General Information
The dSAT is a college entrance exam that is administered by the College Board. It consists of two sections: 1) the Reading and Writing Section (RW), and 2) the Math Section.
Digital SAT Content and Question Types
| Reading and Writing Section (RW) | Math Section | |
| Administration | Two-stage adaptive test design using AI: 1 Reading and Writing section administered via two separately timed modules. The first module is a "baseline module". Performance on the baseline module determines whether students progress to an "easier" or "harder" second module. | Two-stage adaptive test design using AI: 1 Math section administered via two separately timed modules. If 0-14 questions are answered correctly in the 1st module (baseline module), then students progress to the "Easier Adaptive Math Module". If 15-20 questions are answered correctly in the baseline module, then students progress to the "Harder Adaptive Math Module". |
| Total # of Questions | 54 questions (27 questions/module) 1st Module: 25 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) 2nd Module: 25 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) | 44 questions (22 questions/module) 1st Module: 20 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) 2nd Module: 20 operational questions (scored) and 2 experimental questions (non-scored) |
| Total Time Allotted | 64 minutes (32 minutes/module) | 70 minutes (35 minutes/module) |
| Average Time Per Question | 1.19 minutes | 1.59 minutes |
| Question Types | 4-option, multiple-choice questions | 4-option, multiple-choice questions (~75%) Grid-in (~25%) questions called "Student Produced Responses" |
| Subject Areas | Literature, History & Social Studies, Humanities, and Science | 30% of the Math section questions are in the context of Science, Social Studies, and Real-World Topics; the remaining 70% are "pure" math questions. Content: -Algebra 1 and 2 (~35%) -Advanced Math (~35%) -Problem-Solving & Data Analysis (~15%) -Geometry and Trigonometry (~15%) -Statistics, Probability -Emphasis on word problems and questions in real-world context |
| Word Count | 25-150 words per passage | ~30% are word problems called "Questions in Context; most have 50 words or fewer. |
| Informational Graphics | Tables, Bar Graphs, and Line Graphs | Yes |
Total Length
- 2 hours 14 minutes
- There is a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing Section and the Math Section.
Compare the Digital SAT with the ACT
| SAT | ACT | |
| Format & Length | 2 Sections: 1) Reading & Writing 2) Math Each section is divided into 2 equal-length, separately timed "adaptive" modules. The first module will present easy, medium, and hard items. A student's performance will then guide the 2nd module, which will employ AI to deliver easy, medium, and/or hard items. Items will be multiple-choice with 4 answer choices. | 5 Sections: 1) English 2) Math 3) Reading 4) Science 5) Essay (optional but recommended) Items will be multiple-choice with 5 answer choices for math and 4 answer choices for other sections. |
| Scoring | Combined score: 400 to 1600 (sum of both sections) Reading Score Range: Math Score Range: The difficulty level of Module 2 for each section -- and the highest potential score -- will be determined by student performance on Module 1 of each section. | Composite score: 1-36 (average of the 4 multiple-choice sections) Section Scores: Notably the national average is 19.5 (a 30-year low). |
| Reading & Writing | 27 passages per module: -Each passage will range from 25-150 words. -Some paired passages with 1 question -Reading passages come before Writing passages in each module. -Passages may include informational graphics. -Reading content includes: Literature, Humanities, History & Social Studies, and Science -Writing content includes: Grammar & Usage, Punctuation, Structure, and Rhetoric ~71 seconds/question | 4 reading passages: -3 regular passages -1 paired passage -Each passage will range between 700-900 words with 10 questions per passage. Content (in order): ~52.5 seconds/question |
| English | English topics are covered in the Writing modules as described above. | 5 writing passages: -Revise and correct errors -Passages are 800-1,000 words -15 questions per passage Content: ~36 seconds/question |
| Math | Content includes: -Algebra 1 and 2 (~35%) Structure: ~95.5 seconds/question | Content includes: -Pre-Algebra -Algebra 1 and 2 -Geometry (~25%) -Statistics & Probability -Trigonometry Structure: ~60 seconds/question |
| Science | Science-themed passages embedded in the reading modules. | This section tests reasoning and non-fiction reading skills more than science knowledge. Embedded in this section are tables, charts, and graphs requiring analysis and data analysis without a calculator (e.g. mean, median, mode). Passage topics include: Structure: ~52.5 seconds/question |
| Essay | No essay | Optional but strongly recommended to demonstrate writing prowess. The task requires students to read a background paragraph on an issue that doesn't particularly require any background knowledge and typically appeals to everyday experiences for a typical high school student. Students analyze and evaluate 3 given perspectives (stances) and then choose one to develop. A non-chosen perspective (stance) serves as fuel for a counterargument. The expectation is a well developed, 5-paragraph persuasive essay. |
Scoring
The dSAT reports two section scores, each with scaled scores ranging from 200 to 800. The first section is Reading and Writing, and the second section is Math. These two section scores are added together to give a cumulative SAT score between 400 and 1600. Notably, each question has its own weighting, so answers certain questions incorrectly will have a bigger impact on your score. Therefore, there is no longer a conversion chart aligning the number of correct answers with a specific score.
Testing Schedule
The dSAT is administered seven times per year, typically once in each of the following months: August, October, November, December, March, May, and June.
2024-2025 Test Dates
- March 9, 2024 (registration deadline is 2/23/24; late registration deadline is 2/27/24)
- May 4, 2024 (registration deadline is 4/19/24; late registration deadline is 4/23/24)
- June 1, 2024 (registration deadline is 5/16/24; late registration deadline is 5/21/24)
- August 24, 2024 (registration deadline is 8/9/24; late registration deadline is 8/13/24)
- October 5, 2024 (registration deadline is 9/20/24; late registration deadline is 9/24/24)
- November 2, 2024 (registration deadline is 10/18/24; late registration deadline is 10/22/24)
- December 7, 2024 (registration deadline is 11/22/24; late registration deadline is 11/26/24)
- March 8, 2025 (registration deadline is 2/21/25; late registration deadline is 2/25/25)
- May 3, 2025 (registration deadline is 4/18/25; late registration deadline is 4/22/25)
- June 7, 2025 (registration deadline is 5/22/25; late registration deadline is 5/27/25)
Cost
- Exam Cost: $60
- Late Registration Fee: $35
- Change Fee: $25
- Scores by Phone: $15
Score Choice™
Score Choice™ is a feature of the SAT that allows a student to take the test multiple times without having to worry about colleges seeing all of their results. Instead, they can select which test dates they want sent to schools. A student CANNOT, however, select from within a test date certain subject scores to send. For instance, they cannot send ONLY a math score from a certain test date.
Different colleges have different policies with regards to Score Choice™.
Learn more here
Registration Site/Additional Information
To register, visit the official College Board SAT website.
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