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Bluebook

The SAT is now administered on an application called Bluebook. The app can be downloaded here:

Digital SAT Practice in Bluebook™

It’s available on windows and mac (but not linux).

Best Practices

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ℹ️ Keep the eliminator mode on by default and get into the habit of eliminating options that are obviously trash.

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ℹ️ Make sure to bookmark questions that you’ve skipped. It’ll make it way easier to find these questions when you review your answers later.

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ℹ️ I recommend you learn keyboard shortcuts for the following actions:

  • Next question:
    • PC ⇒ Ctrl + Alt + X
    • Mac ⇒ Cmd + Ctrl + X
  • Previous question
    • PC ⇒ Ctrl + Alt + N
    • Mac ⇒ Cmd + Ctrl + B
  • Select/Deselect option A, B, C, or D
    • PC ⇒ Ctrl + Shift + 1, 2, 3, or 4
    • Mac ⇒ Cmd + Ctrl + 1, 2, 3, or 4
  • Eliminate/Uneliminate option A, B, C, or D
    • PC ⇒ Ctrl + Alt + 1, 2, 3, or 4
    • Mac ⇒ Cmd + Optn + 1, 2, 3, or 4
  • Open/Close calculator ⇒ Ctrl + Alt + C
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⚠️ If you get a “Something’s Wrong” error when you try to load Bluebook, try clicking “sign in with a different user”, then reenter your credentials. That might solve the issue!

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🚫 AVOID using annotations. Highlighting text is generally time consuming, and the texts are typically short enough that you won’t need to make any annotations. However, highlighting text can be helpful if you decide to skip the question and come back to it later. A string of annotated text in this case can help you more quickly recall the main idea of the question when you return to it.

Notes on Digital Testing

Devices

Students can take the digital SAT Suite tests on a wide range of devices, including their own laptops (Windows or MacOS), iPads, school-owned desktops and laptops, and school managed Chromebooks. Students will take the digital SAT Suite using a custom-built digital testing application that they’ll download in advance of test day.

SOURCE:

digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf

Borrowing a device

Students taking the SAT on a weekend who do not have access to a device can request to borrow one from College Board, and we’ll provide one for use on test day. This applies to students taking the SAT on the weekend internationally as well as in the United States. Students will request a device when they register for the SAT. More information about borrowing a device will be available when registration opens for the digital SAT in fall of 2022.

SOURCE:

digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf

Internet Connectivity & Battery Life

Students will connect to the test center’s or school’s internet to start and complete testing. The exam application has been built to withstand internet outages. If the internet connection drops during testing, students will still be able to progress through the test with no disruption. If a student’s computer battery runs down, they can simply plug in, restart their device, and pick up where they left off—all their work will be saved, and they won’t lose testing time. Students will be responsible for bringing their device fully charged on test day, as there may be limited access to power outlets in their testing room.

SOURCE:

digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf

Keyboard Shortcuts

ActionPCChromebookMaciPad
BackCtrl + Alt + BCtrl + Alt + BCmd + Ctrl + BCmd + Ctrl + B
NextCtrl + Alt + XCtrl + Alt + XCmd + Ctrl + XCmd + Ctrl + X
HelpCtrl + Alt + HCtrl + Alt + HCmd + Ctrl + HCmd + Ctrl + H
Open/Close DirectionsCtrl + Alt + Shift + DCtrl + Alt + Shift + DCmd + Ctrl + Shift + DCmd + Ctrl + Shift + D
Hide/Show TimerCtrl + Alt + TCtrl + Alt + TCmd + Optn + TCmd + Optn + T
Close 5-Minute messageCtrl + Alt + TCtrl + Alt + TCmd + Optn + TCmd + Optn + T
AnnotateCtrl + Alt + ACtrl + Alt + ACmd + Optn + ACmd + Optn + A
Math Reference SheetCtrl + Alt + RCtrl + Alt + RCmd + Optn + RCmd + Optn + R
Zoom InCtrl + Plus (+)Ctrl + Plus (+)Cmd + Plus (+)Command + Up Arrow (or Pinch to Zoom)
Zoom OutCtrl + Minus (-)Ctrl + Minus (-)Cmd + Minus (-)Command + Down Arrow (or Pinch to Zoom)
Zoom Back to 100%Ctrl + 0Ctrl + 0Cmd + 0Double-tap Space Bar
Select/Deselect Option ACtrl + Shift + 1Ctrl + Shift + 1Cmd + Ctrl + 1Cmd + Shift + 1
Select/Deselect Option BCtrl + Shift + 2Ctrl + Shift + 2Cmd + Ctrl + 2Cmd + Shift + 2
Select/Deselect Option CCtrl + Shift + 3Ctrl + Shift + 3Cmd + Ctrl + 3Cmd + Shift + 3
Select/Deselect Option DCtrl + Shift + 4Ctrl + Shift + 4Cmd + Ctrl + 4Cmd + Shift + 4
Option Eliminator ModeCtrl + Alt + MCtrl + Alt + MCmd + Optn + MCmd + Optn + M
Eliminate Option ACtrl + Alt + 1Ctrl + Alt + 1Cmd + Optn + 1Cmd + Optn + 1
Eliminate Option ACtrl + Alt + 2Ctrl + Alt + 2Cmd + Optn + 2Cmd + Optn + 2
Eliminate Option ACtrl + Alt + 3Ctrl + Alt + 3Cmd + Optn + 3Cmd + Optn + 3
Eliminate Option ACtrl + Alt + 4Ctrl + Alt + 4Cmd + Optn + 4Cmd + Optn + 4
Expand/Collapse LeftCtrl + Shift + LCtrl + Shift + [Cmd + Optn + LCmd + Optn + L
Expand/Collapse RightCtrl + Shift + RCtrl + Shift + ]Cmd + Optn + RCmd + Optn + R
Open/Close CalculatorCtrl + Alt + CCtrl + Alt + CCmd + Optn + CCmd + Optn + C
Open Annotation (w/Caret Browsing On)Shift + EnterShift + EnterNot applicableNot applicable
Bookmark a questionCtrl + Alt + V

Navigation exercises

Guess Everything

The purpose of this exercise is to see how quickly you can guess all 27 questions in a Reading & Writing module by using keyboard shortcuts.

  1. Open up Practice Test 1 in Bluebook.
  2. Start the practice test.
  3. Guess all 27 questions by using the shortcut combinations, first to select an answer choice, then to move to the next question. (see table above for these two combos).
  4. Submit your answers and record how much time you had remaining