When the SAT switched from a paper- to an entirely computer-based test, so too did the recommended packing list for test day change. After all, different problems spring up for laptops vs. pencils and erasers!
I want to make sure that when you sit down to take the big test, you’re ready to show off your brain…NOT struggling to ignore hunger, a shivering body, or a dying laptop battery! So as someone who’s professionally behind the scenes of all the big standardized tests (and the college process in general), I bring to you: the full list of the nine items you should bring (and two more items you might also want to bring) with you to the testing center on the day of your Digital SAT.
ARTICLE CONTENTS
1. Watch this article as a video
2. Things to definitely bring to the DSAT
b. Photo ID.
c. Your favorite calculator (unless you strongly prefer the Bluebook one).
f. Water.
g. Snacks.
i. Power cord.
3. Optional items to bring to the DSAT
b. A watch.
4. Conclusion
Watch this article as a video:
DSAT: What You Must Pack
1. Your admission ticket
One can’t just show up to take the SAT whenever one pleases. You have to register well in advance, and on test day the Powers That Be working the front door are going to want to see proof that you’ve done so. Your admission confirmation should have your photo on it and other necessary information so the testing administrators don’t accidentally let a 75-year-old retiree take the test that was meant for 17-year-old Allie. It’d be pretty embarrassing if the College Board let that happen.
2. Photo identification issued by your school or government.
This is the second piece of evidence showing you’re really YOU and not that previously-mentioned senior citizen who spends his days fishing in Florida.
3. Your favorite calculator.
Now, hear me out. Yes, the SAT is now always taken on the Bluebook app…and that app already has a built-in calculator called the Desmos calculator. And that’s perfectly fine to use….IF you like it and are accustomed to it, i.e., have taken lots of practice tests with it.
That being said, many of the students that I work with are kind of attached to the calculators that they use in their Math class at school. They know where all the buttons are. They're really quick with it. It’s the device they feel comfortable with. After all, they’ve been using it since 9th grade in some cases!
So if that's you, and either you're not a fan of Desmos, or you just like your personal device, then, please DO bring your handheld calculator with you to test day. It just needs to be one that is approved for the test: it cannot be capable of connecting to Wi Fi, and it cannot have the QWERTY keyboard on it.
Furthermore, make sure that if you bring your own calculator, it's fully charged (if it’s a chargeable one) or, if it’s battery-operated, make sure to have fresh batteries on hand, too.
4. Writing utensils.
I know what you're saying: “But Kristina, this is a computer-based test! I don't have to actually bubble in anything!” I can’t disagree with you there. However, you MAY be one of those (many) people who likes to jot down information or work a math problem out on the scratch paper or make some notes for a grammar or reading question.
In that case, I still recommend that you bring yourself a pen or a pencil for scratch work. It doesn't have to be number two, like in the days of yore, but you should still have something to scribble with.
Here, as with #3, your goal is to make your test-taking conditions as similar as possible to the conditions you’ve been studying under!
5. Layers of clothing
It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside on the morning of the exam: you never know which testing center (i.e. high school) is going to be too cheap to use the heat, or so overzealous with the heat as to boil you alive. The same concern applies when it’s sweltering out: some places will freeze you with AC to overcompensate, while others try to save on their AC bill and hope your sweating and panting doesn’t force you to click the wrong answers. The best remedy? Dress in layers that you can remove or add on as needed. A comfy hoodie is a great option to have on-hand.
6. Water!
The Digital SAT may be shorter than the traditional SAT was, but it’s still two hours fourteen minutes long—even longer when you factor in your break, plus the time you spend at the testing center showing your registration, getting seated, and filling out your information. (And if you get extended time to take the test, it can last up to DOUBLE that time!)
And that number of hours can STILL feel like a marathon when you’re concentrating hard the whole time. (Indeed, some people can run an actual marathon in three hours!) Just like a 26.2-mile run, you really need to make sure you don’t get dehydrated when you’re taking the most crucial test of your life thus far. Because do you know what happens when you get dehydrated, dear reader? That’s right: you get tired. Or else you start getting thirsty on a conscious level, in which case you’ll be plagued by intrusive thoughts of “I’m thirsty! When is this section over?!” Which means you’re going to have to read that Reading and Writing section passage three times in a row because you can’t hold your focus. Don’t let that be you!
7. Snacks.
What’s the only thing worse than getting thirsty or deciding you need to use the bathroom the moment the Math section starts? Getting hungry rumblings in your tummy. Not only is it embarrassing when your stomach starts making noise in a crowded, silent room, but the moment you notice you’re hungry, it’s too late! You’re already day-dreaming about a big burrito instead of SOHCAHTOA.
Avoid shooting yourself in the foot like this. Bring something nourishing and easy to eat, like a granola bar or an apple, and eat a little bit during each of your breaks to keep your blood sugar and energy (and thus, your focus) at a steady level.
8. Your Eligible Testing Device.
This is the Digital SAT. It stands to reason that you take the test on a device. It has to be one that’s approved, however. The College Board defines acceptable devices as: a "personal or school-managed Windows laptop or tablet, personal or school-managed Mac laptop, personal or school-managed iPad, or a school-managed Chromebook."
Furthermore, you need to make sure the Bluebook app has already been downloaded onto your chosen device BEFORE test day. In the five days leading up to the test, when you log in to get your admissions ticket, there is a certain check that you do to ensure that your device is ready. Make sure you complete that test—and more important, make sure that your laptop or tablet is in fact fully charged.
9. Power Cord or Charger.
That brings us to #9. When you’re taking a test this important and fast-paced, you do NOT have extra time and energy to waste worrying about your laptop or tablet dying in the middle of the test. Put your own mind at ease by bringing a portable charger or power cord for your eligible testing device.
This is especially important if you get extended or double time.
Digital SAT: Two More Optional Things to Bring
In addition to the nine biggies that you need to pack in your backpack, there are a couple extras that are nice-to-haves if you happen to already own them at home.
10. A backup testing device.
I know it sounds crazy: like, you already have your testing device. It’s charged. You’ve got the app on it and you’re bringing a power cord or a charger, just like Kristina said. Why do I need a BACKUP testing device, too??
Well, if you happen to have one handy and you happen to have one at home…why NOT just take any nerves out of the equation and and bring it! This will save you—in the event that your computer crashes or you encounter some other technical difficulty.
You’ll already be a bundle of nerves come test day—I’m all about bringing you as much peace of mind as possible under those circumstances.
11. A watch.
The second nice-to-have is a watch. Now maybe it is literally an analog watch with a minute hand and the numbers 1 through 12 on it. Or maybe it is a digital watch (so long as it’s a digital watch that doesn’t beep, have an alarm, or otherwise make noise).
But why would you need to bring a watch when the Bluebook app includes a countdown timer right there
Yes, that is true. However, test-takers get 10 minutes for break—and if you go to the bathroom or water fountain for your break, you are NOT in front of your computer. So a watch would come in handy just in case you want to time your break to make sure you get back within those 10 minutes. Let’s not lose any precious seconds, shall we?
Conclusion
So now that your head is totally clear because you knew exactly what to bring with you on test day to the Digital SAT, maybe you want to learn about some other methods for calming your nerves and staying present for test day. If that sounds appealing, then my online course, Unlock SAT and ACT Testing Confidence, is going to be perfect for you.
This is a totally digital, totally self-directed video class that will help you slay the dragon of your test anxiety. I walk you through over a dozen tricks and strategies for keeping calm and testing on. So please, check it out. Or, if you’d prefer more tailored help to make your score soar, reach out to me to learn more about my tutoring services.
