Complete Guide to the School Day SAT

Typically, students take the SAT at 8am on a Saturday morning. However, once a year, many states offer an in-school—or school day—SAT for juniors at publics schools. It is often accompanied by the PSAT 10 for sophomores and the PSAT 8/9 for freshman. This blog will answer all of your questions about this school day SAT.

How is the School Day SAT different from the Saturday SATs?

Although the test is exactly the same, there are some differences between the school day SAT and regular Saturday SATs. 

Is the School Day SAT Required?

The school day SAT is required for public school juniors, though you may be able to opt-out. Additionally, in Colorado, the state has an SAT score requirement for graduation: 470 on RW and 480 on math, as of 2024. So, the school day SAT is a great opportunity to take the test and hopefully meet the requirement!

When will I get my scores?

The school day SAT scores are released in waves, depending on when each school administered the tests. Schools that tested in early March may receive their scores as soon as early April, whereas schools that test in mid-April may not receive their scores until April 28-30th. 

Should I opt out of the PSAT?

Depending on the school, students may be able to opt out of the school day SAT with parental permission. Policies vary by school, so you’ll need to check with your school to learn the regulations. Schools want as many students as possible to test, as both federal and state laws state that participation rate factors into schools’ ratings and funding. While state laws vary, the federal Every Student Success Act requires schools to test 95% of their students. You can find more information about these regulations here.

Why is there a School Day SAT?

The school-day SAT serves three main functions for students: expanding access, increasing comfort, and building confidence. Taking the SAT in school during the school day provides students an opportunity to take the test without having to juggle weekend responsibilities or find transportation to a testing center. Additionally, income-eligible students receive SAT fee waivers, unlimited free SAT score sends, and college application fee waivers. 

Taking the test in a familiar setting surrounded by other students they know can increase comfort during the test for the students. Additionally, the three-year SAT Suite of Assessments builds confidence as students get to take the same type of test three times. You can read more about why the College Board does this here.

Which States have School Day SATs?

Colorado offers a school day SAT every year. Some other states also have school-day SATs, though not all states do. Some states offer in-school ACTs instead. Additionally, the dates for the school-day SAT vary by state. You can read more about other states that offer school-day SATs here.

Is There an Essay on the School-day SAT?

The digital SAT no longer offers an essay section, so no! If your state requires the ACT instead, there will be an optional essay. but most students don’t opt to take it.

How Can I Use My School-day Test?

Students can use the school-day test just like any other SAT for college and scholarship applications. However, if you receive State Allowed Accommodations (SAAs), you cannot send the scores to colleges or scholarship organizations. If you received your accommodations through the College Board, you can use your test scores as usual. You can find a table of accommodations and how they may be used here.

What Happens to My Scores?

At the time of the test, students can send their scores to up to four colleges for free. However, we don’t recommend sending scores at the time of the test. Instead, we recommend waiting to see your score, then deciding if you’d like to retake it before sending it to your schools.

If you wish to wait to send your scores or send them to more than four schools, you can send them to additional colleges by order through your College Board account.

In the past, a student’s school-day SAT score was included on his or her transcript. However, in 2020, the Colorado General Assembly passed bill SB 20-175 to “prohibit the inclusion of a student’s state or national assessment score on final high school transcripts.” You can read frequently asked questions about that bill here. The SAT is included, as national assessment is defined as any test that measures postsecondary or workforce measurement. So, the SAT no longer appears on transcripts in Colorado.

Conclusion

The school day SAT is a great opportunity for juniors to take the test at their schools—close to home and in a comfortable environment. It can be a great checkpoint to determine whether a student wants to pursue tutoring over the summer to target later SAT test dates. If you’re interested in the history of the Colorado School Day SAT, read this blog.