I am very excited to share our new Digital SAT e-book! It has a full-length practice test and test-taking tips. The e-book is available to download to your kindle on Amazon.

I am very excited to share our new Digital SAT e-book! It has a full-length practice test and test-taking tips. The e-book is available to download to your kindle on Amazon.
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
Math
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
The College Board announced that the SAT and PSAT are updating to a digital format over the next 2+ years. Here is anticipated timeline for these changes:
For current sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States, these updates will have no impact on their SAT test experience. Freshmen are scheduled to take the digital PSAT in the fall of their junior year–that will be their first experience with the updated digital format. These same freshmen would then be on track to take the digital SAT in the spring of their junior year–over two years from now.
The most important thing for any standardized test is to clearly demonstrate that it can make valid, fair predictions. So far, the digital SAT has only been administered in a pilot program to fewer than 500 students around the world. The College Board outlined their extensive research agenda for the digital SAT over the next 2.5 years:
If the College Board cannot clearly demonstrate the predictive validity of the digital SAT, they will have to make adjustments to it or postpone its implementation. Here are some questions they will need to answer before they can pull this off:
The bottom line is that sophomores, juniors, and seniors do not need to worry about any of these changes. In the coming years, we will know much more about the specifics of the digital SAT as the College Board completes its research trials. If you have questions about the new digital SAT and PSAT, please reach out to us.
Over the past two years, there has been quite a bit of upheaval in the world of college admissions and standardized testing. Many schools are now “test-optional,” meaning that students can submit SAT and ACT test scores if they would like, but they are not required to do so. Given the media reports about standardized tests, some parents and students may wonder if they should even bother taking the SAT or ACT. Here are five reasons why taking the SAT or ACT is a still a wise choice in this uncertain environment.
1. Nearly all colleges would like to see your scores.
From what is covered in the news, it sounds like most schools do not care about evaluating your test scores. According to fairtest.org, the reality is that only 3.7% of U.S. colleges are “test-blind,” meaning they do not consider test scores. The most well-known test-blind schools are the colleges in the University of California system; the others are predominately smaller liberal arts colleges. This means that 96.3% of U.S. colleges either require the SAT or ACT or will consider SAT/ACT scores if submitted. Some, like Georgetown University, West Point, and the University of Florida, have required standardized test results even during the pandemic. Others, like Ivy League Schools and Big Ten universities, give students the option to submit test scores, recognizing that there have been test site cancellations and health concerns that may have precluded students from being able to test.
Probably the most well-known example of a test-optional university is Harvard. When you look at their admissions website, you will see that they would indeed like to see your standardized test results if possible:
“Harvard accepts other standardized tests or other academic credentials if you choose to submit them. In any admissions process, additional information can be helpful. For example, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-levels, national leaving examinations, national or international contests, early high school assessment scores such as the PSAT or pre-ACT, or courses taken outside your school during the school year or summer are just some examples of information that could be submitted.”
If you call the Harvard admissions office, they enthusiastically encourage students to submit standardized test results—an admissions officer told me that the majority of applicants do submit test scores, and they would like you to send in your scores if you are able to test. The bottom line is that colleges prefer as much information as possible to make an admissions decision, and they consider standardized tests an important metric in evaluating applicants.
2. Test scores provide protection against grade inflation.
According to the Department of Education and the College Board, the average High School GPA was 2.68 in 1990, and 3.38 in 2016. A recent national survey of K-8 parents found that 90% of parents believe that their child is achieving at or above grade level, and that 66 percent think that their kid is above average. Inflated GPAs may give parents and students an incorrect impression of academic readiness, and they make it more challenging for college admissions officers to differentiate among applicants. Consider this excerpt from the Harvard admissions website:
“Given the wide variation in how students prepare for Harvard – as well as the fact that most applicants and admitted students have outstanding academic records – it is difficult for high school grades to differentiate individual applications. That does not mean that high school grades are unimportant. Students who come to Harvard have done well day to day in their high school studies, providing a crucial foundation for academic success in college, including a 97% – 98% graduation rate. SAT and ACT tests are better predictors of Harvard grades than high school grades”.
