While high stakes tests have traditionally been synonymous with #2 pencils and annoying ovals, today’s standardized exams tend to embody a digital future. In the college admissions world, the SAT has gone completely app-based while the ACT has now added a computer testing option. While many students harbor a (some would say misguided) love of digital tests, the apparent advantages of a keyboard and screen rather than paper and pencil come with some significant drawbacks. For one, you have to manage your own device.
While the responsibility to bring a device in proper working order to an exam site seems innocuous enough, the last fifty years of testing have established that remembering a pencil, let alone a calculator, is too much for some teens to handle.
The device policy for the SAT and PSAT is easy to understand, since all testing is administered through the Bluebook app, which supports testing on Mac and Windows devices, iPads, and school-managed Chromebooks. Full device requirements can be found on the College Board website.
The device policy for the ACT is currently in a state of flux. As of June 2025, national administrations will run through the ACT Gateway platform. Supported computers may be Chromebook, Windows, or MacBook. iPads and Tablets are not supported at this time. Also, while BYOD may be possible for the September 2025 ACT, online testing sites may not be prepared to support external devices.
The first step for all test takers when preparing for digital testing is to determine the device they’ll be using on test day:
- Is it supported?
- Is it in good working order?
- Can I load the required app or, in the case of Chromebooks, can my school load it?
- Can I practice with it?
The next step is to actually follow all those steps and make sure practice testing runs smoothly. If you encounter any glitches or technical difficulties–iPads are notoriously finicky–reconsider your device strategy.
The final step is, of course, to take your official test with your chosen device. Consider following this final checklist to make sure your device is as ready as you are for success when it counts:
THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR TEST
Restart your device to run any required updates. Fully charge it… charge your calculator while you’re at it!
THE MORNING OF YOUR TEST
Log into Bluebook or ACT Gateway to make sure that app is fully updated. Be sure to write down your password just in case you become disconnected at the test site.
DURING THE TEST
Do not randomly click around your screen or try to leave the testing app: testing irregularities can invalidate your exam. If technical difficulties do arise, stay calm and signal your proctor.
Remember that your device is–just like a calculator or a pencil–nothing more than a tool. YOU are the instrument and agent of your own success on test day. Manage yourself even more carefully than you manage your device!
Mike Bergin