does sat 2022 have essay

AP Exam Structure

SAT Subject Test Structure

Total Time of Test

3 hours

1 hour

Types of Questions

Mix of Multiple Choice and Written Response

Multiple Choice

Focus of Assessment

Questions focus not only on raw content but also students’ ability to make connections and draw conclusions based on their knowledge.

Questions focused on students’ ability to recall a large variety of information on a given topic.

Scoring Scale

Scored on a scale of 1-5

Scored on a scale of 200-800

More changes to the overall SAT test are gathered and turned into the infographic by Student Tutor. Check here for details.

Or, let’s turn to SAT essay examples!

That’s what an SAT essay task looked back in 2016:

As you see, it’s focused on a more theoretical response. Graders didn’t estimate any analytical skills.

And that’s the example of a new SAT essay task:

It requires a more argumentative and analytical approach from students. Graders can see your critical thinking skills, not just your personal opinion on a given theoretical prompt.

Both examples are taken from Allen Cheng’s article at PrepScholar. He shared the complete guide to the SAT new rules and its most meaningful changes for students.

How to Write SAT Essay?

Below, you’ll find SAT essay tips that can help to improve your scores. But now let’s turn to an essay structure and your step by step tutorial on how to write SAT essays.

Lucky you are, the SAT essay structure is similar to any standard academic paper teachers asked you to write in class. Known as a 5-paragraph essay , its basic parts are:

• Introduction: 2-3 sentences with a hook and a thesis statement.
• Thesis statement: a central argument of your essay, so take your time to craft it.
• Supporting paragraphs (two or three, if time) : each of them should include a topic sentence, evidence, and a concluding sentence to demonstrate how it refers to your thesis statement.
• Conclusion: 3-4 sentences, summarizing your arguments in a concise manner.

Given that you have 50 minutes for writing the SAT essay, make sure to allocate this time like a boss:

• Read the prompt: 1 minute .
• Read the passage, annotating the core info: 15 minutes .
• Outline the essay: 5 minutes .
• Write an essay: 25 minutes .
• Check an essay: 4 minutes .

Don’t hurry up to read the passage: pay attention to the task (prompt) itself, as it will help you understand what information and evidence to concentrate. So, here we have the first step to writing a good SAT essay: read the prompt before the passage .

After that, read the sample passage carefully . Underline the evidence and examples you can use to answer the prompt in your essay. Remember, that your SAT essay will be scored for Reading , so you’ll need to demonstrate that you understand the text’s main points.

To get a high score for Analysis , you’ll need to explain and evaluate the author’s arguments. So, when reading the passage, identify his central claim and instruments he uses to support it (reasoning, evidence, stylistic elements). Focus on the most relevant and persuasive ones.

State your thesis . It should sum up your assessment of the author’s argument. Make it concise and clear, but don’t add any personal attitudes. Remember: you analyze the author’s view rather than share your own. Stay objective when reading the passage and then creating your central claim.

Now it’s time for outlining your essay. Map out it briefly in the introduction, then specify topic sentences and evidence for each paragraph of your essay’s body. Write the draft , with an essay conclusion restating your thesis and summarizing the whole paper.

Check your SAT essay: make sure to use effective language and word choice. Use a variety of sentence structures but stay clear and informative. Your essay gets scores for Writing too, and high scores go to works that are “cohesive and demonstrate highly effective use and command of language.” ( Source )

Source: Giphy

So, avoid low-level vocabulary, correct all spelling and grammar mistakes, and check if you use the right transitional phrases to describe relationships between the arguments in your essay.

SAT Essay Tips

Everyone loves tips, especially if they help to achieve goals and conquer new peaks. And when your goal is a high score for an SAT essay, you need tips more than ever. No wonder:

Who doesn’t want to get a magic bullet to hit the target at one stroke, right?

