Whether these changes apply to you varies depending on your grade level. Below we provide more specific guidelines for each group of current high school students.
Class of 2023 (Current 12th Graders)
These changes will not impact students who attend high school in the U.S. and will graduate in the Class of 2022 or the Class of 2023. They’ll graduate before the PSAT or SAT test transitions to the new digital format.
Class of 2024 (Current 11th Graders)
For U.S. students, these changes will only affect Class of 2024 high school students who decide to take the test during the spring of their 12th grade year. As mentioned above, College Board will offer the first digital SAT test in the U.S. during the spring of 2024.
We strongly encourage students to complete testing prior to 12th grade to allow for more time to focus on college applications.
Class of 2025 (Current 10th graders)
These students will experience both paper and digital tests. This past fall (fall of 2022), 10th graders took a paper PSAT test. In 11th grade, they will take the digital PSAT test. It’s important to note here that College Board has indicated that instead of a handful of in-school test dates for the PSAT digital test in the fall of 2023, schools may decide on a test date any time during the month of October. Check with your high school counselor to know exactly which day you can expect to take the test.
For SAT tests taken through December of the 11th grade, these students will take the paper version. Starting in spring of 11th grade, they will take the new digital SAT® test.
We recommend that these students continue preparing as normal. As College Board announces additional details regarding these changes, we will communicate more specific recommendations. At KD, we will include preparation for both the paper and digital format for these students.
“We will have the first students to be affected, our clients in the Class of 2025, ready long before the new test format’s launch,” Dillard says.
Class of 2026 (Current 9th graders)
This class will be the first to be impacted by a purely digital testing environment for the PSAT and SAT tests. Since the test content will remain consistent, students still need to acquire and practice math and verbal skills. You should continue your foundational preparation with KD as recommended. We will communicate more specific changes in spring of 2023.
Please Note: Some high-level Class of 2026 students should consider taking the paper SAT test at some point during August through December of 2023 of their 10th grade year. Please speak to a KD advisor to see if this recommendation might apply to your student.