Good grades are certainly a key part of a successful college application. However, students will stand out among the applicants if they have good test scores as well.
3. Those who submit test scores likely have a better chance of earning admission.
According to the Future of Higher Education Newsletter, those who submit test scores are admitted at a rate that is often twice as much as those who do not submit test scores. Here are some examples for applicants in the fall of 2021:
Colleges will happily accept applications from anyone who wishes to submit one—after all, they receive application fees and will see improved selectivity statistics. Colleges will need to see clear evidence of academic strength in other areas to be confident about students who do not submit test scores. To have a successful application, students would be smart to include test scores that demonstrate their readiness for college-level work.
4. Good test scores can lead to substantial scholarships.
Three to four hours on a Saturday morning could be the best financial investment a student could make.
5. Colleges use ACT and SAT test scores to determine your course placement.
It is one thing to be admitted to a college; it is another to get started on desired major classes as soon as possible. Achieving certain section scores can allow students to place out of general education requirements, saving time and money. Ohio State, among many other schools, use ACT and SAT test scores for English and math course placement. The University of Louisiana, for example, gives students who score a 28 or above on the ACT English a full semester credit for English 101; those who score over a 30 on the ACT math earn two full semesters of credit for Math 109 and Math 110. Since the ACT and SAT are designed to measure how likely a student will be successful as a college freshman, taking the tests will highlight areas that students should improve so they can be successful in collegiate coursework.
I hope you found this information helpful. Please contact us at www.bwseducationconsulting.com with other questions you may have about the SAT and ACT.
–Brian Stewart
The College Board made some major announcements today. First, they are immediately discontinuing SAT Subject Tests (the one hour tests in subjects like Literature, Math Level 2, and Chemistry) for students in the United States. They will continue to offer SAT Subject Tests for International Students who wish to take them in May or June of 2021. Students may still be able to submit existing scores from SAT Subject tests, but should check with individual colleges on their policies. If you are registered to take an upcoming SAT Subject Test, the College Board will cancel your registration and give you a full refund.
Second, the College Board is phasing out the SAT Essay by June of 2021. Students who need to take the SAT Essay for their state’s school day administration will still be able to take it. All the other parts of the SAT–Reading, Writing & Language, and Math–will remain the same.
Third, the SAT is developing what they call a “more flexible SAT—a streamlined, digitally delivered test.” They will provide more details about this in the spring.
What does all this mean for high school students?
Stay tuned to our blog for the latest updates on SAT test changes.
With so much in the news about changes to college testing and admissions, I have heard the same questions from many clients. I wanted to pass along the very latest and best information that I have about the SAT, ACT, and test optional policies.
How have the ACT and SAT changed their upcoming dates?
• ACT just announced that they will have test dates on June 13th and July 18th. If there is a need to move the test date because of local health conditions, the June test would be moved to June 20th and the July test would be moved to July 25th. Despite much speculation that the summer ACT tests would be cancelled, they are on track to go ahead.
• SAT announced that they are cancelling the upcoming June SAT date, but will have a total of 5 national test dates for the fall with sufficient capacity to test all students who wish to do so. There will be an SAT each month starting in August. Additionally, the in-school SAT that was cancelled in the spring will be offered in the fall.
What if the country is still locked down in the fall and it is unsafe to take the SAT and ACT in person?
• Both SAT and ACT will make online, at-home versions of their tests available this fall should it be necessary. At-home tests have already been made for the GRE, GMAT, SSAT, LSAT, and AP exams. Should they make the online tests available, I believe they would simply keep the test as it is in its current format, but have virtual proctoring, test session recording through a computer’s camera, and browser lockdown to prevent cheating. More details about the precise format of the online tests will be forthcoming.
I have heard that many colleges are going “test optional,” and that my child now has the option to not submit SAT and ACT scores. Does this mean I don’t need to have my child take the SAT and ACT?
