Key Changes in the SAT Format 2023-2024: What You Need To Know
The SAT is evolving, and students preparing for college admissions need to stay informed about the latest updates. The College Board has introduced key changes to the SAT format for 2023-2024, aiming to make the test more relevant and reflective of the skills needed for success in college and beyond. These updates will impact the structure, content, and scoring of the exam, and it’s crucial for students and educators alike to understand what these changes entail. In this post, we’ll break down the most significant modifications to the SAT format, providing you with all the information you need to navigate this new testing landscape confidently.
SAT ENGLISH
SCORING
PAPER SAT
Two separate papers
Paper 1: Reading – 52 qns, 65 min
Paper 2: Language – 44 qns, 35 min
Each section is scored on a scale from 200 (min) to 800 (max)
The raw score (number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score using a formula that adjusts for slight variations in difficulty across different test forms across multiple years.
DIGITAL SAT
Two combined modules
Reading and writing are combined in a single section in two modules.
27 qns, 32 min
Module 1: The “Benchmark” Test
Module 2: The “Adaptive” Test
Each section is scored on a scale from 200 (min) to 800 (max)
The raw scores and the difficulty of the second module will be factors affecting the final score.
Adaptive format: The difficulty of questions can adjust based on the test-taker’s performance in real-time.
CONTENT
PAPER SAT
Reading
- Passage-based questions
- Passages come from U.S. and world literature, history/social studies, and sciences
- Questions focus on central ideas, themes, word meanings in context, and evidence- based questions that require finding support for answers within the passage
Writing & Language
- Passage-based questions
- Tests grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills
- Questions on improving clarity, choosing precise words, and making passages consistent with standard English conventions
DIGITAL SAT
4 Major Question Types
- Information and Ideas: How well you comprehend, analyze, and reason with texts and figures
- Craft and Structure: How well you use vocabulary and understand how texts function rhetorically and how different texts are related
- Expression of Ideas: How well you use transitions and other rhetorical devices to make writing more consistent and precise
- Standard English Conventions: How well you know and apply rules about grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
Shorter Passages
- Passages cover similar content areas in literature, history/social studies, and sciences.
- Shorter passages can reduce reader’s fatigue and may allow for more focused responses
SAT MATHEMATICS
SCORING
PAPER SAT
Two separate papers
Paper 3: No Calculator – 20 qns, 25 min
Paper 4: Calculator Allowed – 38 qns, 55 min
Each section is scored on a scale from 200 (min) to 800 (max).
The raw score (number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score using a formula that adjusts for slight variations in difficulty across different test forms across multiple years.
DIGITAL SAT
Two combined modules
Both modules will be calculator allowed.
22 qns, 35 min
Module 1: The “Benchmark” Test
Module 2: The “Adaptive” Test
Each section is scored on a scale from 200 (min) to 800 (max)
The raw scores and the difficulty of the second module will be factors affecting the final score.
Adaptive format: The difficulty of questions can adjust based on the test-taker’s performance in real-time.
CONTENT
PAPER SAT & DIGITAL SAT
No change in breadth of content and topics
- Algebra: How well you work with linear equations, including systems of equations
- Advanced Math: How well you work with nonlinear equations
- Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: How well you use concepts such as percentages, probability, and averages.
- Geometry and Trigonometry: How well you deal with shapes, including trigonometric functions
HOWEVER,
- The difficulty of the second module may vary from student to student. Hence, to prepare amply for the 2nd Module, the test-taker is advised to study the topics in all forms of difficulty.
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With the potential for a calculator to be used throughout, students can approach problems differently.
WHAT IS ADAPTIVE TEST FORMAT?
The first module of each section of the Digital SAT will be a roughly equal mix of easy, medium, and difficult questions.
Depending on your performance on the first module, you’ll receive either an easier or harder second module. If you do well on the first module, you’ll get a second module that has only a few easy questions and more difficult questions than the first module. If you don’t do as well, you’ll get a second module with more easy questions and fewer difficult questions.
Your final score in each section is not only determined by how many questions you get correct but also by which second module you receive. If you get the harder second module, you’ll have a floor to how low you can score overall. If you get the easier second module, there will be a cap to your highest possible score.
