how does the essay affect sat score

SAT Essay Scores Explained

On january 19th, 2021, college board announced that they will no longer administer the sat subject tests in the u.s. and that the essay would be retired. read our blog post  to understand what this means in the near term and what the college board has in store for students down the road., our articles on subject tests and the sat essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape..

Why are there no percentiles for the essay on an SAT score report?

No percentiles or norms are provided in student reports. Even colleges do not receive any summary statistics. Given Compass’ concerns about the inaccuracy of essay scoring and the notable failures of the ACT on that front, the de-emphasis of norms would seem to be a good thing. The problem is that 10% of colleges are sticking with the SAT Essay as an admission requirement . While those colleges will not receive score distribution reports from the College Board, it is not difficult for them to construct their own statistics—officially or unofficially—based on thousands of applicants. Colleges can determine a “good score,” but students cannot. This asymmetry of information is harmful to students, as they are left to speculate how well they have performed and how their scores will be interpreted. Through our analysis, Compass hopes to provide students and parents more context for evaluating SAT Essay scores.

How has scoring changed? Is it still part of a student’s Total Score?

On the old SAT, the essay was a required component of the Writing section and made up approximately one-third of a student’s 200–800 score. The essay score itself was simply the sum (2–12) of two readers’ 1–6 scores. Readers were expected to grade holistically and not to focus on individual components of the writing. The SAT essay came under a great deal of criticism for being too loosely structured. Factual accuracy was not required; it was not that difficult to make pre-fabricated material fit the prompt; many colleges found the 2–12 essay scores of little use; and the conflation of the essay and “Writing” was, in some cases, blocking the use of the SAT Writing score—which included grammar and usage—entirely.

With the 2016 overhaul of the SAT came an attempt to make the essay more academically defensible while also making it optional (as the ACT essay had long been). The essay score is not a part of the 400–1600 score. Instead, a student opting to take the SAT Essay receives 2–8 scores in three dimensions: reading, analysis, and writing. No equating or fancy lookup table is involved. The scores are simply the sum of two readers’ 1–4 ratings in each dimension. There is no official totaling or averaging of scores, although colleges may choose to do so.

Readers avoid extremes

What is almost universally true about grading of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. The default instinct is to nudge a score above or below a perceived cutoff or midpoint rather than to evenly distribute scores. When the only options are 1, 2, 3, or 4, the consequence is predictable—readers give out a lot of 2s and 3s and very few 1s and 4s. In fact, our analysis shows that 80% of all reader scores are 2s or 3s. This, in turn, means that most of the dimension scores (the sum of the two readers) range from 4 to 6. Analysis scores are outliers. A third of readers give essays a 1 in Analysis. Below is the distribution of reader scores across all dimensions.

What is a good SAT Essay score?

By combining multiple data sources—including extensive College Board scoring information—Compass has estimated the mean and mode (most common) essay scores for students at various score levels. We also found that the reading and writing dimensions were similar, while analysis scores lagged by a point across all sub-groups. These figures should not be viewed as cutoffs for “good” scores. The loose correlation of essay score to Total Score and the high standard deviation of essay scores means that students at all levels see wide variation of scores. The average essay-taking student scores a 1,080 on the SAT and receives just under a 5/4/5.

College Board recently released essay results for the class of 2017, so score distributions are now available. From these, percentiles can also be calculated. We provide these figures with mixed feelings. On the one hand, percentile scores on such an imperfect measure can be highly misleading. On the other hand, we feel that students should understand the full workings of essay scores.

The role of luck

What is frustrating to many students on the SAT and ACT is that they can score 98th percentile in most areas and then get a “middling” score on the essay. This result is actually quite predictable. Whereas math and verbal scores are the result of dozens of objective questions, the essay is a single question graded subjectively. To replace statistical concepts with a colloquial one—far more “luck” is involved than on the multiple-choice sections. What text is used in the essay stimulus? How well will the student respond to the style and subject matter? Which of the hundreds of readers were assigned to grade the student’s essay? What other essays has the reader recently scored?

