The new SAT exam pattern has undergone several changes, from being administered digitally to an adaptable exam format and reduced test duration. The SAT exam now includes only two sections: ‘Reading & Writing’ (RW) and ‘Math’. Each section contains two modules of equal time duration.
When it comes to the SAT scoring pattern, the overall exam scores are within the range of 400 to 1600. The Reading and Writing (RW) section is scored on a scale of 200-800; similarly, the Math section score lies between 200 to 800.
If you are planning to take the SAT exam soon, this article will introduce you to the new SAT exam pattern. So, keep reading to get detailed insights on the SAT new pattern.
One of the best features of the new SAT is its adaptive nature, which allows one to evaluate each student’s aptitude with a personalised and fresh perspective. The old paper-pencil format had a standard aptitude and similar difficulty level of questions, disregarding each student's aptitude. Usually, Module 1 will have a mix of easy, medium, and complex questions, and based on your performance in this Module, the difficulty level of Module 2 will be adjusted to be easy or challenging.
Students who take the digital SAT examination receive score reports within a few days instead of weeks for results. Reports usually provide a breakdown of a student's score and percentile rankings. They have also sent details on scholarship opportunities and four-year universities. Under the new SAT exam format, students will benefit from the addition of materials from the College Board regarding job training, local community colleges, and career opportunities.
Experts claim that allowing students to utilize an integrated graphing calculator or bring their own helps lower anxiety levels on test day. Given that the typical graphing calculator costs between $100 and $200, only a few students can afford one.
|
SAT Sections |
Modules |
Time Duration(minutes) |
Number of Questions |
Total Scores |
|
Reading & Writing |
Module 1 |
32 |
54 |
200-800 |
|
Module 2 |
32 |
|||
|
TOTAL |
64 minutes |
54 questions |
200-800 scores |
|
|
10- minutes break (optional) |
||||
|
Math |
Module 1 |
35 |
33 MCQs, 11 SPR-type questions |
200-800 |
|
Module 2 |
35 |
|||
|
TOTAL |
70 minutes |
44 questions |
200-800 scores |
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
134 minutes |
98 questions |
400-1600 scores |
|
According to the College Board, the information and abilities tested on both SAT versions are the same. Whether taking the SAT digitally or with paper and pencil, the degree of difficulty is the same. The College Board ensures that the information and abilities tested on the digital SAT are equivalent to those tested on the traditional paper-and-pencil SAT.
A particular score on the paper-and-pencil SAT will also be directly comparable to the same score on the digital SAT since the scoring percentiles will be the same throughout the examinations. Lastly, to ensure that the two SAT versions stay comparable, the College Board has conducted and will continue to conduct validity tests on the digital version of the exam.
The SAT English section is known as the Reading and Writing section. The new Digital SAT format has just one combined section of Reading and Writing (RW). The section contains a mixed set of questions testing your reading and writing skills, spread across 2 modules, which are timed for 32 minutes each.
Given the adaptive nature of the SAT exam, you will get a mix of questions with easy, medium, and high levels of difficulty in Module 1. Based on your performance in the first module, the difficulty level of questions in the second module will be adjusted. If you answer most of the questions correctly, Module 2 will display questions with a higher difficulty level, and vice versa.
The new SAT format for the Reading and Writing section includes several short reading passages or pairs of passages worded in 25 to 150 words, each entailing a set of multiple-choice questions.
|
Digital SAT Parameters |
SAT Reading and Writing (RW) Section |
|
Number of Questions |
Module 1:
Module 2:
|
|
Type of Questions |
Short reading passages followed by MCQs with four options |
|
Time Allotted |
Module 1: 32 minutes Module 2: 32 minutes |
|
Score Range |
200-800 |
The Math section of the new Digital SAT pattern is divided into two modules, each timed for 35 minutes. Test takers will encounter around 75% of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), i.e., 33 MCQs, and 25% of the questions are Student-produced responses (SPRs), i.e., 11 SPRs.
