When did the SAT start and how has it changed over time?
The SAT debuted in 1926. Its name has changed several times, moving from Scholastic Aptitude Test to Scholastic Assessment Test to SAT I: Reasoning Test to SAT Reasoning Test and finally to simply the SAT. A major redesign in 2016 aligned the test with high school curricula for the first time. In January 2022 the College Board announced the switch from paper to digital; the last U.S. paper SAT was offered in December 2023 and the digital format launched domestically on the 9th of March 2024.
What is the scoring range for the SAT?
SAT scores range from 400 to 1600, combining two section scores each reported on a 200-to-800 scale: Mathematics and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Each section score is a multiple of ten. Scores are typically released two to four weeks after the exam.
How effective is SAT test preparation and coaching?
Research consistently shows that commercial SAT preparation offers only modest gains. The College Board and the National Association of College Admission Counseling estimate average gains of about 20 points on the mathematics section and 10 points on the verbal section from tutoring courses. A 2012 systematic review estimated gains of 23 and 32 points for math and verbal respectively. A 1983 meta-analysis concluded that a 10-point gain was too small to be practically important.
How does the digital SAT differ from the paper-based SAT?
The digital SAT takes approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes, roughly an hour shorter than the former paper version. It is adaptive: the difficulty of the second module in each section is determined by a student's performance in the first module. Students use their own portable devices or school-issued devices, must have the College Board's Bluebook app installed, and have access to a built-in Desmos-based graphing calculator.
Does the SAT predict college success?
Multiple studies support the SAT's predictive validity. A 2019 study with roughly a quarter of a million students found that SAT scores and high school GPA together are an excellent predictor of freshman GPA and second-year retention. Brown, Yale, and Dartmouth universities concluded from their own data that SAT scores were more reliable predictors of collegiate success than GPA and helped identify qualified students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research has also shown the SAT predicts life outcomes beyond college, including income and occupational achievement.
Are there gender differences in SAT scores?
Boys have outperformed girls on the mathematics section of the SAT for over 35 years, according to a 2013 American College Testing Board report. As of 2015, boys averaged 32 points more than girls in mathematics. On the verbal section, both sexes have been broadly at parity among the top 5% of scorers, though girls developed a slight advantage beginning in the mid-1980s. Researchers link the math gap partly to greater male variability in cognitive abilities.