Even good writers run into the unpredictability involved and the fact that essay readers give so few high scores. A 5 means that the Readers A and B gave the essay a 2 and a 3, respectively. Which reader was “right?” If the essay had encountered two readers like Reader A, it would have received a 4. If the essay had been given two readers like Reader B, it would have received a 6. That swing makes a large difference if we judge scores exclusively by percentiles, but essay scores are simply too blurry to make such cut-and-dry distinctions. More than 80% of students receive one of three scores—4, 5, or 6 on the reading and writing dimensions and 3, 4, or 5 on analysis.

What do colleges expect?

It’s unlikely that many colleges will release a breakdown of essay scores for admitted students—especially since so few are requiring it. What we know from experience with the ACT , though, is that even at the most competitive schools in the country, the 25th–75th percentile scores of admitted students were 8–10 on the ACT’s old 2–12 score range. We expect that things will play out similarly for the SAT and that most students admitted to highly selective colleges will have domain scores in the 5–7 range (possibly closer to 4–6 for analysis). It’s even less likely for students to average a high score across all three areas than it is to obtain a single high mark. We estimate that only a fraction of a percent of students will average an 8—for example [8/8/8, 7/8/8, 8/7/8, or 8,8,7].

Update as of October 2017. The University of California system has published the 25th–75th percentile ranges for enrolled students. It has chosen to work with total scores. The highest ranges—including those at UCLA and Berkeley—are 17–20. Those scores are inline with our estimates above.

How will colleges use the domain scores?

Colleges have been given no guidance by College Board on how to use essay scores for admission. Will they sum the scores? Will they average them? Will they value certain areas over others? Chances are that if you are worrying too much about those questions, then you are likely losing sight of the bigger picture. We know of no cases where admission committees will make formulaic use of essay scores. The scores are a very small, very error-prone part of a student’s testing portfolio.

How low is too low?

Are 3s and 4s, then, low enough that an otherwise high-scoring student should retest? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. In general, it is a mistake to retest solely to improve an essay score unless a student is confident that the SAT Total Score can be maintained or improved. A student with a 1340 PSAT and 1280 SAT may feel that it is worthwhile to bring up low essay scores because she has previously shown that she can do better on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math, as well. A student with a 1400 PSAT and 1540 SAT should think long and hard before committing to a retest. Admission results from the class of 2017 may give us some added insight into the use of SAT Essay scores.

Will colleges continue to require the SAT Essay?

For the class of 2017, Compass has prepared a list of the SAT Essay and ACT Writing policies for 360 of the top colleges . Several of the largest and most prestigious public university systems—California, Michigan, and Texas, for example, still require the essay, and a number of highly competitive private colleges do the same—for example, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

The number of excellent colleges not requiring the SAT Essay, though, is long and getting longer. Compass expects even more colleges to drop the essay requirement for the classes of 2018 and 2019. Policies are typically finalized in late spring or during the summer.

Should I skip the essay entirely?

A common question regarding SAT scores is whether the whole mess can be avoided by skipping the essay. After all, if only about 10% of colleges are requiring the section, is it really that important? Despite serious misgivings about the test and the ways scores are interpreted, Compass still recommends that most students take the essay unless they are certain that they will not be applying to any of the colleges requiring or recommending it. Nationally, about 70% of students choose to take the essay on at least one SAT administration. When looking at higher scoring segments, that quickly rises to 85–90%. Almost all Compass students take the SAT Essay at least once to insure that they do not miss out on educational opportunities.

Should I prepare for the SAT Essay?

Most Compass students decide to do some preparation for the essay, because taking any part of a test “cold” can be an unpleasant experience, and students want to avoid feeling like a retake is necessary. In addition to practicing exercises and tests, most students can perform well enough on the SAT Essay after 1–2 hours of tutoring. Students taking a Compass practice SAT will also receive a scored essay. Students interested in essay writing tips for the SAT can refer to Compass blog posts on the difference between the ACT and SAT tasks  and the use of first person on the essays .

Will I be able to see my essay?

Yes. ACT makes it difficult to obtain a copy of your Writing essay, but College Board includes it as part of your online report.

Will colleges have access to my essay? Even if they don’t require it?

Yes, colleges are provided with student essays. We know of very few circumstances where SAT Essay reading is regularly conducted. Colleges that do not require the SAT Essay fall into the “consider” and “do not consider” camps. Schools do not always list this policy on their website or in their application materials, so it is hard to have a comprehensive list. We recommend contacting colleges for more information. In general, the essay will have little to no impact at colleges that do not require or recommend it.

