Research and Test Development

See the full test specifications, including details about content domains, scoring, adaptive testing methodology, and the strong research foundation on which the suite is built.

Over the past several years, content experts, psychometricians, and researchers have been hard at work developing, refining, and studying the digital SAT. This paper shares key learnings from research studies that have informed the design and development of the digital SAT and our understanding of how well the assessment is working for its intended uses.

This study analyzed relationships between digital SAT scores and early college outcomes, including first-year GPA, particular course grades, and course credits earned. Results show that digital SAT scores are as predictive of college performance as paper and pencil SAT scores and they continue to meaningfully improve our ability to predict college performance above HSGPA alone. Results hold for student subgroups examined and were particularly strong for students majoring in STEM fields.

This study represents the first opportunity to examine digital SAT score relationships with college performance. Results show that digital SAT scores are as predictive of college performance as paper and pencil SAT scores, and they continue to meaningfully improve the prediction of college performance above high school GPA alone.

This study provides initial evidence that digital SAT scores can be used in the same way as current SAT scores. The strength of the relationship between students' digital SAT scores with their HSGPAs, PSAT/NMSQT Total scores, and Average AP Exam scores parallel the strength of the relationships between the current SAT and these measures. We expect digital SAT relationships with student outcomes, such as first-year GPA, to parallel those found with the current SAT.

Review the 2019 curriculum survey report which collects data on the skills and knowledge needed for college readiness and success, and the teaching emphasis placed on these skills in middle school and high school classrooms.

In this study, the College Board examines the relationships between SAT section scores, test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores with domain-specific course grades earned in college. Learn more about the results of this study.

The full report from the first national SAT validity study.

Find out how this study seeks to understand how well the national SAT Validity Study results, based on the entering class of 2017, generalize to other cohorts, and how well the SAT predicts longer term outcomes beyond first-year grade point average and second-year retention.

The purpose of this study is to understand how well SAT scores predict the completion of a bachelor’s degree within four years. Find key takeaways and the results from this study.