The College Board announced that they would be changing the SAT online by 2024, according to the New York Times. They also announced that they were going to have shorter reading passages.  The new exam would also allow calculators in all the math sections. The test will only be on laptops and tablets in testing centers.  The new test will be shortened to 2 hours long, compared to the current standardized exam time of 3 hours.

The College Board wanted to make the exam easier to administer and also more relevant, according to NPR. They also said that they want to adapt to the current students’ needs.  Originally, the College Board wanted to make the exam an at-home test because of Covid-19.   But that idea was rejected because of security issues and the possibility of cheating.  “The (new) digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” said Priscilla Rodriguez of the College Board.

After the College Board made an online SAT trial run, they found that 80% of the students found it less stressful while 100% of educators enjoyed it. Since the COVID pandemic, many colleges and universities have opted to make the SAT an optional exam or remove it from the admissions process altogether.  “For people of my age, we view the SAT as some bureaucratic, olden test that isn’t updated to modern times,” Joseph Zuloaga (High School Junior in San Francisco)  said. “With nearly 90% of schools making the test-optional, it personally makes the SAT useless.”