Frequently asked questions about studying for the Digital SAT

In speaking with hundreds of parents who have students who are preparing for the Digital SAT, the #1 question I get from every one of them in some form or fashion is: “What’s the best way to study for the Digital SAT?” 

Before I have a chance to answer, they pile on a few other questions like: 

• “Is it best for my student to just take a practice test every week and then study the questions they are getting wrong?”
• “Should my student be timing all of their practice?”
• “how long do they need to prepare before their official test date?”

All of the answers I give to the questions above start with the dreaded phrase, “We’ll it depends…” (And that’s because no one student is the same and everyone has a different challenge that they are up against when preparing for a test like the Digital SAT).

Because I don’t have you on the other end of a phone or Zoom call describing your student’s unique situation, I want to offer rock-solid advice for anyone helping their student prepare for the Digital SAT this year.

Let’s start with addressing the BIGGEST MISTAKE students make while preparing for the new Digital SAT and how you can help your student avoid the frustration and difficulty of making this mistake. 

#1 Digital SAT Test Prep Mistake

The biggest mistake students make in preparing for the Digital SAT in 2024 is taking all of the College Board Blue Book exams before they’ve even begun developing a strategic plan for achieving their goal score on the official exam. 

Below, I’ll explain why students should avoid this mistake at all costs and outline the formula students should use to prepare for the Digital SAT in 2024. 

**If, for some reason, your student has already made this mistake and you’re feeling a bit lost on how to prepare for the exam, DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH! Towards the bottom of the page, you’ll see that I’ve also outlined a backup plan for you and your student.** 

Understanding why this is a mistake

Here’s why taking the College Board’s Blue Book Digital SAT practice exams as the first step in preparing for the Digital SAT is detrimental to your student’s test prep: 

There are only 6 of these practice exams. If your student takes these exams without intentionally practicing the skills being tested on the Digital SAT first, they are effectively wasting the very best resource for checking their progress toward their goal score.

Now that you know the most important mistake to avoid in preparing for the digital SAT, you might be wondering, “Why are these tests so special, and what plan should my student adopt instead?” 

Stick with me, and I’ll answer these questions below for you. I would hate for you to stop reading and miss out on information that will help your student reach their SAT score goals and shave countless hours off their studying for this test.

Why Blue Book Exams Shouldn’t Be Wasted

Here’s why the College Board’s Blue Book Exams for the Digital SAT are so special: I’ve found them to be 95% similar in difficulty to the real tests from the test room, and they simulate the digital testing experience students will have on their computers with 100% accuracy. Right now, there are no close substitutes for the testing experience these practice tests provide, so they represent an essential tool for your student in gauging their progress and performance on the real test!

At the risk of being repetitive, I’ll say this again: Don’t have your student take the College Board’s Blue Book Exams until they’ve developed an effective plan for using them while studying for the Digital SAT. 

A Better Way to Prepare For The Digital SAT

I want to help you out here. So, here is the 4 step approach to studying we use with all of our students to help them reach their goal scores on the Digital SAT, whether they are aiming for the 1300+ or the 1500+ range: 

Step 1: Diagnostic Testing

Start by having your student take a diagnostic Digital SAT other than the College Board’s blue book exam. Make sure that the testing engine they use has granular data on their performance in each of the skill areas tested by the SAT.

We have all of our students take a diagnostic test that tells them really important information about their performance on the test, like how much time they are spending on each question, what skill areas they need targeted practice to improve on, and the level of difficulty of the questions in each skill area they are missing so that they can focus on intentional practice rather than wasting their time grinding through practice questions that aren’t likely to improve their scores.

Step 2: Developing an Individualized Study Plan

Develop an individualized study plan that targets the most essential foundational skills they are missing from their diagnostic test. Use a mastery-based approach to studying these concepts so they don’t move on to studying more difficult concepts until they have mastered more basic skills with greater than 90% accuracy.

We help students understand the easiest question types so they can begin improving in these areas first because it is the most efficient way to improve their scores in the shortest amount of time. Then, once they’ve mastered the least difficult questions they are missing with greater than 90% accuracy, we move on to more difficult question types. You want these basic skills to be built up. That way, once your students get to more advanced topics, They can tackle these challenging concepts more easily.

Step 3: Using a Modular Curriculum And Targeted Practice

Make sure that your students use a modular curriculum that allows them to practice just the skill areas they need to improve on so that their practice and studying are targeted and intentional. 

Not all practice is created equal! So, rather than piling on a ton of homework for students to do in hopes that they will get enough practice in the areas they need the most help, we use modular homework packets so that students can practice a particular skill 10, 20, or even 30 times in a single sitting rather than needing to waste tons of time taking an endless slew practice tests.

Step 4: Measuring Progress with Blue Book Exams

Once your student is finally ready to measure their progress, have them take a College Board Digital SAT Blue Book Exam, and then repeat the steps above till they’ve reached their goal score.

Taking the College Board Blue Book Exams should be reserved to check in on how a student is doing with the skills they've been practicing, which is why we use them to accurately measure a student’s progress and the probability of reaching their score goals. Deciding when to take these practice exams is something that takes a bit of strategic planning and working backward from a student’s schedule to take the official exam, so we like to sit down with our clients to develop a strategic plan that considers all the variables (Their student’s diagnostic scores, their learning style, the time they have to prepare for the test, their budget, and their specific score goals). 

In Case You've Already Made the #1 Mistake

Finally, if your student has already taken all the College Board Blue Book exams and still hasn’t reached their goal score, then they’ll still need to follow the steps above, but they may just need to use a test engine like R.{test} 

Get Your Student Ready For The Digital SAT

Click the link below to schedule a call with me to develop a detailed test prep plan for your student and learn more about how we can help them prepare for their next official Digital SAT.

Book A Free Consultation Today!

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