We asked our team of professional academic writers to give readers their recommendations on essay writing, and here go the essay tips they’ve shared:

What you can do to earn high scores for the SAT essay:

• Understand the scoring system.
• Study essay samples; analyze their structure.
• Practice a lot: take sample prompts and spend 50 minutes on writing essays based on them.
• Learn to analyze texts and see central claims and evidence in them.
• During the SAT, read the prompt before the passage. Always.
• Use accurate facts: support your points with evidence from the passage.
• Be objective: answer the prompt but don’t add any personal opinion or points.
• Take your time to organize the SAT essay, and don’t forget to revise it.
• Make your essay longer than one page: though they say length doesn’t matter, your short response might be not enough for graders to see your writing skills — and you score for the Writing criterion will suffer.
• Follow standard tips for essay writing: use straightforward language, give a clear thesis, structure your essay logically.
• Use a timer when practicing your SAT essay: remember that you’ll have 50 minutes only, so make time for analyzing, planning, writing, and revising it.

Colleges That Require SAT Essay

Your decision to take the optional SAT essay might heavily depend on which college you are going to apply.

So, let’s check what colleges require SAT essays. If yours isn’t in the list, feel free to catch a break: you won’t have to prepare for this writing test and spend money on taking it. However, we would recommend you to double-check with each school at their official websites. (Rules change, you know, and the information tends to go out of date in time.)

We took the most popular colleges among US students only. If your school isn’t on the list, check SAT essay policies of all educational institutes at the official College Board website.

SAT Essay Examples

As mentioned, you need to practice a lot to write the SAT essay worth a high score. That’s true. But what else you can do is pre-plan the examples and evidence you’ll use in the essay! For that, analyze SAT essay examples available online.

Yes, the specifics of your prompt will differ; but they can help choose the types of examples you’ll use to explain the author’s argument.

College Board shares many SAT essay examples with detailed analysis and explanations of why they gave these or those scores to students. They’ll help you understand what to expect from your essay and what writing weaknesses of yours to improve.

This is the SAT essay example that has got 2/1/1 from graders.

(Oops, you better don’t write like that!)

And this work has got 4/4/4 points! See the difference:

(c) College Board

Additional Resources to Check:

• The SAT Student Guide 2022, College Board
• SAT Essay Practice on Khan Academy
• Practice With a Redesigned SAT Essay Prompts
• Best Books to Prepare for SAT
• SAT Essay Prompts: The Complete List

Related posts

• Harvard Referencing Style: A Comprehensive Guide
• What Is the Difference between Primary and Secondary Sources
• Common Types of Plagiarism with Examples

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What Colleges Require the SAT Essay?

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If you’re going to be applying to college soon, there’s a good chance that you’re already thinking about the SAT. Most colleges still require standardized test scores, and millions of students across the country tackle this exam each year. 

As you begin your college search, it’s important to understand the exact standardized test requirements of the colleges on your list. Some will be test-optional . Others require scores from the SAT or ACT. In addition, some will require that you submit scores from the optional essay portions of these tests. There may also be schools that require or recommend SAT Subject Tests. Knowing the exact testing policy at each school you’re considering will help you plan your test taking strategy, and begin test prep well in advance. 

If you’re planning to take the SAT, you won’t want to miss this complete overview of what colleges require the SAT essay. 

What is the SAT Essay? How is it Scored?

Before we dive into which schools require it, let’s take a closer look at what exactly the SAT essay is, and how it is scored. 

On the SAT Essay, students are provided with a written argument that they must read and analyze. Students have 50 minutes to read the passage, plan the essay, and write their response. Most successful responses stick to the standard five-paragraph essay format. To see an example prompt and scoring rubric, check out the Essay Sample Questions on the College Board website. 

It’s important to note here that the SAT Essay score is separate from your overall composite SAT score. It does not impact the score ranging from 400-1600 as reported on your score report. Instead of being included in your composite score, it is provided in addition to it. 

The Essay is scored on a scale from 2-8 in three areas of evaluation—Reading, Analysis, and Writing. Each essay is reviewed by two scorers, and scores between 1-4 are awarded in each dimension. These scores are then added together so that you’ll receive three scores for the SAT Essay—one for each dimension—ranging from 2–8 points. A perfect score on the essay would be 8/8/8, but the mean score on the essay is a 5 for Reading and Writing, and 3 for Analysis. This means if you can achieve any score over 5/3/5, you have scored above average on the essay. For a more complete look at how the test is scored, don’t miss our post What is a Good SAT Essay Score?

Should I Take the SAT Essay?

