The SAT has changed, but, with the Krupnick Approach, you’ll get the same elite test-prep services you always have.

The Krupnick Approach: Navigating the Digital SAT

Digital SAT Overview

As many of you know, the SAT has gone digital. At the Krupnick Approach, we demystify the new exam, customize it to your learning style, and deliver the test-specific and content-related rules to help you navigate the process successfully and efficiently. Using our proprietary data-driven approach to the digital test, our experts have analyzed thousands of official Digital SAT questions for test confidence and mastery.

Digital SAT Structure

The digital SAT suite, including SAT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9, will be digital, adaptive, shorter, and re-formatted. As of Fall 2023, the digital PSATs are in place, paving the way for the first digital SAT starting in March 2024.

SAT Test Dates, Registration Deadlines, and Score Release Schedules

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The Adaptive Testing Model

The digital SAT adopts a multistage adaptive testing model, differing significantly from the linear testing model used previously. Both sections (Reading and Writing & Math) are divided into two separate modules. The test delivery platform adjusts the difficulty of the questions after the first modules based on the performance of test takers.

For both Reading & Writing and Math, the first modules, which are identical for all students, consist of questions across a broad range of difficulty (easy, medium, and difficult questions).

Students whose accuracy is greater than or equal to 70-75% correct on the first modules will progress to harder, higher-difficulty second modules. Students whose accuracy is less than 70-75% will receive lower-difficulty second modules. Those who progress into the harder second modules will be correspondingly tracked into higher score ranges (about 100 points higher per section).

Reading and Writing

The DSAT Reading and Writing, once less felicitously called “Critical Reading & Writing & Language,” is now composed of two modules– each featuring 27 multiple-choice questions and a 32-minute completion time. While the section does assess skills like analyzing words in context, using textual evidence, and knowing rules of grammar and usage, it is also a category-based test. This means that, regardless of the difficulty or linguistic framing of the questions, success on this section continues to favor pattern recognition, rule application, and trap identification. Much like history, the SAT Reading and Writing doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.

Mathematics

The DSAT Math section comprises two modules with 22 multiple-choice and student-produced response questions and a 35-minute standard completion time. The questions evaluate skills in algebra, quantitative problem-solving, data analysis, and advanced math topics. While superficially quite similar to the paper-and-pencil version, DSAT Math section now allows you to use a calculator on both sections. And by virtue of the adaptive nature of the modules, the sections contain questions that vary tremendously (in fact unreasonably) in difficulty.

Mathematics

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Test Comparisons

The Digital SAT vs. the Paper/Pencil SAT

	Paper and Pencil SAT	Digital SAT
Standard Time	3 hours	2 hours, 14 minutes
Extended Time (1.5x)	4.5 hours	3 hours, 21 minutes
# of Questions	154 questions	98 questions
Minutes/Question	1.17	1.37
Test Format	Linear	Adaptive
Test Section Sequence	Reading (65 mins) Writing and Language (35 mins) Math Non Calculator (25 mins) Math Calculator (55 mins)	Reading & Writing Mod. 1 (32 mins) Reading & Writing Mod. 2 (32 mins) Math Mod. 1 (35 minutes) Math Mod. 2 (35 minutes)
Calculator Policy	Calculators are permitted only on second math section.	Calculators are permitted on both Math modules, including the on-screen Desmos graphing calculator.
Average Passage Length	Reading: 600-750 words Writing & Language: 350-450 words	25-150 words

Digital SAT vs. ACT

	DSAT	ACT
Timing	2 hours, 14 minutes	2 hours, 55 minutes
Number of questions	98 questions	215 questions
Minutes/Question	1.37	0.81
Test Format	Adaptive, Digital	Paper/Pencil, Linear
Sections	Reading & Writing Math	English Math Reading Science
Scoring	400-1600	1-36
Student Strengths	Students better suited to the DSAT are typically those who: 1) Prefer a shorter format (DSAT is 2 hrs 14 mins, ACT is 2 hrs 55 mins). 2) Prefer a slower-paced test. 3) Are looking to emphasize math skills (given that math is 50% of the DSAT). 4) Prefer shorter passages for reading and punctuation/grammar. 5) Feel more comfortable with challenging vocabulary questions (DSAT includes 8-10 vocabulary-in-context questions).	Students better suited to the ACT are typically those who: 1) Prefer a longer format 2) Can tolerate a faster paced test. 3) Are looking for more rules and formulas. (20% of the ACT questions are based on “magic tricks” vs. 14% of SAT questions). 4) Feel more comfortable with charts, graphs, figures, and tables. (These are tested on the ACT Science section). 5) Feel more comfortable with the meat-and-potatoes paper/pencil style of testing.

