Thousands of high school students are taking the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) today, but their scores likely won’t come out until a few weeks later.
The SAT is offered several times each year, with millions of students opting to take the test as part of the college admissions process. Experts told Newsweek about what SAT scores mean for colleges and students.
Why It Matters
Prospective college students have been facing a wide range of changes when it comes to the Department of Education and FAFSA over the last several years, but the SAT remains one of the most important tests they can prepare for to gain admission to the school of their choice.
Getting into a top school generally requires a high SAT score, so many students choose to take the test several times and undergo intensive prep classes before the test.
SAT prep courses from Kaplan cost anywhere between several hundred to thousands of dollars.
What To Know
Students taking the SAT today across the country will have to wait a few weeks to get their scores back.
Results are set to be released on May 16.
The College Board has historically released scores in stages, with some students being able to see their results as early as 6 a.m. and others having to wait until 8 p.m. that day.
Scores are often sent to school counselors, who can then discuss the results with each student. However, students can also check their scores on their own by logging into their College Board student account.
The SAT has undergone some major transformations over the past several years, moving entirely to a digital format with a new structure and adaptive difficulty.
Instead of the traditional three sections, reading, writing and language, and math, the test is now divided into just two: reading/writing and math, with each section containing two adaptive modules. The difficulty of the second module is determined by a student’s performance on the first, making the test more personalized, experts say.
In 2023, nearly 2 million students took the exam, with results being a key metric that decides which students qualify for admission or merit-based scholarships at elite schools.
What People Are Saying
Courtney Hill, director of admissions at SSP International, told Newsweek: “Now, more than ever in the history of higher education, it is important to remember that test scores are just one piece of data that help colleges and programs understand a student’s academic context. They should not be viewed as the sole determinant of college admissions success, whether positively or negatively.”
Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, told Newsweek: “Colleges are expected to interpret SAT scores the same way as before, but because the digital test differs significantly from the paper version, performance comparisons across test formats may not be perfect.
“It is important for parents and students to remember that just because these tests are now digital and less lengthy does not mean that the test is easier or that studying requires less time or effort—both of these tests pose new challenges and require new strategies to excel.”
What Happens Next
The next time the SAT will be administered is June 7, with scores to be released later on June 20.
The ACT will be piloting a digital format in April as well, with the new digital version making the science section optional.
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