First of all, the SAT essay is technically an optional section, so no, you are not required to take it. That being said, some colleges do require applicants to take the SAT with Essay. If you choose not to take the essay portion of the test, you will not be an eligible applicant for any of these schools. 

The SAT Essay used to be required at many top colleges, but it has become optional at many schools. Now, among elite schools, only the University of California schools require the Essay. Other selective colleges like Duke University, Amherst College, and Colby College recommend the Essay, but it’s not required. 

Take a look at the colleges on these lists, and see if there are any you plan to apply to. Also be sure to double-check on your schools’ webpages, as these policies can change. 

If you think you might change your mind about which schools you want to apply to, you should take the SAT Essay to leave those doors open. This is why we generally recommend taking the essay, regardless of whether or not it’s required. After all, you can’t go back and just take the SAT Essay if you decide to change your mind and apply to a school that requires it—you’d have to retake the entire SAT.

Some colleges don’t require the essay, but do recommend it. In these cases, we always direct students to do what the college recommends. 

That being said, there is currently no option to withhold your essay score if you do terribly on it. Your essay scores will always be reported with your other test scores from that day, even to colleges that don’t require them. 

What Colleges Require the SAT with Essay?

There colleges request scores from the SAT with Essay in order to apply.

Schools that Require the SAT Essay:

• All of the University of California schools
• Benedictine University
• City University London
• Delaware State University
• DeSales University
• Dominican University of California
• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Howard University
• John Wesley University
• Kentucky State University
• Martin Luther College
• Molloy College
• Schreiner University
• Soka University of America
• Southern California Institute of Architecture
• Texas A&M University—Galveston
• United States Military Academy (West Point)
• University of North Texas
• West Virginia University Institute of Technology
• Western Carolina University

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These schools do not require the SAT Essay, but do recommend that students submit it. At CollegeVine, our best advice is to always follow a college’s recommendations. 

Schools that Recommend the SAT Essay:

• Abilene Christian University
• Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Allegheny College
• Amherst College
• Art Institute of Houston
• Augsburg University
• Austin College
• Caldwell University
• California State University, Northridge
• Central Connecticut State University
• Central Michigan University
• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
• Coastal Carolina University
• Colby College
• College of Wooster
• Colorado School of Mines
• Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
• Corban University
• Cornerstone University
• Dallas Christian College
• Duke University
• Eastern Illinois University
• Eastern Nazarene College
• Easternn University
• Endicott College
• Five Towns College
• Gallaudet University
• George Washington University
• Georgia Highlands College
• Greenville University
• Gwynedd Mercy University
• High Point University
• Hofstra University
• Holy Family University
• Husson University
• Indiana University South Bend
• Indiana University Southeast
• Indiana Wesleyan University
• Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus
• Juilliard School
• Keiser University (West Palm Beach)
• Lehigh University
• Madonna University
• Manhattan College
• Marymount California University
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy
• McMurry University
• Mercy College
• Modern College of Design
• Montana Tech of the University of Montana
• Morehouse College
• Mount Saint Mary College
• Mount St. Joseph University
• National-Louis University
• New Jersey City University
• Nichols College
• North Park University
• Occidental College
• Ohio University
• Oregon State University
• Purdue University Northwest
• Randall University
• Randolph-Macon College
• Reading Area Community College
• Rowan University
• Rutgers University—Camden Campus
• Rutgers University—Newark Campus
• Saint Michael’s College
• Sciences Po
• Seton Hill University
• Shiloh University
• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
• Silver Lake College of the Holy Family
• Southern Illinois University of Carbondale
• Southern Oregon University
• Spring Hill College
• Sul Ross State University
• SUNY Farmingdale State College
• SUNY University at Stony Brook
• Tarleton State University
• Texas A&M International University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas State University
• The King’s College
• United States Air Force Academy
• University of Evansville
• University of La Verne
• University of Mary Hardin—Baylor
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Minnesota: Twin Cities
• University of New England
• University of Northwestern—St. Paul
• University of the Virgin Islands
• University of Toledo
• University of Washington Bothell
• VanderCook College of Music
• Virginia Union University
• Wabash College
• Webb Institute
• Webber International University
• Wesleyan College
• William Jewell College

If any of the schools you are considering appear on either of the lists above, we recommend taking the SAT with Essay. In fact, we recommend that most, if not all, students take the SAT essay since it leaves more doors open in your college search. However, if you’re absolutely sure you won’t be applying to colleges that require or recommend the SAT with Essay, you can skip it.

