After COVID-19 affected the world, everything from work to school seemed to move primarily online. In Feb., even the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) announced they will officially go fully online in 2024 and will shorten the time of their test. 

This change was influenced by students who had taken the SAT online previously and found it to be less stressful than on standard paper. The new online SAT can be taken and proctored both at home and in school. 

The new test will be scored out of 1600, however, it will only be two hours as compared to the previous three. These changes essentially are intended to lessen the difficulty and stress. Nonetheless, this new change may lack the necessary experiences required for college. 

“Regardless, the SAT really doesn’t reflect what students have learned in high school,” freshman German Diaz said. “By moving it online, it still does not change the fact that it’s not a good reflection of students.”

Despite some opinions on the lack of preparation, the transition to the SAT being online will potentially make it easier to take for many students.  

Additionally, test administrators believe that switching the test online will make it harder for students to cheat by allowing every student to get a unique test compared to others. 

“While some believe that it could not prepare you for college,” freshman Allison Martinez said. “I think the SAT being online is allowing students to have something more modernized.”

While the SAT is very stressful for many students, it is hoped that stress will be cut down as a result of switching to virtual.

 Many colleges no longer require students to submit SAT scores in comparison to earlier years. According to CNBC, colleges requiring SAT scores dropped from 55% in the 2019-20 school year to 5% in 2021-22. 

“I prefer the SAT online because now everything is online,” Diaz said. “I like to do everything online personally since it is much easier and I am more accustomed to it.”