Suite level changes

• The Digital SAT is much shorter—lasting 2 hours and 14 minutes (64 minutes for Reading and Writing and 70 minutes for Math) instead of 3 hours.


• Test takers have more time, on average, to answer each question, meaning that, more so than ever before, the digital SAT Suite tests are measures of students’ skills and knowledge, not test-taking speed.


• Students and educators will receive scores faster—in days instead of weeks.

Our Recommendation: The digital SAT Suite is shifting its focus toward students’ skills and knowledge, not test-taking speed.Thus, work on building strong concepts and understanding finer nuances .

Sectional Changes

• Verbal


• It previously contained two disparate sections—Reading and Writing & Language- that has now been condensed into one Reading and Writing section.


• Rather than a few long texts with a wider range of subjects, we now have shorter passages with a single (discrete) question associated with each passage or passage pair.


• The questions themselves have been divided into four broad sections—Craft & Structure, Information & Ideas, Standard English Conventions, and Expression of Ideas.

Sectional Changes

The range of topics covered has been expanded.

A welcome change - calculators are allowed throughout the Math section.

The average length of in-context questions—commonly referred to as “word problems”—has been reduced.

Broadly, the math section has been segregated into Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-solving & Data Analysis, and Trigonometry & Geometry.

Multistage Adaptive Testing

The biggest variation in the new format is “Multistage Adaptive Testing.” This means that the SAT will now “adapt” to present questions that are more appropriate to a student’s performance level.

The paper will now consist of two modules:
Module 1 will contain a mix of easy, medium, and hard questions while Module 2 will be a targeted mix of questions of varying difficulties based on their performance in Module 1.

So, what’s the good part?Unlike in most question adaptive testing models, students can navigate freely through a given module’s questions, previewing upcoming questions or marking earlier questions.

How to prepare for the Digital SAT

The most updated way of prepping for the Digital SAT would be to keep an eye on both new and existing resources. For instance, Collegeboard has released four official (non-adaptive mocks) that you should definitely scope out. They’ve also released digital version of these tests in adaptive format on their testing app, Bluebook.

Since Bluebook app has limited number of questions, you will need to supplement your practice with additional practice material and mock tests that offer a simulated testing experience, which is exactly why you need mySATMentor.

How Should students adapt to the Digital testing model?

If you incorporate the SAT preparation into high school curricula(read 11th and 12th grade), you’’ll inevitably take the first step toward highly coveted educational degrees, making the whole process more accessible.

Identify the correct learning resources, connect with mentors/trainers who are well versed with the SAT training and can assist you in your journey.

Stay focussed and practice exhaustively - but only the most relevant and updated study material ( most of the old SAT papers and old study material if of little use in the new testing scenario).