The SAT is a standardized test used mainly for college admissions in the United States. It was first introduced in 1926 and has gone through many changes over the years, including its name, format, and scoring system. In the past, it was known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and it focused on two main parts: Verbal and Math. Each section was scored between 200 and 800.
Today, it’s simply called the SAT.
The SAT is developed, owned, and published by the College Board, a nonprofit organization. The test is administered by another organization called the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The main goal of the SAT is to measure how prepared students are for college-level work.
Changes Over the Years
For many years, students could also take optional subject-specific tests, which were known as SAT Subject Tests. These were originally called Achievement Tests and later SAT II. However, these subject tests were officially discontinued after June 2021.
The original SAT was not designed to match what students learn in high school, but that changed with the version introduced in 2016. Since then, the SAT has been more closely aligned with high school curricula, especially following updates to education standards like the Common Core.
Preparing for the SAT
Many students get ready for the SAT by studying through guidebooks, online courses, coaching classes, or private tutors. These resources are offered by different educational companies and institutions.
How the SAT is Taken Now
In the past, the SAT was a paper-based test. But starting in March 2023 for students outside the U.S., and March 2024 for students in the U.S., the SAT is now taken on a computer using a program called Bluebook. The test has also become adaptive, which means the difficulty level of the questions adjusts based on how well the student is doing. Additionally, the total testing time has been shortened—from about three hours to just over two hours.
More Than Just a College Test
While the SAT is mostly used for college admissions, it has also been studied by researchers to understand how people learn and think. In some cases, even employers have used SAT scores when hiring, although this is not very common.