SAT going fully digital in Spring 2024, will be "Adaptive"

[Windows 91]

Big changes are coming to the SAT, and not everyone is happy. What students should know.

Despite the test-optional trend, admissions exams such as the SAT remain high-stakes. Many educators and students are worried about its digitization.

www.usatoday.com

Starting in March, the SAT will be digital. The traditional paper-and-pencil format is no longer available, with rare exceptions for students with visual impairments, severe reading disabilities or other documented challenges.

A key change is that the new test is what the College Board describes as “adaptive” in nature. Both the math and reading sections will be divided into two parts. A student’s performance in the first part of each section will determine the difficulty level of the second part that shows up on their screen.

The second half of the test will either be harder or easier than the first half, depending on a student's performance. If a test taker breezes through the first half of the math questions, the second half of that person’s test be more difficult. For a test-taker who struggles during the first half, the second half will be easier. In both scenarios, a person’s scores will be calibrated based on the questions’ difficulty.

For you brehs with HS age kids, how they feeling about this? I prefer paper tests, taking a computer test for hours on end would kill me. I can barely stand to do the engagement surveys at work on the computer.

 

[get these nets]

Adaptive in real time? Wow. Then is it still a standardized test ?

 

[HiphopRelated]

shyt's all good til the algorithm leaks and students realize that 88+98 is better than 92+90

 

[MoshpitMazi]

Sounds good, how does it all tie together?

 

[Pazzy]

The SAT is fukking useless. It irks me when i hear someone say that its supposed to determine whos ready or can handle college or not. Dont let these sheep and programmed people make you think that you arent shyt because you dont meet their bullshyt standards.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Big changes are coming to the SAT, and not everyone is happy. What students should know.

Despite the test-optional trend, admissions exams such as the SAT remain high-stakes. Many educators and students are worried about its digitization.

www.usatoday.com

For you brehs with HS age kids, how they feeling about this? I prefer paper tests, taking a computer test for hours on end would kill me. I can barely stand to do the engagement surveys at work on the computer.

I mean these kids are used to being on screens 16 hours/day and many schools have digitized their tests. I’d much rather click than fill in 500 scantron bubbles. The GMAT been digital for forever, I took it on a computer back in 09, found it far easier than fukking with paper SATs back in high school. There’s a difference from being engaged and having real stakes vs them bullshyt engagement surveys and compliance trainings that no matter how administered, would be gun to your head boring and don’t have a tangible outcome on your future.


Edit: that said, hella schools throwing the SAT in the bushes so not really sure this matters at all

 

[Red Money]

I had standardized grade school math test on the computer 98/99....like old ass DOS computers. predominantly black Public school.

Not new!

 

[Red Money]

Gmat in early 2010s was online.

Blackboard high school and college for quizzes was a thing for me.


Not a big deal

 

[Windows 91]

Damn, I didn't realize so many exams were already proctored digitally

I've never taken a digital exam through HS or college.

 

[Red Money]

Damn, I didn't realize so many exams were already proctored digitally

I've never taken a digital exam through HS or college.

Lucky you never had to deal with turnitin database for your papers.

Had a situation one time of quoting my own paper for another class, lol. I'm like I wrote the damn thing.... sigh....accused of copying my own work, lol. Overlap work across classes was frowned upon...and i'm sure still is now...

Tweaking a 100 level for 400 level as you know more and then higher wasn't cool anymore.... college wants you to start over Everytime....extra work...

 

[maxamusa]

man covid really set my seeds back....they come home with laptops and shyt now.....it takes me 30 minutes just 2 figure out WTF their assignments are

 

[Piff Perkins]

That's cool because the anxiety of having to get up super early to take the SAT was worse than the actual test. I had to get a 6:30AM slot because later ones were taken. The week before the test was hell because at that point you realize your brain is pretty cooked, there's not much else you're gonna gain by studying. You're just trying not to forget shyt, trying not to fukk up basic things, etc.

Then the wait for your results is even worse lmao.

 

[Trav]

Damn, I didn't realize so many exams were already proctored digitally

I've never taken a digital exam through HS or college.

Time to upgrade that Windows 91 cert my octaroon


But nah, every cert I've taken has been digitally. My Bachelor's and Masters, all exams were taken digitally and the certs/bootcamps I had to do too.

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

I mean these kids are used to being on screens 16 hours/day and many schools have digitized their tests. I’d much rather click than fill in 500 scantron bubbles. The GMAT been digital for forever, I took it on a computer back in 09, found it far easier than fukking with paper SATs back in high school. There’s a difference from being engaged and having real stakes vs them bullshyt engagement surveys and compliance trainings that no matter how administered, would be gun to your head boring and don’t have a tangible outcome on your future.


Edit: that said, hella schools throwing the SAT in the bushes so not really sure this matters at all

Only problem with that though is that some students are better at taking tests on paper than they are from a computer, so this transition could hurt some even if it benefit others.

I read the article OP posted this morning and it brought up a lot of great points that they likely didn’t think about with the move.

 

[greenvale]

Adaptive in real time? Wow. Then is it still a standardized test ?

I get where you’re going but my CPA exams I took in 2017/18 where just like this and I don’t think it has a negative impact on the profession