The intention of the Digital SAT was to create a more adaptable and equitable testing experience for everyone; however, the reality of the Digital SAT has been far from it.
Students are getting turned away because of minor technical issues, and accommodations are not working as they should.
While the SAT can be a great choice for some students to get the score they need for college and scholarship applications, students and their families should be prepared for the technical side, not just the academic side, of the test well in advance of the big day.
Here is a breakdown of every tech-related subject and potential issue to consider before deciding whether the SAT is right for you!
Where to get a device and what kind to use:
College Board is very unhelpful in providing devices. Their goal is to have most tests administered by schools to their own students to avoid the device-provision issue; however, even if your school is hosting, this does not guarantee your school will have enough devices.
In this case, College Board recommends you "borrow from a friend or family member," which is, again, very unhelpful.
There is an option to request a device loan from College Board when you sign up for your test; however, this DOES NOT GUARANTEE you will be given a device, and you can't request one until you've already paid for the test. Additionally, you will not be able to get acquainted with the app prior to test day as you will download the app for the first time 30 minutes before the test starts.
You can download the Bluebook testing app on a Windows laptop or tablet, an Apple laptop or iPad, or a Chromebook; however, testing sites have reported that most students who get turned away due to technical difficulties are Apple users. So be careful!
You should have the app downloaded BEFORE going to the test, as early as possible so as to get acquainted with how it works. If you are borrowing a device from your school or testing location or College Board, then show up as early as possible to make sure it is downloaded and you can access your test.
If possible, ask if the computers provided by your local library can download the Bluebook app so that you can at least see some of the practice questions and the layout of the app, even if it's not on the device you will be using on test day.
Logging into the app:
The number one issue reported by most testing locations is students being unable to log in because they have forgotten their passwords and need to reset them.
Remember, the Bluebook app DOES NOT REMEMBER YOUR LOGIN INFORMATION.
Students should have their College Board login details written down on a piece of paper (not on the phone notes app, as phones are not allowed).
Additionally, in case students need to change their password in an emergency, make sure that the student has access to the email used to set up the College Board account!
Using Accommodations:
Test administrators who have worked with both the Digital SAT and limited Digital ACT have expressed how much more user-friendly the Digital ACT accommodations are and how difficult and buggy the Digital SAT accommodations have been.
So if you are using anything from Extra Time to Screen Reading to text changes like Color Contrast or Larger Text, the ACT is probably the best option for you. The Digital ACT also has support for English Language Learners as well.
Unfortunately, this version of the ACT is still more limited in its offered locations, likely in the closest major city to where you live. However, some of the accommodations are also offered on the paper ACT but with collaboration with an on-site proctor instead of a computer.
Automatic Updates:
The Bluebook app frequently needs updates, and it will do so automatically, even if you're about to start your test. Some test administrations released updates the night before a test, which many students were unprepared to deal with.
On a Windows/PC or Chromebook device, this will happen as soon as the app is opened. The student will then need to open the app again and log in once the update is done.
Students may need to give their App Store permission to complete the update on an Apple device. So, in addition to having their College Board login written down, students should also have their App Store/Play Store account information written down.
There is no way to skip these updates or speed them up, so we strongly recommend that students open the app right before they go to bed the NIGHT BEFORE to check the app is fully up to date and deal with any permissions in advance.
If a student is unable to allow the update or if the update creates an access issue for the app, the student may be sent away from the testing center because they cannot take the test.
Test Day Crashes And WIFI Cuts:
There are a few technical difficulties you might experience while taking the test. Most students are able to take the test with no issues, or are able to resolve their tech issues quickly and still finish the test. However, most students report at least one person at their testing location experienced some kind of serious difficulty.
Students might lose internet connection Depending on the host's wifi quality. The app is designed to continue working even without internet connection. The only times when internet is crucial is when submitting a section of the test and starting a new one. If your app is unable to perform these functions, you will need to troubleshoot with your proctor and possibly call College Board tech support.
Other students have reported bugs with the functionality of the Bluebook app, such as part or the whole of the screen going blank.
If your app stops working and you need official help restarting it, your proctor will need to call 888-SAT-HELP so that they can restart your test. If you try this multiple times and the problem still persists, you will need to request a makeup test.
If you get turned away because of any of the above issues:
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, MAKE SURE YOUR PROCTOR SUBMITS AN INCIDENT REPORT. This vastly increases your chances of the College Board seeing your case and providing you with a free retake.
Immediately after getting home, while the information is still fresh, submit an inquiry in the SAT Contact Form under the topic "Test Date Issue/Complaint." Otherwise, you have four weekdays to submit a complaint. International students should use this form instead.
If you follow these two steps, you should receive an email from College Board giving you the option of a free makeup test. However, this may be dependent on the hosting site's ability to provide the space and staff for the re-take. If they are unable to provide it, you can petition to get a discount on your next exam instead.
For testing locations where enough students report an incident that could have impacted all test-takers, then all participants will be sent an email allowing them to choose to keep their scores or to re-take the exam the following weekend.
Does all of this sound like too big a barrier? Consider the ACT as an alternative!
Would you like more help navigating this process? Contact us here, or sign up for a webinar here to get more details!