Regardless, as you consider which colleges to add to your list, you’ll want to be certain you know what colleges require the SAT essay so that you can plan ahead for this part of your test. 

For help figuring out which schools might be a great fit for you, don’t miss our customized and innovative Chancing Engine and School List Generator . Here, we use a proprietary algorithm backed by over 100,000 data points to develop a school list based on your real admissions chances and preferences.

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

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Starting in 2024, U.S. students will take the SAT entirely online

Elissa Nadworny

The SAT, a college admissions exam long associated with paper and pencil, will soon go all-digital.

Starting in 2023 for international students and in 2024 in the U.S., the new digital SAT will shrink from three hours to two, include shorter reading passages and allow students to use a calculator on the math section.

Testing will still take place at a test center or at a school, but students will be able to choose between using their own devices — including a tablet or a laptop — or the schools' devices.

"The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant," said Priscilla Rodriguez of the College Board, the organization behind the test.

"With input from educators and students, we are adapting to ensure we continue to meet their evolving needs."

The College Board previously scrapped plans to offer an at-home digital test because of concern about students being able to access three hours of uninterrupted internet and power. Student broadband access has been a constant struggle throughout the pandemic, especially in rural and low-income areas. The new SAT will be designed to autosave, so students won't lose work or time while they reconnect.

Students are still struggling to get internet. The infrastructure law could help

All this comes as the relevance of the SAT and ACT, another college entrance exam, is being called into question in the college admissions process. More than 1,800 U.S. colleges are not requiring a test score for students applying to enroll in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing. At least 1,400 of those schools have extended their test policies through at least the fall of 2023. The University of California system, one of the largest in the nation, permanently removed the tests from its admissions process in November, after a drawn-out debate and a lawsuit .

Lawsuit Claims SAT And ACT Are Illegal In California Admissions

Still, the SAT and ACT are deeply ingrained in the American high school experience. More than a dozen states require one of the exams to graduate , and before the pandemic 10 states and Washington, D.C., had contracts with the College Board to offer the test during the school day for free to their students .

With the college admissions process grabbing headlines , and the Supreme Court agreeing to revisit the use of affirmative action in admissions , the College Board maintains that the SAT plays "a vital role in holistic admissions."

And despite many colleges making the test optional, some students see value in it.

The Supreme Court adds affirmative action to its potential hit list

"[The test] definitely doesn't offer the full profile of who a student is, it's not like the missing piece," explains Kirsten Amematsro, a junior at Potomac High School in Dumfries, Va. "But it can make your application better. It just kind of speaks to what you can accomplish in your testing ability."

Amematsro first started thinking about her path to college — and taking the SAT — back in sixth grade. When she got to high school, her mom bought her a poster of a college readiness to-do list that hangs in her bedroom.

The Coronavirus Crisis

Colleges are backing off sat, act scores — but the exams will be hard to shake.

"I know that it's going to be a vital part when I apply [to college]," she says. She thinks with so many colleges going test-optional, having a good SAT will be "a cherry on top" of her application.

Last fall, Amematsro took a pilot version of the new digital SAT.

"It felt more streamlined," she says. "It's just not as easy for me, honestly, to focus on the paper as it was the computer."

She used her own laptop to take it, which felt comfortable and familiar.

"I just feel like it's easier for our generation because we're so used to using technology."

SAT Discontinues Subject Tests And Optional Essay

Before this new digital format, the SAT had already gone through several changes. In 2014, the College Board revealed it would drop its penalty-for-wrong-answers policy, make the essay portion optional and remove the obscure vocabulary section. And in early 2021, the organization announced it would discontinue the optional essay component of the SAT, as well as the subject tests in U.S. history, languages and math, among other topics.

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Should I Take the SAT Essay? How to Decide

New SAT , SAT Essay

The SAT underwent some major revisions in 2016, and one of the biggest changes is that its previously required essay is now optional. This can be confusing for some students and parents. Should you take the essay? Will colleges require the essay or not? Will taking the essay make your application stronger?

