Every year nearly 2 million students take the SAT, which is used for college admissions in the US universities. Typically taken by 11th/ 12th-grade students, SAT is meant to assess their college readiness.
Let us evaluate different sections and scoring mechanism of the SAT. The two major sections are the Evidence-based Reading & Writing (EBRW) and the Math Section. The EBRW comprises of the reading, writing and the language test. Both these sections have multigraph passages and the questions are multiple-choice. The reading section test the comprehension & reasoning skills, while the writing and language section test other skills including expression of ideas, grammar and punctuation.
The Reading section has 52 questions from 5 passages. These passages include one World/US literature, 2 History/Social studies, and 2 Science passages. The Writing section has 44 questions from 4 passages. The Math section, on the other hand, has a Calculator and No Calculator sections which test on Arithmetic, Algebra, Data Analysis and other topics including geometry, trigonometry, and complex equations. The No Calculator section has 20 questions to be answered in 25 minutes and the Calculator section has 38 questions to be completed in 55 minutes. There is also an optional Essay section to be completed in 50 minutes.
Now let us look at the different scores you will receive on the SAT. Both the EBRW and the math sections individually contribute 200-800 points. These scores are called the section scores. The sum of the two section scores is the total score that ranges from 400-1600. It is these scores that the test takers should ideally focus on. Along with these scores, the students will also receive scores in the SAT Reading, SAT Writing, and SAT Math sections. These scores range from 10-40. The Cross-Test scores range from 10-40 representing the performance in Social and Science domains. And then there are subscores that range from 1-15.
These subscores are considered as feedback on student’s performance in the major areas tested on the SAT. The seven subscores include Command in Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Mathematics, and Problem Solving and Data Analysis.
If the student takes the SAT along with the Essay, then the report will contain three scores on a range of 2-8 in Reading, Analysis, and Writing respectively. Along with these scores, two percentile rankings will also be mentioned in the report. The percentile ranking is an indicator of the percentage of students who have scored equal to or lesser than the student. For instance, if the percentile score is 80, then 80 percent of the students were equal or lower than the score received by the student.
Related Blog Post: 5 Best Ways to Study for the SAT Math
Now that brings us back to the main question – What is a good SAT Score?
Let us look at some recent statistics about the SAT. In 2020, the average total score on the SAT was 1051 and individual averages on EBRW and Math sections were 528 and 523 respectively. What does this mean? If you have scored above 1050, then you have crossed the national average. Does that mean that you can get into your dream college?
Most of the colleges do not expect 1600 because these top scorers usually target the IVY leagues and the other top destinations. So, most students are satisfied with an above-average score that will get them admitted to a decent college. But if your dream is to graduate from an IVY League, then you ought to look at bigger numbers. Let’s see the scores accepted by some of the top colleges.
One thing is clear from this tabular column. It does not hurt to score 1600 just to be on the safer side. But how many students score 1600 every year? Not many. Just a few hundred out of the near 2 million test-takers. Should this bog you down? Not necessarily. Look at the flip side. After all, 1600 on the SAT is possible. You can be one among the few hundreds. Let us look at another table to see how the students have fared on the SAT in 2019.
According to this table, as long as you score a 1520 and above, you are in the top one percent. But like what we saw earlier, the college is the final authority when it comes to deciding whether your score is good enough. Most of the students tend to score closer to the middle than to the extremes of the scale. For instance, by improving from 1010 to 1060, your percentile ranking jumps by 10 points. But an increase from 1460 to 1510 would mean just a one-point improvement on the percentile scale.
What should you do to get a 1600 SAT score?
So, these are the steps you have to follow overall in all the sections. Now let us look at how to handle the different sections to maximize your performance.
Related Blog Post: 7 Tips for Taking the SAT Test in 2021
The reading score is a part of the EBRW score. A high score means that your total score goes up and also if your math scores are less, this will help to compensate for the slip. Also, if you are looking for Arts or Humanities courses, you need a higher score on the EBRW, something on the lines of 770 for the Ivy Leagues. So along with the global habits, what are the other things you have to do to improve your reading score?
This section contributes to the remaining EBRW score.
The Calculator and the No Calculator sections together contribute 200-800 points to the total score. An 800 on this section would boost the overall score and also if you are looking at math or science-intensive courses, then this score is very important.
Are these rules and habits only for those aiming for 1600? Not necessarily. Anyone who is scoring in the 1300s and wants to push the score to 1500s and above can practice these strategies. Also remember the undergrad admission is a holistic process involving not just the SAT scores, but also your school GPA and your personal profile. So, make sure you have a balanced profile.
Manya – The Princeton Review offers end-to-end study abroad services encompassing admissions consulting services, test preparation, English language training, career assessment and international internship opportunities to study abroad aspirants. Founded in 2002, Manya holds an impeccable track record of enabling more than two lac fifty thousand students to accomplish their study abroad dreams through its network of 45+ centers across India.
Manya has formed long-lasting global alliances with several market leaders in the education industry in order to maximise the benefits of its large service portfolio. Their list of esteemed partners and affiliations includes – The Princeton Review (TPR), Cambridge University Press (CUP), Admissionado, Cogito Hub, British Council, Tuding to name a few. Manya has also forged 600+ partnerships with international universities across top study abroad destinations.
Here at Manya, you can get your desired score with the help of the best SAT coaching with a personalized study plan, student portal, SAT practice tests, detailed score reports, refreshers, proctored mock tests, and much more. Here, you can access the top SAT scores of Manya Students.
For more information, call our Study Abroad Helpline 1800 102 4646
While academic transcripts, essays, letters of motivation or statements of purpose, curriculum vitae and…
GRE is a competitive exam administered by the ETS. This test is taken by…
Pursuing higher education and going through the bumpy road of undergraduate application abroad is…
It is a dream for many students to pursue their undergraduate studies in a…
From students who intended to join their desired program in these years, to ones…
Preparing for the GMAT exam while juggling work can be tiresome and challenging. As…