Short answer: today, SAT does not stand for anything. It is just the name of the test. It started out as the Scholastic Aptitude Test in 1926. Later it was called the Scholastic Assessment Test, then the SAT I: Reasoning Test, then the SAT Reasoning Test, and now simply the SAT.
What did SAT stand for originally?
SAT stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test. The first one was given on June 23, 1926, to 8,040 students. "Aptitude" meant the test was supposed to measure natural ability, not what you learned in class.
Why did the name change?
In 1990, a College Board commission recommended changing the meaning to "Scholastic Assessment Test." Their reason: a test that measures what students have learned, as well as their reasoning, could no longer be called a test of aptitude.
In 1993, the College Board renamed it the SAT I: Reasoning Test, and the subject tests became SAT II: Subject Tests. The College Board's president said the change was meant to correct the idea that the SAT measures something you are born with and cannot improve. That point still matters for you: your SAT score can go up with practice.
| Name | What it meant |
|---|---|
| Scholastic Aptitude Test | The original 1926 name |
| Scholastic Assessment Test | Recommended in 1990 |
| SAT I: Reasoning Test | Adopted in 1993 |
| SAT Reasoning Test, then SAT | The letters stopped standing for words |
What does SAT stand for in education today?
In US education, "SAT" means the college admissions test owned and published by the College Board. Do not confuse it with the SATs in England, which are national tests for younger students. They share the letters and nothing else.
What the SAT actually measures now
The current SAT is digital. College Board describes it this way:
- Reading and Writing: 54 questions in 64 minutes, split into two 32-minute modules. Each question has a short passage of 25 to 150 words.
- Math: 44 questions in 70 minutes, split into two 35-minute modules. Some questions ask you to type in the answer.
- Total: 98 questions in 2 hours 14 minutes, with a 10-minute break between sections.
The test is adaptive. Your first module has a mix of easy, medium and hard questions. How you do on it decides whether your second module is harder or easier. That is why accuracy in Module 1 matters so much.
Now you know the name. See how you would score.
Take a free full-length practice test in the same two-module format.
Frequently asked questions
Does SAT stand for Scholastic Aptitude Test?
It used to. That was the original name from 1926. Today the letters do not stand for anything.
Who makes the SAT?
The College Board owns, develops and publishes the SAT.
Is the SAT an IQ test?
No. The College Board dropped "aptitude" from the name partly to correct the idea that the SAT measures fixed ability. Scores go up with practice.
Are SAT Subject Tests still offered?
No. They were discontinued after June 2021.
Sources
- College Board, How the SAT Is Structured.
- Wikipedia, SAT (Name changes and History sections).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SAT stand for Scholastic Aptitude Test?
It used to. That was the original 1926 name. Today the letters do not stand for anything.
Who makes the SAT?
The College Board owns, develops and publishes the SAT.
Is the SAT an IQ test?
No. The College Board dropped 'aptitude' from the name partly to correct the idea that the SAT measures fixed ability.