The SAT is going entirely digital at the start of 2024, and this fall many schools had the opportunity to administer the new online test. This was administered before the spring exams so schools could be aware of what could go wrong, and what to encounter for the spring. Overall, DGN did not face many problems while taking the PSAT.
“I was anxious about the impact the wifi could have what we did or didn’t know about your chromebooks,” Associate Principal of Student Services Dr. Erin Ludwick said. “Overall, the process went smooth. I recieved anecdotal information from students who had talked to their teachers, and they reflected how it was shorter. We were able to get good feedback about their experiences.”
DGN staff members, who helped troubleshoot small problems or proctor the exam, agreed that it was a positive process. “I prefer the online version. It was interesting to see that when a student completed the Reading and Writing section, a break was given that was self-monitored by each student,” counselor Mark Wasik said. “Consequently, students were allowed to exit the room to use the washroom, get water, etc. while time was being kept on their Chromebook.”
The difference that the online PSAT offers is that the proctor does not direct the process of the test. Once the test starts, students are in control of what happens, and the proctor is there to supervise and answer questions. However, to say that there was success all around would be a lie. Hinsdale South High School was one of many schools who faced problems while administering the test. The sign-in app for students crashed before the test started. This was ultimately resolved before the test, but it did leave other schools with uncertainty.
“We feel pretty comfortable with it. The College Board has promised that they were going to have ‘Netflix level server capacity for login.’ When we do testing, it’s a window, and there should not be log-in issues in the spring,” Director of Counseling and social worker at Hinsdale South High School Micheal Holland said.
Most schools reflect a relatively positive experience from the PSAT. College Board has addressed the problem of apps crashing, and have stated that they will fix this for the spring SAT.
