What Is a Good SAT Score?

Owned by the College Board, the SAT is usually a vital part of the college process. 

 

College admissions in the United States are standardized with the help of the SAT. The test was first called the Scholastic Aptitude Test in 1926, and then changed to Scholastic Assessment Test, SAT I: Reasoning Test, SAT Reasoning Test, and finally, SAT. Just in 2019, over 2.2 million students took the SAT. 

 

One question you might have when preparing for the SAT is, “what is a good SAT score?”

Good SAT scores depend on many factors. You need to weigh the admission requirements of colleges you’re interested in, and look at average SAT scores to help you assess a good score.  

Moreover, you need to consider median SAT scores for a college’s accepted applicants. The median SAT score reveals where the middle 50% of admitted students scored. And, you don’t need the absolute best SAT score to get into your college of choice. 

However, a rough score of 1400 can probably score you admission to any college or university in the country.

Related: What is the SAT?

What Is a Good SAT Score in 2021?

A good SAT score is generally one that ranks you in the top half of all candidates that took the test. 

Total	Percentile	Math	EBRW
1510 and above (Best)	99th	790 and above	750 and above
1340	90th	680-690	670
1200-1210 (Good)	75th	600	610
1050-1060 (Average)	50th	520	530
910	25th	450	460
800	10th	380-390	400
680 and below (Least)	1st	310 and below	330 and below

Also, read SAT Percentile

How Is the SAT Scored?

The evaluating procedure starts with your raw scores — the number of questions you answered correctly in each section. For example, if the math section has 58 questions and you answer them all correctly, your raw score for the math section is 58.  

Next, your raw score gets converted to a scaled score. A raw score of 58/58 changes to a scaled Math score out of 800 (in this case, a perfect score would be 800). 57 changes to a 790, etc., down the line.

Graders include your Reading and Writing raw scores (each extending from 1 to 40) together. If you got each EBRW question right, you would get a raw score of 80, which changes to a scaled score of 800.

To wrap things up, your scaled Math and EBRW scores are added to accomplish your total composite score out of 1600. The SAT does not deduct points for wrong answers, so you should try answering every single one, you have nothing to lose! 

Here’s an SAT score distribution chart, which better demonstrates how composite scores are converted into SAT percentiles.

SAT Composite Score	SAT Percentile
1600	99+
1550	99+
1500	98
1450	96
1400	94
1350	91
1300	86
1250	81
1200	74
1150	67
1100	58
1050	49
1000	40
950	31
900	23
850	16
800	10
750	5
700	2
650	1
600 and below	1-

Here’s the SAT score distribution chart for Math and EBRW sections:

SAT Score	EBRW Percentile	Math Percentile
800	99+	99+
750	99	96
700	94	92
650	86	84
600	73	75
550	56	61
500	39	41
450	23	26
400	10	13
350	2	4
300	1-	1
250 and below	1-	1-

Note - SAT section scores (Math and EBRW) are calculated out of 800 for each section. The cumulative scores of the sections give a total SAT score (scored out of 1600).

Related: How is the SAT Scored?

What Is the SAT Score Average?

The table below displays the average sat score for both the subscores as well as the total sat score out of 800 and 1600 respectively.

Total SAT score	1060	1600
SAT exam sections	Average Marks	Total Marks
Mathematics	523	800
Evidence-based reading and writing.	528	800

If your score is above the averages listed above, that’s good. That means you did better than half of the rest of the students who took the test.  

However, having just above-average marks may not be good enough for the most selective schools and colleges. If you have a score that’s well above the average, that will increase your chances of attending a good college, school, or university.

• There are still a few colleges that value a strong academic record enough to balance a below-average SAT score with good academic records.

But, good SAT scores can get you a scholarship.
Many schools offer Merit Scholarships to students who get a good SAT score.

• Explore More

How to Achieve Good SAT Scores 

The maximum score of the SAT is 1600. Out of millions of students who appear for the test, usually only 300 get the highest scores. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you ace your SAT.

Step 1- Attempt Every Question 

Try to answer every question on the SAT. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so you might as well try your luck, even on the ones you’re stumped on. 

Step 2- Practice Makes Perfect

Consider taking a timed, full-length practice test as part of your preparation. If you score poorly, don’t worry. That’s why it’s called a practice test.  

Step 3- Hustle

Keep motivating yourself. Study a little bit each day and keep moving. 

Step 4- Research 

Once you’ve graded your practice test, research areas that you scored poorly on. Try to discover which ones the College Board considers easy, medium, and hard. Once you know the “easy” topics you missed, focus on them alone during your test-prep sessions.  They are the “low hanging fruit” that should deliver the biggest score improvement for your time investment. Then, move on to the medium and hard questions. 

Step 5- Use Reputable Study Materials

Avoid low-quality and third-party materials when you prepare. Use the College Board as your main source of information. 

How Many Times Can You Write the SAT?

The College Board is more than happy to let you attempt the tests any number of times you’d like.  Only your 6 most recent scores will stay on your file. 

