SAT Scratch Paper Rules: What You Get, What You Can Write, and What Not to Bring

Yes, you can use scratch paper on the Digital SAT.

But the paper is provided by testing staff. You should bring a pencil or pen for scratch work, but you should not bring your own sheets of paper, notes, or reference materials into the testing room.

The current rule is simple:

Bring something to write with. Testing staff provide the scratch paper.

College Board testing rules also state that scratch paper is collected after testing.

That means your scratch paper is a test-day working tool—not something you bring in prepared or take home afterward.

What should you bring for scratch work?

For SAT Weekend, College Board currently tells students to bring:

• pencils or pens for scratch work.

For SAT School Day, College Board similarly tells students to bring:

• a pencil or pen;
• scratch paper will be provided.

You do not need to bring a notebook.

You should not arrive with loose sheets, formula pages, or prewritten scratch work.

Can you bring your own scratch paper?

No.

Current SAT testing rules prohibit papers of your own.

For in-school testing, College Board explicitly says scratch paper is provided by testing staff and collected at the end of the test.

The SAT Weekend student guidance likewise states that scratch paper is provided by proctors and collected afterward.

So:

Do not bring your own paper.

Even blank paper is unnecessary and can create a test-security problem.

Why does College Board provide the paper?

Scratch paper is part of a controlled testing environment.

Testing staff distribute it so that:

• every student begins with clean paper;
• no prewritten notes enter the test room;
• test content cannot be carried out on paper afterward;
• staff can collect materials when testing ends.

This is a security rule, not merely a convenience.

How much scratch paper do you get?

For in-school administrations, current proctor guidance says students are initially provided a sheet of scratch paper, with extra sheets available when requested.

Exact administration procedures can vary, so do not build your strategy around a guaranteed number of sheets.

The safer assumption is:

you will be given scratch paper, and if you need more, follow your proctor's instructions.

Do not bring your own backup paper.

Can you ask for more scratch paper?

Testing-staff guidance provides for extra sheets when students request them in in-school testing.

On test day, if you need more space:

1. raise your hand;
2. follow the proctor's instructions;
3. do not use unauthorized paper from your bag.

Do not wait until your sheet is completely unusable if you know you will need more space.

Can you write during Reading and Writing?

Yes.

Scratch paper is not limited to Math.

You can use it during Reading and Writing for things such as:

• Text 1 vs Text 2 summaries;
• transition relationships;
• evidence notes;
• elimination between two choices;
• a quick central-idea paraphrase;
• pacing notes.

However, writing too much can slow you down.

The Digital SAT Reading and Writing passages are short. Your scratch work should usually be short too.

Good Reading and Writing scratch notes

For a cross-text question:

T1: supports method
T2: supports, but wants more data

For a transition:

contrast

For inference:

no causation

For main idea:

old theory → new evidence

These notes preserve reasoning without copying the passage.

Bad Reading and Writing scratch use

Avoid:

• rewriting the entire passage;
• copying every answer choice;
• taking detailed notes on every question;
• writing full sentences when one or two words will do.

Scratch paper should reduce cognitive load, not create a second test booklet.

Can you use scratch paper for Math?

Absolutely.

Math is where many students will use it most.

Useful scratch work includes:

• equations;
• substitutions;
• factoring;
• diagrams;
• unit conversions;
• testing answer choices;
• checking Desmos results;
• writing intermediate values.

Even though Bluebook includes a calculator and reference sheet, scratch paper remains useful for organizing reasoning.

Scratch paper + Desmos is often better than either alone

A common mistake is trying to do every step in your head because a calculator is available.

Example:

You graph two equations in Desmos and see an intersection near:

$$(4,7)$$

Write down:

x = 4, y = 7

Then check what the question actually asks.

Maybe it asks for:

$$x+y$$

Then your answer is:

$$11$$

A tiny written note can prevent you from entering the wrong quantity.

See SAT Calculator Policy.

Use scratch paper to translate word problems

Suppose a problem says:

A quantity increases by 12% from an initial value (P).

Write:

$$1.12P$$

Now the verbal relationship is mathematical.

That is often faster than repeatedly rereading the paragraph.

Use scratch paper for units

A unit-conversion problem can become much safer if you write the cancellation structure.

Example:

$$60 \frac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}} \times \frac{1 \text{hour}}{60 \text{minutes}} = 1 \frac{\text{mile}}{\text{minute}}$$

The paper is doing something valuable:

making the unit logic visible.

Use scratch paper for signs

If a problem includes multiple negatives, write the key expression.

Example:

$$-(x-3)=-x+3$$

This prevents mental sign errors.

Use scratch paper for geometry

Draw or label:

• radius;
• diameter;
• equal angles;
• parallel lines;
• side ratios;
• known measurements.

Do not assume the diagram will keep every relationship obvious.

A few labels can save a reread.

Can you write formulas on the scratch paper?

You can write working notes during the test.

What you cannot do is bring prewritten formula sheets or notes into the testing room.

That distinction matters.

Allowed:

You remember the quadratic formula and write it down during testing.

Not allowed:

You bring a sheet containing formulas from home.

Bluebook also includes an official Math reference sheet with commonly used formulas.

Should you write formulas at the start of the test?

Usually not.

The Digital SAT already provides a reference sheet for Math, and many formulas you need are either supplied or easier to recall when the relevant question appears.

Spending the first minute dumping every formula you know may not be the best use of time.

If a particular formula is easy for you to forget and not on the reference sheet, writing it when you reach the relevant question is usually more efficient.

Can you write on your admission ticket?

Treat your admission ticket as an admission document, not as scratch paper.

Use the paper testing staff provide.

Do not create unnecessary questions about whether writing on another document is allowed.

Can you use a stylus or Apple Pencil for scratch work?

