How Is The New Digital SAT Different From The Paper SAT? (Part 1)

/ The Learning Shack/

With technology constantly growing and evolving, it was only a matter of time before the Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT was bound to change its format as well.

Change can be scary, and the proof is in the deluge of questions I am getting about the new SAT exam: Why is the SAT going digital? What’s on it? Will it be much harder? How should I get ready? What are colleges saying about this?

For those of you who are worried about these changes, let’s take a minute to explore why the SAT is changing.

Why Is The SAT Going Digital?

While a new SAT format can be scary, digital tests are nothing new. Most students have been taking computer adaptive tests such as the SBAC and Star Tests since elementary students. In many cases, elementary and high school students have been gradually conditioned to become more comfortable with these exams without even realizing it. This is because of the nature of a computer adaptive test or CAT.

How Does A Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) Like The Digital SAT Work?

Computer adaptive tests are algorithm-based exams that change based on the users responses to the questions. Since a CAT is an adaptive test, it adapts or customizes exam questions in real time to the ability of each test taker. This eventually results in a different set of test questions for each person. As the test-taker answers more correct questions, the test will provide more challenging questions to answer. If they fail to answer a question correctly, an easier question is offered next. Eventually, the computer arrives at the ideal level of question for the exam-taker, and most of the questions remain at that adaptive level. In this way, the computer adaptive test is supposedly better suited to gauge an exam-taker’s or student’s ability than a traditional paper and pencil test, where all levels of difficulty are constantly offered to the test-taker.

What Are The Benefits Of A Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) Like The Digital SAT?

With any relatively new technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages. Some of the benefits of a computer adaptive test such as the digital SAT are:

  1. The test is faster to complete. Test-takers will spend less time testing, sometimes reducing testing time by as much as 50% compared to a traditional paper and pencil exam.

  2. Reduced testing costs. A shorter exam can translate into reduced test administration fees.

  3. Enhanced test security. Disclosing fewer items to each test-taker reduces the overall average risks. Potential problems such as cheating on an exam will be much more challenging to execute. This is because with computerized adaptive tests, each exam taker receives a unique test form with (hopefully) minimal overlap between these forms, making it difficult to cheat by answer copying during in-person test administrations.

  4. Reduced fatigue and boredom. Not having to answer every single easy and difficult question makes for a more enjoyable testing experience where the majority of questions are moderately challenging and tailored to the student.

What Are The Drawbacks Of A Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) Like The Digital SAT?

  1. Additional Stress. Test administration rules and procedures of computer adaptive tests are different compared to paper and pencil tests, and this can be problematic or stressful for some test-takers and students.

  2. No Question Review. Another important drawback of CATs is that an examinee is often not allowed to go back and change answers because the next questions are determined based on the previous answered questions.

  3. Cut-Off Scores Can Be Confusing. There is still some concern over how these tests are scored, and whether the cut-off scores that determine an exam-taker’s results are fair or accurate.

In Part 2 of this post we will examine the specific changes that have been made to the digital SAT and how it differs from the past iterations of the paper and pencil exam.

See you next time!