Karen Shi ‘27 | Vivian Jiang ‘27
The speed at which Generation Z is advancing towards a world of robots, killer drones, and powerful 3D printing is like an accelerating train that everybody, whether they like it or not, must board. Amidst the torrent of constant technological advancements, standardized tests such as the PSAT have unsurprisingly followed suit.
PROS
First implicated at EA in the fall of 2023, the digital PSAT has welcomed criticisms and praise with evident room for improvement as it adheres to modernization. While some students prefer the traditional structure, others have embraced and encouraged the new format. Kailin Gao ’25, who has taken both versions of the PSAT, states, “I think it’s a good thing to start doing things online since it saves trees and benefits certain people…I feel like you have to move forward with society as we are moving forward to a more technological era.”
Students have recognized how the reading section in the digital PSAT differs from the paper one, in which instead of presenting one long passage with several questions attached, it now displays relatively shorter pieces of text for each question. Some students find this more difficult because the new format forces you to restart your thinking with each question; meanwhile, others enjoy how there is less reading involved, such as Abby Whitman ’26 who says, “I’m a fan.”
One aspect of the digital PSAT that many students have expressed their delight in is the incorporation of the Desmos graphing calculator into the math section. Kailin called it an “absolute lifesaver,” and other students displayed similar views. Upper School Math teacher Mr. Newton comments, “The calculators that you guys use today are the exact same calculators that we used 20 years ago, without many updates; I think Desmos is finally getting to that point where it’s way more user-friendly.” Like many others, he believes when applied correctly, technology is an asset to the learning experience.
Some teachers are neutral on the switch as long as the test remains accessible to all income levels. Tony Herman, Upper School English teacher, remarks, “I’m neutral on it unless it affects lower income kids negatively.” However, he does say that the digital PSAT “seems like a fair change for kids of the 21st century.”
Photo Courtesy of College Board Website
CONS
The nature of an online exam raises the very question of technology’s impact on learning. What about academic dishonesty? While the Bluebook testing program can detect other running applications, technology is always at risk of being corrupted. Regarding this issue, Mr. Newton states, “This is a huge question for teachers right now, whether it’s testing in the classroom, whether it’s most anything in the classroom. I think the trick becomes, for us as teachers, to educate students on the best use of the technologies.” In his and many teachers’ opinions, technologies such as artificial intelligence can pose a great service to students; it’s just a matter of harnessing the benefits appropriately rather than exploiting them.
Additionally, not all students have embraced this change. Cai Parker ’27 explains, “I found the digital PSAT to be slightly harder because if you don’t know how certain algorithms work, it makes your life a little bit more difficult.” Throughout the years, many students have grown accustomed to taking standardized tests on paper; it is no surprise that familiarity plays a role in the test taker’s opinion. Mr. Newton concurs, “That’s how they’ve been doing it for the last 10 years. And there’s the tangibility of that piece of paper,” said Mr. Newton.
Despite the unfamiliarity of the online format, a large portion of the students prefer it and feel that it positively affects their scores. Lily McNamara ’27,’ explains “I would say I could focus more on my computer than on paper.” For her first time taking a PSAT, being on a digital platform helped her process and concentrate on the content of the exam. However, many students suggest improvements such as increased break time and removal of the distracting colorful lines. Mr. Newton describes the evolving transformation as “approaching some happy medium” as the PSAT grapples with improving the learning experience and the sustainability of its exam. As the digital PSAT continues to develop, a variety of pros and cons have emerged; it is vital to adapt to the changing times and use these innovations to their full potential.