• “Test optional” does not mean “test blind”—if you can take the ACT and SAT to improve your application, it is definitely in your interest to do so even for test optional schools. Only 21% of all the 5,300 U.S. colleges/universities are test optional, and only 10% of the top 20 nationally-ranked universities (U.S. News & World Report ranking) are test optional.
• Only two schools in the United States, Hampshire College and Northern Illinois University are test-blind—they will not consider ACT and SAT test scores in any way. All other colleges in the country will consider test scores when making admissions decisions.
• The University of Chicago, the most highly-ranked test optional University, actually saw its admissions rate decline to 6% and its average SAT scores improve after going test optional. Their admissions website encourages “students to take standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, and to share your scores with us if you think that they are reflective of your ability and potential.” Only about 10-15% of University of Chicago applicants choose to not submit their test scores. https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/first-year-applicants
• For the University of California system, temporarily being test optional this year “does not lower the bar for admission, but accommodates the real barriers students have faced as tests have been cancelled and classes have moved to Pass/No Pass grading. Admissions to UC campuses is highly sought after and will continue to be just as competitive.” Submitting test scores can support students’ “statewide UC eligibility, application for certain scholarships, and help them fulfill some University graduation requirements.” https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/response-covid-19.html
• If you are able to take the SAT and ACT, do so early and often.
o Grades may hold less weight in admissions decisions than in previous years since many high schools are instituting “pass/fail” or no grading for the 2020 spring semester.
o Students who would traditionally have impressive extracurricular accomplishments from the spring and summer will not be able to showcase their talents as they normally would.
o Students may be unable to make college visits to demonstrate interest in schools, and do in-person interviews.
o Accurate letters of recommendation may be more difficult to obtain since letter writers may not have the same level of personal contact with students that they normally would.
o As always, the more objective information you can provide to a college about your solid academic qualifications, the better your chances of admission. Taking the SAT and ACT is one of the easiest ways to make this happen.
–Brian Stewart
Students across the country are out of school for the next few weeks–the shutdown could last all the way until the summer. While many students may be tempted to increase their video gaming and snapchatting, this downtime presents a golden opportunity to make independent progress on long-term academic and extracurricular goals. Here are six ways to make that happen:
1. Prepare for the modified AP Exams. The College Board will offer at-home AP tests that are 45 minutes long and consist of only free response questions. You will be able to take the tests in a way convenient for you: on a phone, tablet, computer, or even by hand. Colleges will accept the results from the exam just as they have in years past. Get ready for the AP exams by doing self-study and practicing for free response questions. The College Board will provide updates here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates .
2. Build your online portfolio. You can submit additional materials with your college application to showcase your unique talents. Among the types of materials you can submit: recordings of music, videos of debate and theatrical performances, short stories you have written, art pieces, and samples of films you have made. Take advantage of this down time to work on independent projects that you have not had time to focus on with the hustle and bustle of high school.
3. Get ready for the June SAT and June ACT. There is a national SAT test date on June 6th and a national ACT test date on June 13th. There will be additional test dates throughout the summer and fall. This is an excellent time to do test preparation work like practice tests, content review, and online tutoring.
4. Earn college credit through independent study and examination. Is there a college course you have always wanted to take, but have never had the time? Humanities, world history, religion, astronomy, or statistics? You can study independently and earn college credit on websites like https://study.com/ .
5. Read some good books! Students often complain that they never have time to read for fun; now you have plenty of time to work through that reading list. Online books are freely available on library websites like https://www.columbuslibrary.org/ . If you are wondering what types of books might be helpful to read in order to improve your reading comprehension for standardized tests, here is suggested list:
https://www.bwseducationconsulting.com/docs/ACT_SAT_Recommended_Reading_List.pdf .
6. Get started on your college application essays. Over 900 colleges accept the Common Application, and they have already announced what the common application essay prompts will be: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts . The fall of the senior year is extremely busy with college applications, school, and extracurriculars. If you can get a head start on your college essays now, that will take a major task off of your plate.
