BETA
Chapter 1
The military roots of the SAT
Chapter 2
How the test works under the hood
Chapter 3
Famous errors and cultural biases
Chapter 4
The great debate over testing's future
YOUR GOAL
Master of The history of the SAT
Ch 2 · How the test works under the hood
dash SAT Aptitude Test Origins
The SAT, way back when, Tested "aptitude," not just what you'd learned then.
dash A score of 1200 on one test date means the exact same as a 1200 on another, thanks to statistical equating.
dash The modern digital SAT adapts its difficulty in real-time based on your performance.
Fun Fact
Digital security: The digital SAT uses a secure, custom app called Bluebook that prevents students from opening other windows.
Glossary
item response theory (noun)
A psychometric framework for designing and scoring assessments based on individual question difficulty. The College Board adopted this statistical model for its digital college entrance exam launched in 2024.
A psychometric framework for designing and scoring assessments based on individual question difficulty. The College Board adopted this statistical model for its digital college entrance exam launched in 2024.
Quiz
What does the College Board call the process of ensuring test questions are free of cultural or regional bias?
Quiz
What statistical process do test makers use to ensure scores are comparable across different test dates?
Quiz
In what year was the SAT's scoring scale standardized to the famous 200-to-800 per section range?