The Structure of the Digital SAT

_Section	_{Standard Time Duration}	_{Number of Questions}	_{Time per Question}	_Format
_{Reading & Writing Module 1}	_{32 minutes}	_{27 questions}	_{1 minute and 11 seconds}	_Linear
_{Reading & Writing Module 2}	_{32 minutes}	_{27 questions}	_{1 minute and 11 seconds}	_Adaptive
_{Math Module 1}	_{35 minutes}	_{22 questions}	_{1 minute and 35 seconds}	_Linear
_{Math Module 2}	_{35 minutes}	_{22 questions}	_{1 minute and 35 seconds}	_Adaptive
_Total	_{2 hours and 14 minutes}	_{98 questions}	_{1 minute 22 seconds}

_Section	_{Standard Time Duration}	_{Number of Questions}	_{Time per Question}	_Format
_{Reading & Writing Module 1}	_{32 minutes}	_{27 questions}	_{1 minute and 11 seconds}	_Linear
_{Reading & Writing Module 2}	_{32 minutes}	_{27 questions}	_{1 minute and 11 seconds}	_Adaptive
_{Math Module 1}	_{35 minutes}	_{22 questions}	_{1 minute and 35 seconds}	_Linear
_{Math Module 2}	_{35 minutes}	_{22 questions}	_{1 minute and 35 seconds}	_Adaptive
_Total	_{2 hours and 14 minutes}	_{98 questions}	_{1 minute 22 seconds}

Calculator Policy Details

In this digital era, the calculator policy undergoes a transformation. The on-screen Desmos calculator, a substantial tool, is now permitted for the entire Math section. Additionally, students may still bring their own graphing calculator. The comprehensive calculator policy ensures students have the tools they need to excel in the Math modules.

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Accommodations

For students requiring accommodations, the digital SAT provides a range of options to ensure a fair testing experience. It is crucial for students to explore and apply for accommodations that align with their needs. The Krupnick Approach offers guidance in understanding the available accommodations and navigating the application process.

Interactive Features

Embracing the digital format, the SAT introduces interactive features to enhance the test-taking experience. Students can now flag questions for review, providing a convenient way to revisit challenging items. The inclusion of a reference sheet offers quick access to essential information, streamlining problem-solving and decision-making during the examination.

Our Approach

Embarking on the journey to excel in the digital SAT requires tailored guidance, and The Krupnick Approach is here to provide the best in customized, data-driven, one-on-one support. Our tutoring programs align with each student’s unique needs, using systematic design, personalized tutoring, a proprietary database, and official tests to guide instruction and support growth and confidence.

See what our students and parents have to say about their experiences

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“[The Krupnick Approach] helped me raise my ACT score and ultimately get into 8 top universities! Lots of great strategies and tips, very informed. Thank you for your help!”

“The Krupnick Approach taught me new ways of thinking for the ACT and consistently worked with me to ensure that I understood the material and was bettering my score.”

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SAT Test Prep Family, Parent(s), Glenbrook North

When should I take the digital SAT?

Just as they say about voting, the best time to take the new SAT is early and often. This is the case especially inasmuch as these tests do not generally reflect what you learn in school. This means that, with the exception of Math—which does require rudimentary understanding of advanced algebra concepts—there’s really no time that’s too early to start prepping.

With that said, we usually encourage students to begin incorporating SAT prep into their life routines the summer after sophomore year. The advantage of starting over the summer is that it’s not competing with the full-time jobs of high school and extracurricular activities. The advantage of starting after sophomore year is that students have generally had enough math to get them through 95-98 percent of the SAT and are by then in a great position to get ahead of the curve. Think of it this way: if you start early, you’ll be done with these tests by junior fall or winter. And while everyone else is still suffering the tortures of the damned, you’ll be able to spend your after school time on something else… like college prep!

The other advantage of starting early is that most colleges (our analysis suggests 65-70 percent) superscore the SAT, which means that having more opportunities to take these exams will likely redound to your credit.

What's a Good SAT Score?

A good score, like curved space time, is relative. It’s relative to your personal standards and relative to the standards of the schools to which you’re applying. (To a certain extent, we might say that good scores are also relative to the standards of your parents and peers, but, as independent thinkers ourselves, we discourage all of our students from having such narrowly defined conceptions of success.)

More concretely, we encourage our students to aim for outcomes that put them above the 25th percentile for the schools to which they are applying. If you’re dead set on Princeton or MIT, this means that a 1480 or a 1500 is a good score. If you’re looking at other schools, that 25th percentile might start at 1200 or 1220. For more information on percentile scores at specific schools, see College Super-Scoring, Test Optional Status & Admissions Data.

If you don’t know where you’re applying, a good rule of thumb is to aim for a percentile that is roughly commensurate with your GPA percentile at your local high school. If you get mostly As and are in the top 10% of your class, you’ll probably want to aspire for a 1380 or higher. If you’re in the middle of the class, you’d probably benefit from an SAT that’s 1200 or higher.

If you don’t know where you stand in relation to your local high school class, we’d suggest looking at Naviance/Scoir/Maya Learning scattergrams and perhaps doing some light reconnaissance during free periods and downtime. Without being creepy about it, it’s usually not terribly difficult to get a ballpark sense based on conversations with friends and classmates.