Current SAT rules prohibit stylus pens, Apple Pencils, smart pens, and other electronic writing instruments unless an approved accommodation specifically allows related technology.

Bring a normal pen or pencil.

Your testing device is not a replacement scratchpad.

Can you type notes in Bluebook?

Bluebook includes Highlights & Notes for test content.

That can be useful for short reminders.

But it is not the same as scratch paper.

Use each tool for what it does best:

Bluebook note

Good for:

• one-word reasoning reminder;
• flag explanation;
• short textual note.

Scratch paper

Good for:

• equations;
• calculations;
• diagrams;
• unit work;
• multi-step reasoning.

What happens to scratch paper after the test?

Testing staff collect it.

Do not expect to take it home.

Do not copy test questions onto it for later.

Current SAT testing rules prohibit copying or recording test questions or memorizing them for the purpose of writing them down later.

Scratch paper is for solving the test—not reconstructing the test after you leave.

Can you access your paper during the break?

Your test center's instructions control what remains on your desk and what you can access during breaks.

Do not assume the break is a time to review test work.

The standard test rules also prohibit accessing unauthorized materials or devices during breaks.

Use the break to reset.

Do not try to continue solving Reading and Writing after the section has ended.

Scratch paper and module boundaries

Your paper may still contain work from a previous module.

That does not mean you can reopen that module.

Bluebook controls the test navigation.

Once a module ends, previous questions are no longer accessible.

See Can You Go Back to Previous Questions on the Digital SAT?.

Organize your paper so review is possible

A simple structure helps.

Write question numbers next to work:

7: x = 12
11: B/D — scope
16: intersection (3, 5)

Then, if you return to question 16, you can immediately find the relevant work.

Without question numbers, a page of algebra becomes difficult to decode under time pressure.

Divide the paper mentally

You might use:

Left side

Quick calculations.

Right side

Questions you may revisit.

Or:

Top

Reading and Writing.

Bottom

Math.

You do not need a complicated system.

You just need enough organization that your own notes remain useful.

Cross out abandoned work

Suppose you try one method and realize it is wrong.

Draw a single line through it.

Do not leave two competing calculations side by side without marking which one you trust.

This helps prevent using an old incorrect value later.

Do not over-neaten scratch work

Scratch paper does not need to look like homework.

You are not being graded on it.

The ideal scratch work is:

• readable to you;
• fast;
• enough to prevent errors.

Not:

• beautifully formatted;
• fully explained;
• copied from the screen.

A strong Math scratch routine

For a multi-step problem:

1. write the target;
2. write the essential equation;
3. solve;
4. circle the value you actually need;
5. check units/sign.

Example:

Question asks for (2x).

You solve:

$$x=7$$

Write:

$$2x=14$$

Circle:

$$\boxed{14}$$

This prevents entering (7) simply because it was the last solved variable.

A strong Reading and Writing scratch routine

Only write when the note changes your decision.

Examples:

Cross-text

T1 yes / T2 yes but limited

Evidence

must support cost + quality

Transition

result

Inference

observed only, no future claim

If the question is obvious without paper, do not force scratch work.

Common scratch-paper mistakes

Mistake 1: bringing your own sheet

Don't. Testing staff provide paper.

Mistake 2: copying too much

Write reasoning, not passage transcripts.

Mistake 3: not labeling question numbers

Then review becomes confusing.

Mistake 4: doing every calculation mentally

Scratch work can prevent avoidable arithmetic and sign errors.

Mistake 5: treating the paper as a formula sheet to take home

It will be collected.

Mistake 6: using prohibited electronic writing tools

Bring a normal pen or pencil.

Mistake 7: assuming paper lets you return to an old module

Navigation rules are controlled by Bluebook.

FAQ: SAT scratch paper

Does the Digital SAT give you scratch paper?

Yes. Testing staff provide scratch paper.

Can I bring my own scratch paper?

No. Papers of your own are prohibited.

Should I bring a pencil?

Yes. College Board tells students to bring pencils or pens for scratch work.

Can I use pen?

Current College Board guidance permits pencils or pens for scratch work.

Can I ask for more paper?

Current in-school proctor guidance provides extra sheets for students who request them. Follow your proctor's instructions on test day.

Can I use scratch paper during Reading and Writing?

Yes.

Can I use it during Math?

Yes.

Can I take the scratch paper home?

No. Testing staff collect scratch paper after testing.

Can I write down remembered test questions to keep?

No. SAT testing rules prohibit copying or recording test questions.

Can I use an Apple Pencil?

Electronic styluses such as Apple Pencils are prohibited under current testing rules unless relevant approved accommodations apply.

Where MastaPrep fits

Rules, dates and scoring policies like these are set by College Board, so confirm the details on the official pages linked below. MastaPrep handles the preparation side: a placement check, a study plan that adjusts as you practice, full-length timed practice tests, and review that brings your missed questions back until they stick.

See how MastaPrep works or try free SAT practice questions. The free plan needs no credit card.

Related MastaPrep guides

• SAT Test Day Checklist
• Can You Go Back on the Digital SAT?
• SAT Calculator Policy
• What Happens If Your Device Dies or Freezes During the SAT?

Final takeaway

Digital test does not mean paperless thinking.

You can—and often should—use scratch paper.

Just remember the security boundary:

bring the pen or pencil; let testing staff provide the paper

Use it for calculations, diagrams, short logic notes, and question labels. Keep it functional, not elaborate.

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Official SAT references:
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do/what-to-bring
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/testing-rules/sat
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/in-school-assessments/what-to-bring
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/k12-educators/educator-experience/in-school/preparing-students/should-and-should-not-bring

Trademark note: SAT® is a registered trademark of College Board. MastaPrep is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.