We at BWS stand at the ready to help you with your independent work. We have tutors available to meet you online to help with the SAT and ACT, college essay preparation, and AP exam review. Please register to work with us at:
https://bwseducationconsulting.mypaysimple.com/s/bws-education-consulting-tutoring-registration .
After taking the SAT or ACT students will often complain that the test was tougher than what they practiced for. They will also often say that it was easier than they expected. However, these observations don’t necessarily mean that student scores will go up or down. On the contrary, a test isn’t helpful to colleges trying to gauge a student’s ability if the test isn’t consistent. In order to ensure consistency in score the ACT and SAT curve scores according to the difficulty of the specific test taken.
So what does the mean for students taking the test? Well, first of all, students should do a wide range of practice from the easiest things they can find to the toughest. Practicing a wide range of difficulties will allow students to be ready for anything. This will hopefully allow students to remain calm on the test no matter what is thrown at them.
Second, students need to remember to stick to their strategies regardless of the difficulty. The temptation with easy tests is to zip right through it. However, this leads to simple, small mistakes; the curve on the easier tests makes those mistakes costly. Conversely, students need to make sure to stay calm on the tougher tests. Mistakes on those really difficult questions won’t count against them as much, but panicking will cause more mistakes. Having strategies in place and sticking to those strategies will help students maximize their scores on both ends of the spectrum.
In the end, students need to remember that they can’t control what is on the tests. They can only control how they react to it. Through careful and deliberate practice, students can ensure that they react in a calm manner which will allow them to live up to their potential!
Last year, the State of Ohio decided to pay for one standardized test for each junior in the state. This decision was made after the ACT and SAT were included as pathways for graduation and, in part, to help reduce college application costs for families. Last year (as far as I know) all the schools here in central Ohio chose to have their juniors take the ACT. This year, however, one very large public district and one small private school are choosing to give their students the SAT as their free test. Many of my students who attend these schools are curious as to why they are being forced to take the SAT: a test that is largely forgotten by most students in Ohio. For many students who have chosen to focus on the ACT this is a nuisance. It is simply another test on their schedule that they have to study for even though they already have ACT scores that will take them to the college of their choice. I believe that the school districts, however, have made a choice that will be good for many students.
The ACT and SAT are more similar now than they ever have been before. However, the tests still have differences that make some people more prone to succeed on one over another. For example, deep thinking and algebra strong students tend to succeed more readily on the SAT. Most students don’t realize this. They plan on taking the ACT because that’s what all their friends are taking and what (most) schools have as their standard junior test. By forcing students to try the SAT schools are helping students realize what test they are better on so that they can focus on it from there on out.
If your junior is at a school where they are offering the SAT encourage him or her to go in with an open mind and just do his or her best. Afterword, ask him or her which test felt more comfortable. Then, when scores come out see which one is better and have the student focus on that test moving forward. If your junior doesn’t go to a school where the SAT is being offered, consider signing up for a public test date. After all, you’ll never know if you don’t try!
How many times should you take the SAT or ACT? Ask this question of a dozen people and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Here are my thoughts on this, based on my tutoring experience, personal experience, and from reading everything I could find on the topic.
The Quick answer: If you take the ACT and SAT 3 times each, you really don’t have anything to worry about. Taking it more times than this could start to look a bit desperate, and taking it fewer times than this may not allow for the best performance. Also, statistics from ACT and SAT indicate that test scores tend to plateau after 2 tests. But what you should do really depends on your personal situation. So, let’s break down some things for you to consider when deciding how many times to take the ACT or SAT.
First, here are some things everyone should do:
Now, let’s investigate the pros and cons of taking the ACT or SAT more than 3 times so you can make a decision for yourself:
Pros of taking the ACT or SAT more than 3 times:
Cons of taking the SAT or ACT more than 3 times:
For most people, the pros of taking the ACT or SAT more than 3 times seem to outweigh the cons. Think about your personal situation and figure out what makes the most sense for you.
A final word: Are there any people who shouldn’t worry at all about taking it a bunch of times? Absolutely! Here are some potential situations:
Thanks for reading! I hope you have found this information helpful!