Read on for answers to all these questions. This guide will explain what the SAT essay is, what the pros and cons of taking it are, and how you can make the best choice for you.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

What Is the SAT Essay?

The SAT essay is one of the sections of the SAT. After being required since its inception, the College Board has now decided to make the essay optional. This is similar to the ACT, whose essay has always been optional.

During this section, students will be given 50 minutes to write an essay. The essay for the new SAT is very different than it was for the previous version of the SAT. You can read all about the changes to the SAT here , but, as a brief overview, the essay will give you a passage by an author who is taking a stance on an issue. Your job will be to analyze how the author built that argument.

If you choose to take the essay, it will be its own section of the SAT, and the score you get on the essay will be separate from your score on the rest of the exam. Your main SAT score will be out of 1600 while your essay will be graded across three different categories: Reading, Analysis, and Writing. For each area, your essay will be given a score from 2-8.

Below is a sample prompt from one of the official practice tests released by the College Board. Here you can read the entire prompt, including the passages you would need to analyze.

Do Colleges Require the SAT Essay Now That It's Optional?

So, the College Board has now made the essay an optional part of the SAT, but does that change how colleges view the essay (or if they even view it at all)? Kind of. Some schools that used the essays before no longer require them now that both the ACT and SAT have made the essays optional, but other schools continue to require the SAT essay.

Each school makes this decision individually, so there are no patterns to follow to try and guess who will require the essay and who won’t. Even top schools like the Ivy League are divided on whether to require the essay or not.  

This can make things confusing if you’re applying to college soon and don’t know if you should take the SAT essay or not. The following sections of this guide will explain the benefits and drawbacks of taking the essay and walk you through different scenarios so you can make an informed decision.

The #1 Consideration: Do Any of the Schools You're Interested in Require the Essay?

The absolute most important factor, the factor that matters more than anything else in the rest of this guide, is if any of the schools you’re applying to or thinking of applying to require the SAT essay.

The best way to get this information is to  Google “[school name] SAT essay requirement,” look directly on each school’s admission webpage, or   check out our list of the schools that require the SAT essay.

Find this information for every school you plan on applying to, even schools you’re not sure you want to apply to, but are considering. If even one school you’re interested in requires the SAT essay, then you should take it, regardless of any other factors.  There is no way to take just the SAT essay by itself, so if you take the SAT without the essay and then, later on, realize you need an essay score for a school you’re applying to, you will have to retake the entire test.

So, if a school you’re interested in requires the SAT essay, your choice is clear: take the essay when you take the SAT. However, what if the schools you’re interested in don’t require the essay? If that’s the case, you have some other factors to consider. Read on!

Benefits of Taking the SAT Essay

If none of the schools you’re thinking of applying to require the SAT essay, why would you want to take it? The two main reasons are explained below.

#1: You're Covered for All Schools

Taking the SAT essay means that, no matter which schools you end up applying to, you will absolutely have all their SAT requirements met. If you decide to apply to a new school that requires the SAT essay, that won’t be a problem because you’ll already have taken it.

If you already are absolutely certain about which schools you’re applying to and none of them require the essay, then this may not be a big deal to you. However, if you have a tentative list of schools, and you’ve been adding a school or removing a school from that list occasionally, you may want to be better safe than sorry and take the SAT essay, just in case.

Taking the SAT essay means you have all your bases covered, no matter which schools you end up applying to.

#2: A Good Score May Boost Your Application Slightly

While it’s highly unlikely that your SAT essay will be the deciding factor of your college application, there are some cases where it can give you a small leg up on the competition. This is the case if a school recommends, but doesn’t require the essay, and that school is particularly competitive.

Having a strong SAT essay score to submit may strengthen your application a bit, especially if you are trying to show strong English/writing skills.

Drawbacks to Taking the SAT Essay

There are also costs to taking the SAT essay; here are three of the most common:

#1: It's Another Section to Study For

If you choose to take the essay, that means you have an entire extra SAT section to study and prepare for. If you already feel like you have a ton of SAT prep to do or have doubts about staying motivated, adding on more work can make you feel stressed and end up hurting your scores in the other SAT sections.

