WHAT IS THE SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST
The Scholastic Assessment Test, more commonly referred to as the SAT, is a standardised form of testing, predominantly used by colleges in the United States to measure a number of skills required by students, to ensure their academic success in college.
The Princeton Review defines SAT as a multiple-choice, pencil and paper test, created and administered by the College Board. However, this definition won’t be accurate for much longer.
The College Board, as of January, 2022, announced that the SAT examination will be going digital, starting in 2024, a change that is long overdue.
WHY IS SAT GOING DIGITAL?
We all know the changes Covid-19 brought along with it, let alone the fact that we lived through them. One of the dominant changes in the new lifestyle, that everyone was forced to adapt to, was doing everything virtually, using various digital platforms. There is no denying the convenience of doing things ‘the digital way’, so why not stick to it even as the world emerges from the throes of the pandemic?
When asked about the shift from a physical to digital examination, Priscilla Rodriguez, the Vice President of College Readiness Assessments at the College Board said, "The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant for students.” That would be yet another major aim of this transition- maintaining the relevance of the SAT.
HOW DOES DIGITALISATION OF THE SAT BENEFIT STUDENTS?
Based on the information provided through the College Board’s announcement, the SAT going digital seems to be benefiting those students giving it, more than anyone else- that is, if the information stands true.
No longer will students be required to carry stationery, answer questions on bubble answer sheets, sit for 3 hour papers, and wait for weeks to receive their scores.
Instead, the digital SAT is intended to be a 2-hour test, where students will be allowed to use their own laptops or tablets, whilst sitting for the test at a monitored testing site.
Moreover, the large passages that students are currently made to answer in the Reading Section will be replaced by shorter passages on a variety of subjects, of which students have to answer only 10 questions. As far as solving the maths section goes, students will be allowed to use calculators throughout the test, indicating that therefore, in all probability, there will be a surge in the scores. It also implies that the test aims to assess application and understanding rather than calculatory abilities under pressure.
Furthermore, another advantage of the digital SAT is that rather than waiting for the usual 2-4 weeks for their scores, students can expect their results in simply a few days.
ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES TO THE SAT GOING DIGITAL?
As mentioned above, one of the reasons the SAT decided to go digital is because it wants to maintain its relevance. For this reason, there is a low to no chance of there being any downsides to this transition. Free practice materials are to be provided regularly, the exam continues to be graded out of its current 1600. The digitalised method also allows a fair amount of flexibility regarding the date the test is to be conducted, the scheduling of the exam, and locations, thus adding to the benefits.
All these benefits, combined with the how much more accessible the SAT will be, should hopefully encourage more Indian students to take the test, as now, the SAT is being accepted widely, and can apply to colleges both internationally, as well as in India, such as Ahmedabad University, Ashoka University, Flame University, OP Jindal Global University, Shiv Nadar University, and a number of others.
In the words of Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives, it is the one that is most adaptable to change.’’ To conclude the students of today are growing up in a digital playground and we need to adapt our systems and processes to create a bridge to enable them transition to the digital age of tomorrow. Kudos to the College Readiness Assessment Board to introduce the digital SAT.
