Starting in 2024, the new SAT will be completely online and be shortened from three to two hours. Other changes include allowing calculators for the entire test and shorter reading passages.

The test will still be administered in a proctored environment at school, but students will access the test on a device, most likely their district issued chromebook.

“The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, vice president of College Readiness Assessments at College Board, in a press release.

The test will also be more secure, NCHS Testing Coordinator Debra Ericson said. 

“It’s still a proctored test in school,” Ericson said. “And you’ll actually probably have less chance of cheating because each student will have different questions, because they’re going to be delivering them digitally. Rather than multiple students [having] the same test book with the same question.”

The transition will take place in 2024, meaning those in their freshman year right now will be the first to experience the new SAT.

“Freshmen when they take the PSAT in their junior year, it’ll be digital,” Ericson said. “And then they’ll take the PSAT in their junior year.”

The change has been well received by freshman Rohan Jha. 

“Generally shortening the test will be more helpful for students,” he said. “Not only for their mental health but also because there might be more of a time crunch which would be more helpful for real world problem solving and also the shorter passages on the reading section makes a higher score more achievable for students.”

While the change will take effect in two years, currently, Central can already accommodate an online version of the SAT.

“We have the ability to have all our students online at the same time,” Ericson said. “We would have to upgrade our nodes and devices in the field house and gym in order to use those spaces, but we do have the capability if we separated everybody in the classrooms.”