What Is Score Choice?

Some colleges permit Score Choice, which allows students to submit their best SAT scores rather than their most recent scores. Score Choice removes a lot of anxiety that people feel about the SAT 

Some colleges do not permit the Score Choice option; so, it’s important to research your universities of choice to learn their policies about score choice.  

If you want to keep your scores high, you can take up training sessions. But, if you are trying your luck by attempting one exam after the other, you might end up losing your time and money. So decide on the number of times, you’ll be attempting the test along with other competitive exams like the ACT.

The first attempt can be a trial to know about the question patterns and effective time management. After further training, you can improve your performance upon each new attempt.

Read More - SAT Dates

How Good is Your SAT Score Compared to Others?

The SAT score can be considered good when it’s either above-average or it satisfies the requirement of the school or college you are considering. Having above-average marks or suppose having secured 1350 or more marks puts you in the 91 percentile category, which means you scored better than 90% of students appearing for the same test. 

These marks are good enough for a lot of prominent schools, colleges, and universities. Though a few selective schools may demand more marks but have just above average marks are good enough for a variety of colleges.

A "perfect" SAT score or the highest possible score on the examination is 1600 points. The present average SAT score is 1060.

A "good" SAT score depends on the colleges and universities you're considering. A score of 1200 at the SAT is a reasonably good score above the present national average at the 76th percentile and can make you a strong applicant at several universities, but it's going to fall below the average score for accepted students at more selective colleges. 

Source: Quickmeme

SAT Scores (2021) for Top 10 Colleges

We have prepared a list of SAT score ranges with the 25th and 75th percentile, for the top 10 schools in the US.

Rank	School	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
1	Princeton	1440	1570
2	Harvard	1460	1580
3	Columbia	1450	1560
4	MIT	1500	1570
4	Yale	1470	1560
6	Stanford	1440	1550
6	UChicago	1470	1570
6	University of Pennsylvania	1440	1560
9	CalTech	1530	1570
9	John Hopkins University	1450	1560
9	Northwestern	1450	1540

SAT Scores (2021) for Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges

We have listed the 25th-75th percentile score range for the top 10 Liberal Arts colleges in the US.

Rank	College	25th-75th percentile Score range
1	Williams	1410-1550
2	Amherst	1420-1530
3	Swarthmore	1380-1550
4	Pomona	1430-1530
4	Wellesley	1350-1520
6	Bowdoin	1300-1510
6	Claremont Mckenna	1350-1500
6	United States Naval Academy	1150-1370
9	Carleton	1380-1520
9	Hamilton College	1350-1510
9	Middlebury	1360-1530
9	Washington and Lee	1350-1490

 

What Happens if You Have a Low SAT Score?

A low SAT score can make you anxious and dampen your spirits during the application process. However, there are many options for students with low SAT scores. Many top-ranking schools do not require an exquisite score for admittance. Make sure you polish and prepare for these other areas of your application to impress the college admissions teams:

• Personal Statement
• Interview
• GPA
• Extracurriculars
• Letters of Recommendation

 

Is the SAT Optional For Some Schools?

Some schools, like Boston College, do not require an SAT or ACT score from applicants. Test-optional admissions policies became more popular in the last year or two because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts recommend that you still take the SAT, even if your college has a test-optional policy. It strengthens your application and gives the admissions a better understanding of your academic capability. 

What Is a Good SAT Score for Test-Optional Schools?

Check out the average SAT scores of accepted applicants to a particular college. You can usually find this information on the university’s admissions page. You should aim for a score that is higher than the average score of accepted applicants. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do All Colleges Require SAT Scores?

Most four-year colleges require SAT scores from applicants. However, there are some four-year colleges and open-admission colleges that don’t require SAT scores. Additionally, many schools have temporarily paused their requirement for SAT scores from applicants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if a college doesn’t require SAT scores, you should consider taking the SAT to qualify you for more scholarships and grants.  

 

Is the SAT Score the Most Important Part of a College Application?

No, but it is important. While college admissions teams do weigh SAT scores in student applications, they also weigh other factors. Different colleges also weigh scores in different ways. Letters of recommendation, GPA, extracurriculars, and even personal statements all factor into a college admissions team’s decision. If your SAT score was less than stellar, you still have a shot at getting into your college of choice if the rest of your application is strong. 

 

How Early Should I Start Prepping for the SAT?

You should start preparing for the SAT ideally a few months in advance. Also, consider the extra time it would take if you wanted to take the SAT more than once. 

 

The Takeaway

A good SAT score is different for every person and college. Start by looking at the median score (50th percentile) as a base. Then, look at SAT averages from accepted applicants to your schools of choice. 

Ultimately, you don’t need the best SAT score to get into college. But, a good SAT score does get you into your colleges of choice. Prepare early, take practice tests, and research your colleges’ policies on minimum score requirements, and score choice. 

Also read: When do SAT scores come out?