Juniors all across the state woke up bright and early to take the big test during the month of March, ready to begin the first chapter of the rest of their lives.
On Thursday March 21, juniors at Staples High School took the SAT. According to Connecticut law, all juniors in the state are required to take the SAT in order to graduate from high school. This year, the SAT has changed significantly, as it has transferred to the digital platform, Bluebook.
Administered by the College Board, the SAT can be an important step in the college process, with many more top schools going back to requiring SAT scores for their admission process.
“I think the SAT should stay as a graduation requirement as the school can use it as a benchmark to see how students are performing,” Alec Tolan ’25 said.
The College Board decided to change the format of the test because it is easier to take and administer, and it shortens the test time slightly. Along with this, they partnered with graphing calculator Desmos to make the math modules easier for students.
“The digital SAT was very simple and straightforward,” Nicholas Blanco ’25 said. “It only felt slightly different in terms of questions. I feel like the Digital SAT should most definitely be kept.”
With 95% of 2023 Staples graduates heading off to college, the SAT is certainly a part of student culture. However, some students believe it should not be a college requirement.
“I feel like some area of study that people may want to pursue,” Blanco said, “shouldn’t require a test score to decide whether or not they get accepted.”
