Devices for the Digital SAT

The College Board has recently updated the details about the devices requirements for the Digital SAT and Digital PSAT. The following types of computers/tablets are permitted:

–Windows laptop or tablet

–Mac laptop

–iPad

–School-managed Chromebook

I highly recommend that you purchase or borrow one of these devices before the actual test date for these two reasons:

  1. You can download the BlueBook App ahead of time and practice with it prior to the actual test. On test day, you will use the same application for the actual test.
  2. While the College Board will provide you with a device if you need it, you will have to apply for the device at least 30 days in advance to allow for shipping. You can make this request when you register for the Digital SAT. Even with this application, an adult reference (a school counselor or teacher) will need to fill out a questionnaire confirming you need the device. Given these obstacles to borrowing a device, you will be much better served by finding a device well in advance and practicing with it ahead of time.

Best of luck to those taking the first international Digital SAT on March 11th!

–Brian W. Stewart

New Digital PSAT Book

Digital PSAT Book by Brian W. Stewart

My brand new Digital PSAT book will be released on May 2, 2023. With millions of students taking the Digital PSAT for the first time in October of 2023, there is a great need for new material to help students prepare. This book has four full-length Digital PSAT practice tests, all aligned with the content and format of the new Digital PSAT. In addition, there are new strategy chapters and practice exercises to help students prepare for the many new types of Digital PSAT Reading and Writing questions they will encounter:

–Central Ideas and Details

–Textual Command of Evidence

–Quantitative Command of Evidence

–Inferences

–Words in Context

–Text Structure and Purpose

–Cross-Text Connections

–Rhetorical Synthesis

–Transitions

–Boundaries

–Form, Structure, and Sense.

Also, since the Digital PSAT and Digital SAT have the same format and question types, international students taking the Digital SAT this year can use this book to prepare.

–Brian W. Stewart

New Digital SAT Practice Tests

The College Board released four new non-adaptive full-length practice tests for the new digital SAT. These tests are designed for students who will take the digital SAT with accommodations that allow for a paper-based test. You can download them here:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/digital-practice-preparation/practice-tests/linear

You can also practice the four released SAT digital practice tests in the computer adaptive format by downloading the SAT BlueBook app here:

https://bluebook.app.collegeboard.org/

These tests are excellent practice for International students taking the digital SAT starting in March of 2023 and U.S. students in March of 2024.

New Digital SAT Practice Tests Released

The College Board just released 4 new Digital SAT Practice Tests today. If you are a student, you can access them by downloading the free BlueBook app from College Board. You can do the tests on a personal computer, laptop, or tablet. If you already have the BlueBook app downloaded, you will need to reinstall it to get the new digital practice tests. Good luck!

–Brian Stewart

Digital SAT Update

The College Board just released the test specifications for the new digital SAT. Here is the most important information about what is changing on both the SAT and PSAT as they switch to digital formats in 2023 and 2024. The most important change is that the SAT and PSAT will now be adaptive–the difficulty of the later sections will change based on the performance on the first sections.

Reading and Writing

  • The Reading and Writing sections will be combined–students will see both Reading and Writing questions on the same test section.
  • Each question will be on a single passage that ranges from 25-150 words.
  • There will be new genres of passages presented, along with the continuation of fiction, historical documents, science, and social science. Students will now have some poetry and drama selections.
  • There will be two Reading/Writing sections, each taking 32 minutes, each having 27 questions.

Math

  • The topics covered in the math will remain virtually identical to what is covered on the current SAT and PSAT.
  • There will still be multiple choice and student-produced response questions.
  • The math test will be broken up into two sections of 35 minutes, each having 22 questions.

Takeaways

The SAT and PSAT are largely staying the same. Even the evidence-based questions on the reading, which I though might go away on the digital format, will remain. The grammar and math concepts will overlap with what is currently tested. The new digital SAT and PSAT should be less intimidating to students–the time constraints are quite generous, and students will need to stay focused for just over two hours to complete the exam.

I would encourage you to check out the sample questions available from College Board to get a taste of what is to come.

Please visit our blog for further updates on the new digital SAT and PSAT.

–Brian Stewart