#2: It Makes the Exam Longer

Taking the essay will, obviously, increase the total time you spend taking the SAT. You’re given 50 minutes to write the essay, and, including time needed for students not taking the essay to leave and things to get settled, that will add about an hour to the test, increasing your total SAT test time from about three hours to four hours.

If you struggle with keeping focused or staying on your A game during long exams (and, let’s be honest, it’s not hard to lose concentration after several hours of answering SAT questions), adding an additional hour of test time can reduce your test-taking endurance and make you feel tired and distracted during the essay, likely making it hard for you to get your best score.

#3: The Essay Costs Extra

Taking the SAT with the essay will also cost you a bit more money. Taking the SAT without the essay costs $46, but if you choose to take the essay, it costs $14 extra, raising the total cost of the SAT to $60.

However, if you're eligible for an SAT fee waiver, the waiver also applies to this section of the exam, so you still won't have to pay anything if you choose to take the essay.

Taking the essay likely means the cost of taking the SAT will be slightly higher for you.

Should You Take the SAT Essay? Five Scenarios to Help You Decide

Now you know what the SAT essay is and the pros and cons of taking it. So, what should you decide? Five scenarios are listed below; find the one that applies to your situation and follow the advice in order to make the best decision for you.

Scenario 1: You're planning on applying to at least one school that requires the essay

As mentioned above, if even one school you’re thinking about applying to requires the SAT essay, you should take it in order to avoid retaking the entire SAT again at a later date because you need an essay score.

Scenario 2: None of the schools you're applying to look at essay scores

If none of the schools you’re thinking about applying to even look at SAT essay scores, then you shouldn’t take it. Even if you get a perfect score, if the schools don’t consider essay scores, then taking it will have no benefits for you.

Scenario 3: The schools you're applying to don't require the SAT essay and aren't highly competitive

In this case, you don’t need to take the SAT essay, unless you’re trying to make up for weak writing skills in other parts of your application.

Scenario 4: The schools you're applying to recommend the SAT essay and are more competitive

For this scenario, you should take the SAT essay in order to give your application an extra boost, unless you really think you’d perform poorly or preparing for and taking the essay would cause your scores in other sections to decline.

Scenario 5: You aren't sure where you're going to apply yet

If you’re not sure which schools you want to apply to, then you should take the SAT essay, just to be safe. This way you’re covered no matter where you end up applying to college.

If the thought of figuring out which colleges to apply to has you as confused as this blue panda, your safest option is to take the SAT essay.

Because of the College Board’s recent decision to make the SAT essay optional, students are now faced with the decision of whether they should take it or not.  The best way to decide is to learn the essay policy for each of the colleges you're interested in applying to.  Some schools will still require the essay, some won’t even look at an applicant’s essay scores, and other schools don’t require the essay but will look at your score if you do take it.

Use these school policies to help decide whether you should take the essay. Remember, if you end up needing to submit an essay score, you will have to retake the entire SAT, so make sure you have accurate and up-to-date information for each school you are thinking of applying to.

What's Next?

Have you decided to take the essay and want to know how to start studying? We have a step-by-step guide that explains how to write a great SAT essay.

Want more examples of sample prompts? Here are all of the real SAT essay prompts that have been released by the College Board.

Are you aiming for a perfect SAT essay score?  Check out our guide on how to get a perfect 8/8/8 on the SAT essay.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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How Long Does the SAT Take?

College Board

• February 8, 2024

The total time for the digital SAT  is 2 hours and 14 minutes, not including breaks, and the test consists of :

• Reading and Writing:  64-minute section with 54 questions (1 minute 11 seconds per question)
• Math:  70-minute section with 44 questions (1 minute 35 seconds per question)

Compared to the ACT ®, the SAT® provides 67% more time per question. 

Each section of the digital SAT   is divided into 2 equal-length modules, and there’s a 10-minute  break between the Reading and Writing section and the Math section.

Because the digital SAT is adaptive , the same knowledge and skills can be accurately measured faster. The first module of each section contains a broad mix of easy, medium, and hard questions. Based on how you do on the first module, the second module of questions will either be more difficult or less difficult. Either way, the module will always have the same number of questions.

