Are Some SAT Exams More Difficult Than Others?
If your student recently took the June 2025 SAT Exam, they’re not alone in thinking it felt harder than usual. But is it true? Do some SAT test dates come with more difficult exams?
Let’s break down the facts, the myths, and how SAT scoring ensures fairness—no matter the month.
1. Is the SAT Harder on Certain Dates?
Short answer: no. The College Board carefully designs each version of the test to be equal in difficulty. Thanks to a scoring method called equating, your score is adjusted based on the difficulty level of the questions you were given.
2. What Is “Equating” and How Does It Work?
Equating is a statistical process used by the College Board to adjust for slight differences in difficulty across different versions of the test. So if the June 2025 SAT was harder than March’s test, the raw scores would be adjusted to reflect that. In other words, a 1300 in June means the same thing as a 1300 in March.
✅ Your student is not at adisadvantage for testing on a “harder” SAT
3. Student Perspectives: How June 2025 Felt
Let’s be honest: the June 2025 SAT did feel different for many students. Here’s what some had to say:
“BRO THAT SECOND READING MODULE SUCKED. I had to guess onfive inference questions.”
—Student on Reddit
“I bombed the surface area question, but the rest of themath felt easy.”
Why the disparity? The Digital SAT is adaptive. Your student’s first module determines the difficulty of their second module. So, yes—students might experience very different test paths, even on the same day.
4. Advice for Parents: What You Can Do
Many parents are asking, “Should we be concerned?” The answer: no, but there are steps you can take to help your student move forward confidently.
✅ Reframe the experience:
Reassure your student that their score is still valid and fair—even if the test felt unusually hard.
✅ Focus on preparation, notpanic:
The best way to improve is through strategic SAT prep, timed practice, and targeted review of weak areas.
✅ Normalize nerves:
Feeling stressed or overwhelmed after the SAT is normal.Remind your student they’re not alone—and that the next test date offers a fresh opportunity.
5. Final Thoughts: Hard Test ≠ Bad Score
Feeling like a test was hard doesn’t mean it was unfair. The College Board’s scoring system ensures your student’s efforts aremeasured accurately—no matter the month.
Encourage your child to:
Reflect on which sections were challenging
Review missed question types (e.g., inference, geometry)
Rebuild confidence through smart prep
🎯 And if they’re planning to retake the SAT in August or October, now’s the time to make a gameplan.
