The SAT is undergoing its biggest change in over 30 years. The creators of the exam, the College Board, recently announced that the test will switch from a paper format to a digital version by 2024 in the US. 

Despite the digital format, students will still be required to take the exam at a supervised testing location. In an effort to address potential inequities caused by a potential lack of access to technology, the company plans on lending devices to students for the test day if needed. These changes have come after many colleges chose to go test-optional during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I think just in general, standardized testing is not a great way to measure students’ qualifications or whether they deserve to go to a certain school,” Layla ‘22 who took the test last year said. “I think it’s a really difficult and honestly painful process to prepare and study for these tests, and they don’t measure anything except for people’s abilities to take a test. But if we do have to have them, I’m glad the SAT is making changes to hopefully reduce some of the testing anxiety.” 

Other adjustments to the SAT will include shortening the exam to two hours instead of three, with shorter reading comprehension passages. Additionally, calculators will now be allowed for the entirety of the math section, as opposed to just the exam’s last section. 

“It definitely takes stress off of us knowing that the test might be easier to study for because it won’t be as strenuous of a test,” Eloise ‘24 said. 

For many students and educators, one benefit from the online format is that test scores will be available within days as opposed to months. 

“I remember anxiously waiting for weeks to get my test results and feeling really stressed,” Layla ’22 said. “I’m really glad future students will not have to worry about the wait.” 

However, despite the news, some uncertainty surrounding the new changes remains, as the College Board has yet to announce some information, leaving many Marlborough students with opinions on the changes.