No, the current digital SAT does not have an essay. The optional SAT Essay was discontinued in 2021. Here is what changed and the one exception that still remains.
Larry Learns
The short answer, when it changed, and the one exception.
For almost everyone, the answer is simple: no, the current SAT does not have an essay. The College Board discontinued the optional SAT Essay after June 2021, and the digital SAT that students take today has just two sections, Reading and Writing, and Math. There is one narrow exception, covered below, but if you are registering for a weekend SAT, you will not write an essay.
When and Why the SAT Essay Was Discontinued
The SAT Essay used to be an optional section you could add to the test. In 2021, the College Board announced it was removing the essay, and the last weekend administration that offered it was June 2021. Around the same time, the SAT moved fully digital, and the redesigned test was built without an essay component at all.
The reasoning was practical: most colleges had stopped requiring the SAT Essay, so it added time and cost for little benefit. Dropping it made the test shorter and simpler.
The One Exception: SAT School Day in Some States
There is a single place the SAT Essay still exists. A handful of states and districts include it as part of SAT School Day, the in-school administration some students take during the school year, where the state requires it. In those cases the essay is built into the school-day test, not chosen by the student.
The essay is not available on national weekend SAT dates, and the College Board does not publish a public list of which states include it. If you are taking the SAT through your school and are unsure, ask your school counselor.
Loading practice questions...
What the SAT Looks Like Now
The current digital SAT has two sections and no essay:
Reading and Writing
Math
It runs about two hours and fourteen minutes and is scored on the familiar 400 to 1600 scale. For more on the structure, see our guides to how long the SAT is and the SAT score range.
Do You Still Need to Write Essays for College?
Yes, but those are a different thing. The essays that matter for college admissions are your application essays, such as the personal statement and supplemental essays you write for each school. Those are still very important. The SAT Essay, a timed essay scored as part of the test, is simply no longer part of the picture for most students.
So your prep time is better spent on the two scored sections of the digital SAT. Practice real SAT questions on Larry Learns to build your Reading and Writing and Math scores.
Frequently Asked Questions About the SAT Essay
Is there an essay on the SAT?
No. The current digital SAT has no essay. It has two sections, Reading and Writing, and Math, scored on the 400 to 1600 scale.
When was the SAT Essay discontinued?
The College Board removed the optional SAT Essay in 2021, with the last weekend administration offering it in June 2021.
Is the SAT Essay still offered anywhere?
Only through SAT School Day in certain states that require it. It is not available on national weekend SAT dates. Ask your school counselor if you are unsure whether your administration includes it.
Does the digital SAT have a writing section?
Yes, but not an essay. The first section is called Reading and Writing, and it tests grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills with multiple-choice questions, not a written essay.
Do colleges require the SAT Essay?
No. Colleges no longer require the SAT Essay, which is part of why it was discontinued. They do still read your application essays, which are separate from the test.
