You cannot run from it. The SAT is an infamous name in most households featuring a sophomore, junior, or senior in high school. The College Board, makers of the four-hour long examination, has no intention of cutting back on testing even with test-optional policies in college admissions. Instead, they produced a revitalized version of the paper-based test – enter the digital SAT. 

I had the chance to speak with Mr. Henrikson, who has been teaching at The Prep for twenty-five years, about the standardized testing game’s newest addition. Beyond his role at SHP, he operates a tutoring agency where he helps students achieve quality test scores on both the SAT and ACT. He spoke on the digital SAT, its implications, and his opinions about the role of standardized testing in college admissions.  

Mr. Henrikson sees both positives and negatives with the digital SAT. Among the biggest concerns is access to technology for some students. Yet, the College Board has that issue under control with their aim to ship devices to those who need them during test day. The positives seem richer, though. It is a shorter test, lacks any major time pressures, and provides more time per question than any test – ever. The digital model features a wider array of questions, for instance in vocabulary wording, which should match what students learn in school throughout the end of middle school and beginning of high school. Math questions will have more breadth, and with the addition of Desmos, a digital calculator, experienced students will enjoy a great advantage. This, Mr. Henrikson noted, leads to another shortcoming in which the test can become inherently unfair.  

The digital SAT is not a test run. In fact, Mr. Henrikson stated it was a step in progression. All the bugs are figured out. All the data has been examined. It is a legitimate test. What Mr. Henrikson sees is that if the digital SAT proves to be a success, test dates and centers will be eliminated. A new wave of independent test centers, like those for the GRE, is inevitable. Moreover, there should not be a notable change in the score results. The digital model has been tested, and the College Board believes they have taken their largest leap in revitalizing the exam.  

With the buzz involving the SAT, we cannot forget the ACT, an equally valuable test for college admissions. The test features four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. According to Mr. Henrikson, test professionals have been recommending the ACT for years. Based on the numbers with the next digital SATs, we will examine whether taking an ACT over an SAT still has a compelling argument. In fact, people were contemplating the digital SAT or no test at all, rather than digital SAT or ACT. And the ACT is not shy with technology. In certain states, the ACT has been administered digitally. A key difference, though, is that the digital ACT is a carbon copy of the paper test, whereas the College Board has a revamped system. The ACT has no intention of going digital, and Mr. Henrikson finds it ironic how they announced they would be completely digital by 2005. It is now 2024. 

Mr. Henrikson had humble beginnings in test preparation and tutoring. In high school, he tutored his first person, a close friend. As a student in college, he obtained a job with the Princeton Review to earn some money. Kaplan, another standardized testing firm, hired him when he was in graduate school at Rutgers. When Mr. Henrikson began teaching at SHP, Msgr. Kelly decided that he should begin test preparation for students. Yet, beyond the walls in West Orange, Mr. Henrikson had a stint tutoring students at his dining room table (2008-2011). In 2011, he opened his first brick and mortar location in Fair Haven, near the Jersey shore. Six years ago, he relocated to the current location in the same area. His firm has been rewriting curriculum and targeting preparation for digital tests since October of 2022. The tutors who operate from Mr. Henrikson’s firm utilize Desmos heavily. 

We finished our conversation with test optional policies in college admissions. Mr. Henrikson brought up that admission officers realize standardized testing is not fair. Ultimately, though, these tests are the best indicator for college readiness out of any application component – transcripts, activities, awards, essays, and letters of recommendation. In college admissions, tests are starting to play a bigger role. It will be fascinating to witness how the digital SAT affects test optional policies over the next few application cycles. Dartmouth recently announced its decision to reinstate its testing requirement. I anticipate that many other institutions will follow suit.  

At The Prep, standardized testing is the talk of all juniors, and even some seniors. Whether we will begin administering digital SATs at school or encourage them to the greatest extent, standardized testing will likely become an even greater part of our college processes. The future with this technology is, although tested thoroughly, questionable. Hopefully, SHP can determine the best method to facilitate testing, digital or paper, so that our students can obtain quality results.