Navigating The New Digital SAT And Other Trends In College Admissions

The deadline for students to register for the SAT is April 18, and significant changes as in the digital exam are raising questions for students and parents.

David Blobaum, a nationally recognized expert in entrance exams and college admissions, says the digital adaptive SAT, introduced a year ago, presents new challenges and opportunities. If students have not mastered the powerful on-screen calculator available to all SAT test takers, then they’re at a significant disadvantage.

Blobaum serves on the Board of Directors and is the Director of Outreach for the National Test Prep Association, which works to support the appropriate use of testing in admissions, and co-founded the education company Summit Prep in 2013.

With grade inflation rife in U.S. high schools, SAT and ACT scores have become a vital component in college admissions, and at top colleges in particular, the exam results are 3.9 times more predictive of success than a student’s high school grades.

One of the emerging trends in college admissions is Caltech’s recent requirement that applicants submit their Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores, a move other top colleges might follow. Blobaum advises students to take a practice AP exam now so that they can adequately prepare for their AP exams in early May.

Students with high test scores will face a choice between accepting an offer from a top-ranked college without a scholarship or accepting a large scholarship at a slightly lower-ranked institutions.

Given these shifts, the upcoming registration deadline should act as a catalyst for students and families to reassess their preparation strategies to ensure they are ready for these pivotal tests.