What About the Essay Section? 

The Essay is only available in states where it’s required as part of SAT School Day administrations. Students scheduled to take the SAT on a school day can check with their school to see whether the Essay will be included. If it’s included, the Essay section will be an additional 50 minutes. 

When Does the SAT Start?

If you’re taking the SAT on a weekend , test center doors open at 7:45 a.m. on test day and close at 8 a.m. Once students are checked in and seated in their testing room, the proctor reads the preliminary instructions. The test begins between 8:30 and 9 a.m., based on how long these steps take.

How Do I Know How Much Time I Have Left?

A testing timer in Bluebook ™ will let you know how much time is remaining in each part of the test. You can hide it until 5 minutes remain. Then you’ll get an alert.

The proctor will be able to see when each student starts and finishes each section.

Other Time Factors

Travel Time  – Figure out travel time to your test center, and make sure you can be there before the doors close at 8 a.m. on test day.

Special Accommodations  – Students with specific needs due to medical conditions or other circumstances can get either extended or more frequent breaks or extra testing time for each section. If you think you may qualify, you can  request accommodations .

Additional SAT Test Day Information

Access more information on  what to expect on SAT test day  so there won't be any surprises to delay you or your fellow test takers. Don’t forget to bring your fully charged device with the Bluebook application installed, a valid ID, and a pencil or pen for scratch work. Use our  test day checklist   as a reminder of everything you need. And remember, the proctor will hold your electronic devices until the test is over.

Now you know how long the SAT takes and everything that impacts timing on test day. Good luck!

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Digital SAT Launches Across the Country, Completing the Transition to Digital and Providing a Simpler Testing Experience for Students and Educators

College Board launched first fully digital SAT weekend administration on March 9. Students participating in SAT School Day and PSAT 10 are also testing digitally this spring.

College Board

• March 12, 2024

New York, NY – College Board this weekend launched the new, digital SAT ® to students across the United States. The digital SAT provides a shorter test, with more time per question, and an overall streamlined testing experience for students and educators. The March 9 administration completes the transition of the SAT Suite of Assessments to digital testing after the digital SAT launched internationally in March 2023, the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT ® ) and PSAT™ 8/9 in fall 2023, and the PSAT™ 10 and SAT School Day last week.

On Saturday, marking the U.S. launch of digital SAT Weekend, more than 200,000 students took the digital SAT at 3,000 test centers in 173 countries. In March, 99.8% of SAT Weekend digital test takers successfully completed their exam and submitted their results via Bluebook™, College Board’s new digital testing app. In addition, over 400,000 students took the digital SAT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 during the school day last week.

“I thought that it was an easier process than the paper SAT,” said Emily, a student in New Jersey. “It took less stamina and since there was a timer right in front of you, I thought that was very useful. I felt that it was less stressful. This format allowed me enough time to get through each section and feel confident in my answers.”

“I was very nervous leading up to this, but the experience was very easy and self-explanatory,” said Doreen Ciccarini, a paraprofessional and proctor of 17 years. “I didn’t have any issues. Digital is easier and quicker, I would 100% do it again.”

A junior named Isabel echoed those sentiments: “I found the instructions for the exam to be very easy to follow, as well as the setup. I appreciated how quickly the exam was over.”

Since March 2023, College Board has successfully administered over 300,000 digital SAT tests internationally to students in 183 countries.

• 84% of students and 99% of staff reported a better experience with the digital SAT Suite compared to the paper SAT Suite.
• 97% of students said the Bluebook testing app was easy to use.
• 95% of students said they felt comfortable testing on their digital device.

“We made the transition to a digital SAT in response to what students and educators were telling us. Students do a lot of their learning and testing digitally these days. Our goal was to provide a testing experience that is more relevant to today’s students and is less stressful for students to take and easier for educators to administer,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, senior vice president of College Readiness Assessments at College Board.

