The SAT is a challenging test that all juniors have to take. It is a big deal because it can decide what colleges you get into, what career path you take, and if you can get scholarships to help pay for school. Because it matters so much, students always stress out, struggle to study, and worry about learning the right information.
Evan Monico is a junior at Middletown High School, and he felt that pressure firsthand.
“The math section because it was hard to stay focused and that was stressful,” Evan said.
When asked if anything about the test was easy, he said the pressure never really stopped. “Nothing was really easy and [I] was scared and stressed the whole time.”
The only decent part was the new digital format on the computer. “Yes, it was pretty good, and [I] liked how easy it was to switch questions and the tools,” Evan mentioned.
But even though the computer app worked well, the actual questions felt disconnected from normal high school classes. “No, they were on a higher level than [I] was which made [me] do worse on the test,” Evan explained. “The English was easier because it had easier concepts and the math was harder and the concepts changed throughout the test.”
Students aren’t the only ones dealing with a tough day, though. The proctors in the room have a lot on their plate, too. They have to watch out for cheating, make sure the tech works, and find ways to pass the time while sitting in total silence.
Meredith Bagnell is a school counselor who proctored the test, and she knows exactly how quiet those hours can get.
“It gets a little boring,” Ms. Bagnell said. “On [my] screen, [I] can see other students’ progress, you can also walk around and make sure they’re doing the right thing.”
To keep herself occupied during the long wait, she had to stay busy in her own head. “[I] was thinking about work, checking emails, using [my] imagination, and thinking about upcoming events in [my] life,” she said.
One good thing about the new digital test is that it makes watching for cheaters a lot less stressful than it used to be.
“Not as much now that it’s digital,” Ms. Bagnell explained when asked if she felt paranoid. “[I] know that no two tests are the same and kids cheated more when it was on paper, and [I] know that you can’t open other windows when you’re in Bluebook.”
Dealing with late students is another challenge proctors have to manage. “If they came in between 7:30-8 they could do the check in by themselves but after that, the room was closed and they had to do a make-up day,” she said.
Tech issues can also cause problems, but luckily the school was ready for them.
“[I] had a girl that wasn’t in the room she was assigned to and the coordinators came in and fixed it up,” Ms. Bagnell said. “Ms Barlow was very helpful and students came in with charged chromebooks and there were extra chromebooks just in case.”
In the end, the new digital SAT changes a lot of things for both students and staff. Even though the computer version has easier tools and makes cheating harder, the test is still just as stressful as it has always been. As long as juniors need this test for scholarships and college applications, it will always be a tough day for everyone in the room.