Critics point to archaic analogies, obscure vocabulary items, and reading passages with narrow cultural contexts as evidence of bias. Examples include analogies like 'oarsman : regatta' or vocabulary referencing classical literature that may feel unfamiliar to students who have not encountered these topics. The College Board conducts psychometric analyses and differential item functioning studies to detect and remove culturally loaded items, though no high-stakes test can be completely culture-neutral.

Over 1,000 U.S. institutions now allow students to decide whether to submit SAT scores. While these policies aim to reduce barriers for underrepresented and first-generation applicants, research including a Dartmouth study suggests that high-achieving, low-income students who withhold scores may inadvertently harm their admissions chances. Data shows test-optional policies can increase application volume and socioeconomic diversity but sometimes widen admission gaps when submitters outperform non-submitters.

The digital SAT offers benefits like adaptive testing and reduced anxiety through digital tools, but critics warn that unequal access to reliable technology, high-speed internet, or quiet testing environments may disadvantage low-income and rural students. The College Board has expanded device-lending programs to address this, while educators recommend incorporating screen-based practice drills to help students build familiarity with the adaptive format's digital interface.

Key reforms include eliminating mandatory Subject Tests and the optional Essay section to reduce costs, launching digital adaptive testing, and partnering with Khan Academy to provide free practice resources linked to official score reports. The College Board also conducts more frequent psychometric reviews and content audits using big data to detect differential performance patterns early and remove problematic items before they affect scores.

Standardized testing proponents argue the SAT provides an objective, comparable metric across different high school grading scales, while critics maintain that overreliance on test scores overshadows qualities like creativity and leadership that holistic review aims to capture. Institutions like the University of California system have eliminated SAT requirements entirely, though many colleges continue to value test scores as one data point among essays, recommendations, and extracurricular achievements.