SAT · Question-type guide 1 · 4 min read
The digital SAT format: an overview
How the digital SAT works: two sections in two modules each, adaptive testing, about 2 hours 14 minutes, scores from 400 to 1600 and the Bluebook app.
Why the format matters
The SAT is now a digital, adaptive test. It replaced the old format internationally in March 2023 and in the United States in March 2024. If you are using study materials printed before then, much of their advice on timing, passage length and calculator use no longer applies.
Knowing the structure before you start means that nothing on test day is a surprise. This page gives you the whole picture; the other guides in this series go into each part in detail.
The two sections
The digital SAT has two sections, and each is split into two modules of equal length.
| Section | Modules | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 2 | 54 (27 per module) | 64 minutes (32 per module) |
| Math | 2 | 44 (22 per module) | 70 minutes (35 per module) |
| Total | 4 | 98 | 134 minutes, about 2 hours 14 minutes |
Reading and Writing always comes first. There is a short break between the two sections, so the time you actually spend at the testing site is longer than the testing time itself.
A small number of questions in each section are pretest questions. They are being tried out for future tests and do not count toward your score, but they look exactly like the others, so treat every question as if it counts.
How the test adapts
The SAT uses multistage adaptive testing. Instead of adjusting after every question, it adjusts once per section:
- Module 1 of each section contains a broad mix of easier, medium and harder questions.
- How you do on Module 1 decides whether Module 2 is a higher-difficulty or a lower-difficulty set.
Within a module you can move back and forward freely, flag questions and change answers. Once a module ends, you cannot return to it. The next guide explains the adaptive design and what it means for your strategy.
What each section tests
Reading and Writing uses short passages, each followed by a single question. The questions fall into four content domains:
- Craft and Structure: word meaning in context, the purpose and structure of a text, and connections between two texts.
- Information and Ideas: central ideas, supporting evidence (including data in tables and graphs) and logical inferences.
- Standard English Conventions: sentence boundaries, punctuation and grammatical form.
- Expression of Ideas: transitions and using notes to meet a stated writing goal.
Math covers four content domains:
- Algebra: linear equations, inequalities, functions and systems.
- Advanced Math: nonlinear functions and equations, including quadratics and exponentials.
- Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: ratios, rates, percentages, probability and statistics.
- Geometry and Trigonometry: area, volume, angles, triangles, circles and right-triangle trigonometry.
About three-quarters of the Math questions are multiple choice. The rest are student-produced responses, where you type your own answer.
The calculator
A Desmos graphing calculator is built into the testing app and is available for the whole Math section. You may also bring your own approved calculator. There is no longer a no-calculator portion of the test.
A reference sheet of common formulas is also available on screen during Math.
Scoring
- Each section is scored from 200 to 800.
- Your total score is the sum of the two, from 400 to 1600.
Your score depends on how many questions you answer correctly and on the difficulty of those questions. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave a question blank.
The Bluebook app
The SAT is taken in Bluebook, the College Board's testing app. You install it on a laptop or tablet before test day, complete a check that your device is ready, and use the same app to take official full-length practice tests. Students who do not have a suitable device can usually request one to borrow; check the current rules well before your test date.
Bluebook includes the tools you will use on the day: a countdown timer you can hide, a way to mark questions for review, an option to cross out answer choices, the Desmos calculator, the reference sheet and a highlighting and note tool for Reading and Writing passages.
Before you register
Test dates, registration deadlines, device requirements and score release times change from year to year. Check them on satsuite.collegeboard.org or collegeboard.org rather than relying on any third-party summary, including this one.
Exam tip: take at least one full-length practice test in Bluebook itself. Getting used to the screen layout, the calculator and the timer is worth points on its own.
Check yourself
- How many modules are there in the whole test, and which section comes first?
- What decides the difficulty of Module 2 in each section?
- What is the score range for each section, and for the total?
- Is the built-in calculator available for all of Math or only part of it?
Find practice material and the rest of this series on the SAT hub.