All four kinds of questions are included in each sectional module. The questions in each module are ranked from simplest to toughest so that you have the best chance of proving your knowledge and abilities.
|
Digital SAT Parameters |
SAT Math Section |
|
Number of Questions |
Module 1:
Module 2:
|
|
Type of Questions |
33 MCQs + 11 student-produced responses(SPR) |
|
Time Allotted |
Module 1: 35 minutes Module 2: 35 minutes |
|
Score Range |
200-800 |
The SAT exam contains the following sections in the order of occurrence:
Since, it is an adaptive exam, you have the option of switching between the questions of one module, within one section at a time, but you cannot revisit the previous module. This is because your performance in the first module determines the difficulty level of the next module within a given section.
Each section of the SAT is designed to assess varied skills of test-takers, including reading, writing, and quantitative skills.
In particular, the Reading and Writing section examines your ability to comprehend information, understand the core idea of the passage, and correctly use punctuation, subject-verb agreements and pronouns, tenses and modifiers, transitions, parallelism, and comparisons.
The Math section, on the other hand, evaluates your ability to solve problems related to Algebra, Advanced Maths, Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry.
The following skills are assessed in the SAT English or Reading and Writing section:
|
Skills Tested |
Description |
|
Expression of Ideas (EOI) |
Evaluates your capacity to rewrite multi-paragraph writings for development, structure, and usage of compelling language. |
|
Standard English Conventions (SEC) |
Assesses your ability to edit writings with several paragraphs to ensure that the sentence structure, use, and punctuation follow accepted written English rules. |
|
Words in Context (WIC) |
Examines your skill to utilize language effectively in writing, assess word choice rhetorically, and understand words and phrases in context. |
|
Command of Evidence (COE) |
Determines your capacity to comprehend, assess, and apply textual evidence (facts, details, figures, etc.). |
The following skills are assessed in the SAT Math section:
|
Skills Tested |
Description |
|
Heart of Algebra (HOA) |
Tests your ability to solve linear and quadratic equations and systems |
|
Problem Solving and Data Analysis (PSD) |
Assesses your ability to depict graphic relationships, evaluate data, and use proportional reasoning, ratios, and percentages |
|
Passport to Advanced Math (PAM) |
Evaluates your skill to comprehend and construct functions, analyze, manipulate, and rewrite expressions, as well as reason with more complicated equations |
The math section of the previous SAT format contained two sections: 'Calculator' and 'No Calculator' parts. However, now the math section is divided into two modules, and an on-screen calculator is allowed for the entire mathematics section of the Digital SAT exam.
Previously, the math section comprised 58 questions to be completed within 80 minutes. Whereas the digital SAT format pans out 44 questions(33 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) + 11 Student-produced responses (SPR)-type questions) timed for 70 minutes.
The best thing about the SAT exam is that it does not follow the negative marking pattern. So, the test-takers can attempt questions they don't know without the fear of getting penalised with negative marks for incorrect answers.
Prior to March 2016, the SAT exam was scored on a scale of 2400, but with the newly designed SAT exam, the new SAT is scored out of 1600. In case, you took the SAT before 2016, your SAT scores can be converted using SAT Concordance tables.
The Reading & Writing section of the SAT exam contains 54 questions, divided into 2 modules of equal time duration of 32 minutes each. The mathematics section consists of 44 questions distributed across two modules, each timed for 35 minutes.
The Digital SAT exam is 2 hours and 14 minutes long, with an optional 10-minute break between the Reading & Writing(RW) and Math sections. The Reading and Writing section is timed for 64 minutes and is further divided into 2 modules of 32 minutes each. The Math section lasts for 70 minutes and is further bifurcated into 2 modules timed for 35 minutes each.
Yes, completing both sections, i.e., the Reading & Writing and Math sections of the SAT exam, are compulsory. Even if you do not know the answer, you can still guess and mark it, as there is no negative marking on the SAT examination. Hence, it’s always better to attempt the question.
The Calculator and No Calculator sections were in the Math section of the old SAT format. The new Digital SAT allows a calculator for the entire Mathematics section, i.e., Module 1 and Module 2.
The Reading and Writing section contains paragraphs ranging in length from 25 to 150 words. These passages represent the literary, historical/social studies, humanities, and scientific disciplines.
The reading questions are listed chronologically rather than in order of difficulty. You shouldn't be worried if you can't answer every question or if you have to skip a difficult one.
When taking the SAT, it is suggested that you learn the math formulae, even though they are provided during the test. Memorizing the formulae always helps you calculate answers without any hurdles. You can always cross-check the formula given with the memorized one to ensure you are applying the correct formula.