The SAT and ACT exams have been used for a higher education and to standardize college admissions. The first ever SAT exam was taken in 1926 and ever since then, the exam has been used to evaluate university applicants. As long as everyone could remember the test was always on paper and could go on for multiple hours. Starting in 2023, things are beginning to change. 

Soon the SAT will be taken exclusively on a computer. The test is going to be taken in test centers and will now be shortened to only two hours. For years this test has caused an insane amount of stress on students trying to go to college. The College Board is trying to eliminate some stress in students with this new approach to the exam. They’re also allowing calculators for every math section on the test and are shortening the reading passages. Recently, many colleges have started to not even require the SAT to apply. “More than 1,800 schools did not require standardized test scores for 2022 admissions, according to the nonprofit organization FairTest.” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/us/sat-test-digital.html 

The SAT and ACT exams have been under a lot of backlash because some think that there’s no reason to put a very large amount of pressure on one test. People also have stated that a student’s knowledge shouldn’t be judged from a standardized test. “It’s about time that they’ve moved away from paper and pencil,” said Kent R. Hopkins, vice president for academic enterprise enrollment at Arizona State University.” A less stressful exam can also improve scores for students. Sitting in a room for hours reading and writing countless amounts of passages can mentally drain students and it’s more likely for them to do bad. 

As of 2023 the exam will officially be taken on computers and tablets and shortened tremendously. This can drastically encourage students to take the test and make them less nervous. Now that most colleges and universities don’t even require the exam, students can be evaluated on more than just a grade. This will help students get through a stressful transition from high school to college when they are going through that time period.