Key Changes for the Digital SAT

The digital SAT has key improvements from the previous paper and pencil version, including:

• A shorter test, lasting just over 2 hours compared to 3 hours for the paper and pencil test.
• Shorter reading passages on the Reading and Writing Section, with one question tied to each. 
• Calculators are allowed on the entire Math section, including the option to use the built-in graphing calculator. 
• Digital SAT Suite score reports will provide students in the U.S with insights on careers that are growing in their state and need skills like theirs.
• A wide range of supported devices for students to use, including their own laptops and tablets or school-issued devices. If a student doesn’t have a device to take the SAT on a weekend, they can request to borrow one from College Board for use on test day. 
• A unique version of the test for every student, making it practically impossible to share answers and ensuring a fair testing environment.
• A shorter test day for students and educators, and no more packing, shipping, or sorting test materials.

Many important features of the SAT Suite remain the same, including:

• Measuring the knowledge and skills students are learning in high school and that matter most for college and career readiness.
• The 1600-point scale.
• Administrations in a school or a test center with a proctor present—not at home. 
• Test takers are still connected with over $300 million in scholarships and the College Board National Recognition Program.

“I like the new format of the exam,” said a senior named Isabella. “It was very easy to set up and install the application and my experience was much more pleasant!”

Bluebook App for Testing

Students take the digital SAT on the Bluebook app, which includes built-in tools and resources to support students during testing, including a timer, annotation, and more. Bluebook also has full-length digital practice tests, which students can use to prepare for the SAT in addition to the free Official Digital SAT Prep on Khan Academy .

“Use the app before taking the test,” said a student named Jake. “Do the practice tests that you can before the test, especially the ones through Bluebook and College Board because they are pretty similar to the real test.”

A senior named Sophie also used the online practice: “I really liked having the SAT online. I felt like there was more preparation because all the practice tests I did were online, so I felt like I was following that.”

The Bluebook app was designed with access in mind and can handle technology disruptions. If the internet disconnects or a student’s device runs out of battery during testing, they can continue or pick up where they left off without losing their work or testing time.

SAT School Day and PSAT-Related Assessments

The millions of students who take the exam during the SAT School Day administration will also take the digital version this spring. For states, districts, and schools that offer the SAT to their students as part of SAT School Day, the digital test delivers greater flexibility in deciding when, where, and how often the SAT is given. Schools have an 8-week testing window, from March 4 until April 26, when they can administer the digital SAT to their students whenever they choose. SAT School Day is an important driver of access and equity and has been shown to lead to higher college-going rates for low-income and rural students.

Students taking the digital PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 will also test during the same window throughout March and April. The PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 help students prepare for the SAT and as part of the SAT Suite of Assessments, help students and educators track students’ progress over time.

SAT’s Role in College Admissions

The SAT continues to play a vital role in a holistic admissions process. When viewed within the context of where a student lives and learns, test scores can confirm a student’s grades or demonstrate their strengths beyond what their high school grades may show.   When surveyed in fall 2022 by Morning Consult, more than 80% of students said they want the option to submit test scores to colleges. This finding remains consistent whether or not students have taken the SAT and across race/ethnicity and parents’ level of education.    That’s because the SAT allows students—regardless of where they go to high school—to be seen by colleges and scholarship providers. In the class of 2023, nearly 1.3 million U.S. students had SAT scores that affirmed or exceeded their high school GPA. That means their SAT scores were a point of strength on their college applications. Among those 1.3 million students, nearly 440K were African American and Latino, more than 350K were first-generation college goers, and more than 250K were from small towns and rural communities. These numbers represent nearly 80% of each of these populations and remain very stable over time.

Find more information about the new exam and the full SAT Suite at sat.org/digital .  

SAT Dates and Deadlines

At this time, registration is open for all students for the entire 2024–25 testing year.

All deadlines expire at 11:59 p.m. ET, U.S.

August 2024–June 2025 Test Dates

These test dates and deadlines apply to all students—U.S. and international—taking the SAT:

Anticipated 2025–26 Test Dates

• August 23, 2025
• October 4, 2025
• November 8, 2025
• December 6, 2025
• March 14, 2026
• May 2, 2026
• June 6, 2026

Review the latest registration fees and other charges for taking the SAT.

Policies for International Testing

Learn about the different registration policies for students taking the SAT outside the United States and U.S. territories.

International Fees

Learn about SAT registration fees and other fees for students taking the test outside the United States.

Sign in and register for the SAT.