 

 Math Section 

 Test length (number of operational and pretest questions) 

1st module: 25 operational   questions and 2 pretest questions 2nd module: 25 operational questions and 2 pretest questions 

1st module: 20 operational   questions and 2 pretest questions
2nd module: 20 operational questions and 2 pretest questions 

 Time per stage

1st module: 32 minutes
2nd module: 32 minutes

 1st module: 35 minutes 
 2nd module: 35 minutes 

 Total number of questions 

 54 Questions 

 44 Questions 

 Total time allotted 

 64 minutes

 70 minutes 

 Question type(s) used

 Four-option multiple-choice 

 Four-option multiple choice   (≈75%) and student-produced response



 

 




You’ve prepared for this day, and it’s finally here: time to take the real SAT. Here’s how to study for the 
SAT, let’s go over what you need to know about test day with some last-minute SAT tips
 

SAT practice: THE NIGHT BEFORE THE TEST

1. Take it Easy
There are two ways you can mess this up. One is to go out, party, and stay up late. The other is to spend 
the night cramming! Whatever prep you do the night before the SAT will have very little effect on your 
score. You’re better off taking it easy. If you insist on studying the day before, limit it to 30 minutes. 
Otherwise, chill out and do something relaxing like watching your favorite TV show, hanging out at your 
friend’s home (but coming home at a reasonable hour), or going out for a walk. Yes, even playing video 
games the night before the SAT is highly recommended – just not more than an hour or so, though!
 
2. Pack Your Bag
It’s a good idea to pack your belongings the night before, so you don’t risk forgetting something in the 
morning. Here’s what you have to bring: 
  1. Your fully charged testing device with the Bluebook application installed and exam setup completed.
  2. Your up-to-date admission ticket from the Bluebook app. Bringing a printed ticket is preferred, and you can access the ticket after completing exam setup (available starting 5 days before the test).
  3. Acceptable photo ID. This must be a physical document, not electronic.
  4. Pencils or pens for scratch work.
  5. Your College Board username and password.
  6. An acceptable calculator for use on the Math section of the test (there will be an embedded calculator you can use within Bluebook and toggle between scientific or graphing options).
And here’s a few more things we recommend:
 
  1. A watch without an audible alarm. (The Bluebook application has a built-in timer that tells you exactly how much time you have left, but you might still want to time your break.)
  2. A charging cable or portable charger.
  3. A bag or backpack.
  4. A drink or snacks (for your break).
  5. A backup testing device.
 
3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep is a great SAT strategy
You’re probably tired after a week of school, so use that to your advantage! Hit the sack at a reasonable hour so you can be well-rested for test day – no video games or movie watching until 2am! Believe it or not, sleep plays a huge role in your memory and ability to perform academic tasks. The best thing you can do for your brain is to get plenty of sleep! However, don’t try to go to sleep too much earlier than usual, or you might have trouble falling asleep.
 

THE MORNING OF THE TEST: Other SAT strategies

1. Wake Up!
It’s a bad idea to roll out of bed and go straight to a 65-minute reading section. Instead, allow yourself plenty of time to get up and get ready before you have to leave. Once your alarm goes off, help yourself wake up completely by taking a shower. You want to be completely awake before you leave!
 
2. Get Your Heart Pumping
It’s a great idea to do a little exercise before you leave home on test day. Exercising gets your heart pumping, which in turn will send oxygen to your brain. The better shape your brain is in, the better you will do on the test! Consider doing 10-15 minutes of push-ups, jumping jacks, or any other exercise that will increase your heart rate.
 
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Reach for a bowl of oatmeal, fruit, or granola instead of a doughnut or sugary cereal. You won’t be able to eat another meal for at least three hours, and you don’t want to be distracted by your stomach growling during the test.
 
4. Stick with Your Routine
If you normally drink coffee or tea before school, it’s okay to have your usual amount before the test. However, if it’s not a normal part of your routine, don’t try it out on test day. Caffeine can affect people differently, and you don’t want to risk feeling sick or jittery. The same goes for energy drinks and any kind of medicine.
 
AT THE TESTING CENTER: More SAT Tips
 
1. Leave Early
Allow plenty of time to get to the testing center. If it’s somewhere you’ve never been before, it may be a good idea to drive there in the days before the test so you know where it is. Typically, you must arrive between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m. However, check your admission ticket to be sure. The testing center may be crowded, so allow enough time to park, if needed, and sign in.
 
2. The Proctor
Your testing room will have a proctor whose job is to assist with launching the test on your device, keep track of time, and make sure all rules are being followed. Some proctors read every word of the instructions, while others breeze through them. It’s best to be familiar with the instructions for the test before going in so that this isn’t left to chance. Proctors often give 5-minute warnings near the end of every section, but this doesn’t always happen. However, the timer at the top of the screen shows remaining time and alerts you when 5 minutes remain.
 
