Class of 2025: old SAT or new SAT?
It's June of 2023. If you're a sophomore who is just wrapping up your year, you may not realize this, but you will be in the first cohort of students to take the New Digital PSAT in October and the New Digital SAT in the spring of 2024.
While you can't avoid the New Digital PSAT in October, you do have a choice when it comes to taking the New Digital SAT or testing with the current paper-based version of the test, which will be offered until December of 2023.
If you're planning to submit scores to colleges, your testing strategy will ideally follow one of two options.
OPTION 1 : Take the current paper-based version of the SAT
Opt to test in the late summer and early fall.
The paper-based version of the test will be offered in August, October, November, and December of 2023. To play it safe, prepare for and sit for the August/October exams or October/November exams. Ideally, you're not taking the test more than three times, so both options leave December as a third test date if needed.
The goal with this is option is to ensure that all of your testing is done by December. You don't want to, for example, prepare for the December SAT for your first sitting, and then have to prep for the New Digital SAT for your second test in March.
OPTION 2 : Take the New Digital SAT
Opt to test in the early spring.
The first administration of the New Digital SAT will be in March of 2024. While I would typically advise against preparing for the first administration of a brand new exam, the College Board has already had the New Digital SAT in production for all international students. By the time the test is launched in the US in March 2024, most technical glitches and unexpected test day snafus will likely be resolved at that point. The reports coming in from international students who have already taken the New Digital SAT suggest that the College Board has prepared proctors well and put the test through rigorous beta testing to ensure that test day administrations run smoothly.
So, for some of you, your testing schedule may look like preparing for and taking the March exam, followed by a School Day SAT (generally scheduled for March or April). For those of you who do not have the option of a School Day SAT, you may opt for taking the test in March and May with June as an option for a third sitting.
Considerations for timing
Paper-based SAT or Digital SAT
Again, this consideration is unique to the class of 2025. Here are some of the pros and cons of the paper-based version of the test:
PAPER-BASED PROS
Extensive prep material to practice
The test has been around for 7 years, so strategies/approaches have been fine tuned
For many students, taking a paper-based test is a familiar format
Some students find it easier to be able to physically engage with a test (put pencil to paper)
Question-and-Answer Service available for the October SAT
PAPER-BASED CONS
The test is about an hour longer
There are more questions
Faster-paced test (less time per question)
Long reading passages
No Calculator math section (this is a hurdle for some students)
COMPUTER-BASED PROS
Shorter test (also, it's self-paced, so a student can move onto the next section whenever they're done)
Streamlined material (far fewer concepts tested on the Digital SAT)
Calculator available for all math questions
Reading paragraphs instead of long reading passages
Less difficult wording on the math questions
COMPUTER-BASED CONS
Very few Digital SATs to work with (currently 4 exams offered through the BlueBook App, as of June 2023)
Less time to establish the patterns and best practices for the exam
No Question-and-Answer service for any test date
If you're looking to make waves with your SAT score and ready to tackle prep, then I recommend preparing for the paper-based version of the test in the summer and fall of 2023. You'll have the opportunity to work with a lot more material and give yourself the best chance to tune into the patterns of the exam and ace your strategies.
Check out The New Digital SAT blog post for more information about how the new exam compares to the paper-based exam.
School and extracurriculars schedule
SAT testing typically involves some degree of preparation. Some students approach the SAT with little to no prep, while others, who are really hoping to boost their college application with strong SAT scores, take a more rigorous approach to prep. If you're in the latter category, you may want to consider your school and extracurricular schedule as you think about your test prep strategy.
Test prep takes TIME. If you're in the middle of debate season or soccer season or have multiple club obligations during a certain time of year, it may not be an ideal time to squish in SAT prep. For some students, there is no good time of the school year to do SAT prep. In this case, preparing during the summer between sophomore and junior year may be best. If you're reading this and well into your junior year, then preparing between the summer of your junior and senior year might be best.
One of the most popular test dates for the SAT is in May. The SAT usually falls on a date either right before AP exams or right as AP exams are starting. Keep in mind that most SAT prep occurs in the months and weeks leading up to the May exam, so it's unlikely that you'll be cramming for the May SAT at the same time that you're studying for AP exams. With that being said, many students feel overwhelmed during this time period and opt to take the test in June instead. If you're planning to take the May SAT, consider your AP exam schedule and how it may impact the focus you can give and the energy you may have for the SAT.
Algebra II
This is one of the most important considerations for SAT timing, as the SAT tests generously on Algebra II. If you are currently in Algebra II as a junior, then you'll want to test in the late spring to ensure you have the majority of Algebra II concepts under your belt.
If you took Algebra II prior to your junior year, you are good to go, and can test at any point in the year.
Recruitment
If you're looking to be recruited by schools for sports, typically coaches want to see SAT scores as early as possible. This may nudge you in the direction of taking the SAT in the summer between your sophomore and junior year or in the early fall of your junior year.
If, after reading through this post, you're still uncertain about when to take the SAT, or whether you should prep for the paper-based test or the New Digital SAT, reach out to me!
