Straight answers
What should I bring on SAT test day?
Bring an acceptable photo ID, your admission ticket, a fully charged device (plus charger) if you're testing on your own laptop or tablet, and an approved calculator if you want one beyond the built-in Desmos tool. A couple of sharpened pencils for scratch paper and a snack/water for the break round it out.
Photo ID is non-negotiable — a valid, unexpired, government- or school-issued photo ID matching the name on your registration. Without acceptable ID, testing staff can turn a student away, so confirm what counts well before test day.
The digital SAT runs through Bluebook, so your device matters: if you're using your own laptop or tablet (rather than a school-provided one), it needs Bluebook installed and fully charged, ideally with the charger packed too in case testing runs long or there's a delay before the session starts.
A graphing calculator (Desmos) is built into the app for the entire math section, so you technically don't need to bring one — but an approved physical calculator is allowed if a student prefers it for familiarity.
Scratch paper is provided at the test center for working out problems (nothing gets submitted from it), so bring a couple of sharpened pencils. Snacks and water for the short break between sections are a good idea — testing runs over two hours, and a quick reset helps.
Leave phones and smartwatches out of reach during testing per test-center rules, and plan to arrive early — a stressful scramble to find the room does nothing for performance.