3. Breaks
You’ll get a 10-minute break. Use it to your advantage! Don’t be the person who just sits in the testing room waiting for the test to start again. Go out in the hallway, go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, eat your snack, socialize with your friends (but don’t talk about the test). You want to come in feeling refreshed and ready to move on to the next section. Just like we recommended for before the test, even a little bit of movement from getting up and walking around will increase your blood flow and help your brain feel rejuvenated to get through the next portion of the test.
 
4. Cheating
This goes without saying, but don’t try to cheat! This includes going back to previous sections or moving ahead to the next section before you’re allowed to, as well as communicating with other students about the test. The College Board is extremely strict about security, so don’t do anything that could be perceived as attempting to cheat, either.
 
5. Testing Irregularities
You can expect that the testing room may not be the most comfortable environment. Chances are you will hear some noise, whether it is coughing, conversation in the hallway, buzzing lights, and so on. If the distraction becomes severe, report it to your proctor to see whether anything can be done. If anything dramatic happens that severely affects your concentration or timing of the test, you must report it to the proctor before you leave the site.
 
COMMON SAT MYTHS: how to study for the SAT
 
1. You get 400 points just for signing your name
Actually, it’s not possible to score lower than 200 in each section, so yes, the minimum is 400, but that’s 
really like a zero, not a bonus 400 points.
 
2. Select A, B, C, or D on each question for a perfect score
 
3. If you don’t know, guess C
Every answer choice appears about ¼ of the time on the test, so C isn’t any more likely to be correct than any other option. It is a good strategy to guess the same letter for all the questions you don’t have time to do. But it doesn’t matter which letter you choose since they all should appear about the same amount.
 
4. There is a “better” curve on certain SAT dates throughout the year
We’ve checked, and there’s only a small difference in the scaled scores from test to test.
 
5. The SAT measures your intelligence
Nope. The only thing the SAT tests is how well you can take the SAT.
 
6. A great SAT score gets you into great schools
Standardized test scores are just one aspect of your college application. Every year, top colleges reject students with excellent SAT scores. Your transcript, recommendations, essays, and other parts of your application matter too!
 
NOW YOU’RE READY!
So try your best not to stress about the test. It’s just one part of your college application, and it doesn’t assess your intelligence or worth as a person. We hope you can go into the test feeling confident and well-prepared!

SAT®

With over 1.8 million test-takers per year, the SAT is the most well-known

The content on the SAT will be very similar to that which is on the ACT. The major difference is in how the concepts are tested and the steps students will have to take to solve problems correctly. Students will have to reason their way through this exam by tackling problems in a linear and sequential fashion. Your ability to process information quickly will be the key.
 

Changes You'll Love

Changes You Won't Love

• No penalty for wrong answers, so you don’t have to worry about losing points for wrong answers (Just    like on the ACT)
• Only 4 answer choices instead of 5 (Just like on the ACT)

• More familiar vocabulary, but you’ll need to know multiple definitions of those words

• Sayonara sentence completions!

• Questions require multiple steps to get an answer
• Reading passages include complex structure and vocabulary
• Foundational math skills are more important
• Reasoning and critical thinking skills are paramount
• You’ll have fewer but longer sections

 

Are My Scores Here Yet?

SAT scores are released in the College Board's online portal within 13 to 20 days after the test dates.
 

How Should I Prep for the SAT?

The SAT is a multiple-choice, computer-based test created and administered by the College Board, where speed and accuracy counts. Our Research and Development team are SAT experts. They have created world-class content for our new courses and online resources to help students navigate these changes and be prepared on test day.

 SAT is a trademark registered and owned by the College Board, which is not affi liated with, and does not endorse, this product [site].

 

Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. So which should you take?

It's all about the numbers. Some students end up scoring substantially higher on the SAT- others do better on the ACT. The Princeton Review ME offers a free assessment to help you determine which test is best for you. 


The SAT Exam is fully digital and section-adaptive, while the ACT offers a faster-paced format with optional Science and Writing sections.
 

ACT questions tend to be more straightforward.

ACT questions are generally more straightforward and direct than SAT questions, focusing on measuring learned school curriculum rather than complex reasoning or puzzle-solving. They are typically easier to understand on a first read, whereas SAT questions often require navigating tricky wording.

   

The ACT requires you to work faster, while the SAT gives you more time.
 

Yes, The ACT generally requires a faster working pace, while the digital SAT offers more time per question.


 

SAT Time Questions Minutes Per Question
Math 70 minutes 44 questions

1 minute

35 seconds

Reading 64 minutes 54 questions

1 minute

11 seconds


ACT Time Questions Minutes Per Question
English 35 minutes 50 questions 42 seconds
Math 50 minutes 45 questions 67 seconds
Reading 40 minutes 36 questions 67 seconds
Science 40 minutes 40 questions 1 minute

 

You can see that the ACT expects you to answer almost everything in less than a minute, while the SAT always gives you more time.

 

College admissions officers care about how you did on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, they're most concerned with your composite score. So if you're weak in one content area but strong in others, you could still end up with a very good ACT score.


 SAT is a trademark registered and owned by the College Board, which is not affi liated with, and does not endorse, this product [site].

 


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