Do colleges prefer one format over the other?

Nope. Not even a little. Colleges couldn’t care less whether you used a mouse or a pencil because they only care about the number on your score report. That said, there’s nothing to worry about the format. Digital and paper formats are considered equally valid and reliable. So if you’re stressing over whether admissions officers will raise an eyebrow at your digital SAT, relax—they won’t. What matters most is how you perform, not how you tested. Choose the format that helps you do your best, because that’s what colleges are looking for: strong scores that reflect your skills, not your stationery preferences.