The SAT is a highly anticipated, nerve-racking test that has juniors working hard and feeling the pressure. Although many colleges have adopted test-optional policies in recent years, Hingham students continue to prepare rigorously, often seeking tutors to help them stand out in the competitive college admissions process. Regardless of the stakes, the SAT remains a challenging exam, and from experience, I can confidently say that it was anything but easy.
Many students felt the math module to be exceptionally difficult. Junior Graham Carlson stated, “The second math module was way harder than the first. Some of the questions were on topics I do not remember ever learning.” Junior Ella O’Neill shared a similar sentiment, noting, “I thought it went well but the second math module was very tricky. Problems that I had never seen before.” James Dubois added, “There were many vocab words I was unaware of, but overall English went well, while math was very difficult, and could go either way.”
Others felt that the entire test was challenging, as Junior Izzy Wagner exclaimed, “My peers and I agreed that this past SAT has been the hardest one yet and felt very difficult compared to the rest. It is unfair to have such a difficult standardized test because then nobody will get the scores they deserve.” Many students share Izzy’s frustration, feeling that despite months of practice tests and tutoring, their preparation did little to help.
Junior Alec Whitmore also found the test unfair, but for several reasons. He argued, “The SAT as a whole should prepare locations with better check-in staff and clear announcements to all proctors. It is unfair to children who may have traveled to further locations to be starting 30 minutes or even an hour late. If they are going to advertise doors close at 8, that should be the rule. No waiting on children who chose to not prioritize their schedule and making the kids who arrive on time have to suffer because of it.”
Despite the widespread challenges, some students found silver linings. Although Alec criticized the disorganization, he felt confident going into the test, stating, “I believe that organized preparation prior to the exam was extremely helpful in having a positive and relaxed attitude heading into the test. I am grateful for my tutor who helped and challenged me so that I could do my best in the exam room.” Lulu Orth also felt well-prepared, stating, “The test was very accessible, and it was nice to have the test so close by at HHS. I hope that it went well.” This optimistic perspective is a valuable mindset when facing a high- stakes test that can play a key role in college admissions.
Beyond the difficulty of the test itself, many students faced technical issues with the SAT’s Bluebook app, adding to an already stressful experience. At several testing centers, students encountered delays due to software malfunctions. Junior Addy Phalen noted that the test did not begin until 8:30 because of technical issues with Bluebook. While many students had minor setbacks, others faced more serious problems. In some cases, the app automatically submitted exams at 11:00 a.m., cutting students off before they finished the math module.
Junior Ariana Sood was fortunate to avoid the issue but witnessed its impact on others. She explained, “I took the SAT at South Shore Christian Academy, and my experience was overall good, only because the proctor came in before the exam started and told us all to restart our Bluebook apps. Otherwise, the scores would all be submitted by 11 o’clock. Luckily, we all did it, but I have heard of so many people who never got to finish it, and the SAT is only giving them a refund. I also heard something about international students having difficulty with it because all the scores were released at 11 o’clock. I was a little bit nervous, but luckily, we started early, and the proctor knew what to tell us but otherwise it was pretty probably nerve-racking for other test takers.”
While some students were able to navigate these difficulties, many were not as fortunate, and the technical issue only expounded the stress of an already daunting test.
Hopefully, the next SAT will run more smoothly, as students will feel more confident in their performance. However, one thing remains certain, the SAT continue to be a controversial exam, sparking debate over its fairness, difficulty, and overall effectiveness.