Is the SAT Essay a reason to take the ACT instead?

Almost all colleges that require the SAT Essay require Writing for ACT-takers. The essays are very different on the two tests, but neither can be said to be universally “easier” or “harder.” Compass recommends that the primary sections of the tests determine your planning. Compass’ content experts have also written a piece on how to attack the ACT essay .

Key links in this post:

ACT and SAT essay requirements ACT Writing scores explained Comparing ACT and SAT essay tasks The use of first person in ACT and SAT essays Understanding the “audience and purpose” of the ACT essay Compass proctored practice testing for the ACT, SAT, and Subject Tests

About Art Sawyer

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and co-founded Compass Education Group in 2004 in order to bring the best ideas and tutors into students' homes and computers. Although he has attained perfect scores on all flavors of the SAT and ACT, he is routinely beaten in backgammon.

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Hi! I’m a high school junior who took the October and November SATs. I got a 1500 on October and then retook it to get a 1590 in November. I’m very happy with my score, but my essays are troubling me. I got a 6-4-6 in October and thought I would improve in November, but I got a 6-3-6. I really cannot improve my actual SAT score, but I don’t understand the essay. I’ve always been a good writer and have consistently been praised for it in English class and outside of class. Is this essay score indicative of my writing skill? And will this essay hurt my chances at Ivy League and other top tier schools? None of the schools I plan on applying to require it, but, since I have to submit it, will it hurt my chances? Thank you so much.

Maya, The essay is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Honestly, a 6-4-6 is a fine score and will not hurt your chances for admission. It’s something of an odd writing task, so I wouldn’t worry that it doesn’t match your writing skills elsewhere.

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April 12, 2014

How Does the Essay Affect Your SAT Score?

Although the SAT essay is going to be optional before long (when the test changes in 2016), as of right now it’s a must. So, love it or hate it, your essay will influence your SAT score, and the admissions offices at the colleges you’ll apply to will see that score. So let’s answer one key question: how much does the SAT essay actually count for?

The Numbers

First, the essay is scored according to its own grading system. There will be two readers—real people, not a Scantron machine!—who read and judge your writing, each assigning a mark of zero to six. Zero is the worst (in case that wasn’t totally obvious), but it’s only used for the absolutely ungradable essays. If you write on a completely different topic than what’s assigned, for example, you will get a zero. That means no memorizing a fantastic essay ahead of time! You have to write on the topic they give you. You’d also get a zero if you wrote in another language, say, or simply put no clear thoughts on paper.

A six, on the other hand, is reserved for long, structured essays that are full of clear, concrete ideas, high-level vocabulary, and correct grammar. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s the gist.

After each reader goes through and marks your essay, the two scores will be added to give you a score of 0–12 (if you actually wrote anything remotely relevant, that’s 2–12).

Then that score, in turn, is added to the raw score from the Writing multiple-choice questions, since the essay is just a part of the Writing Section. The multiple-choice sections count for more points, altogether.

Then, once they have the raw total of your essay score and your multiple-choice score added up, they convert that score into the scaled, 200–800 score.

The Importance of the Essay

The scaled score is a little bit hard to explain—how it’s calculated, I mean—and it’s not worth really getting stuck talking about. All that matters is the zero to twelve score ends up affecting how many hundreds are in that scaled score. And I did say that the multiple-choice counts for more than the essay, but that doesn’t mean the essay isn’t important.

In truth, the SAT essay score counts for around 30% your total writing score—in the ballpark of 200 points, altogether. It’s not the only thing, but it’s a significant piece of the puzzle.

And what about those who say the essay doesn’t matter? Simply put, they’re usually wrong . Most schools were really skeptical of the Writing Section when this version of the SAT first debuted it back in 2005. And sure, some are still not totally signed on, but for the most part it does factor into your admissions. And 99% of the time, you’ll have no idea how much that lady who works in the admissions office cares about your Writing score—you’ll just have to trust that a high score is better than a low one.

And for that high score, you need to put some energy into preparing to write your essay!

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I've been super stressed about my SAT score and how it will play into my college applications. This might be a silly question, but does the quality of my college essay have any effect on how admissions view my SAT score?

Absolutely not a silly question at all! The quality of your college essay and your SAT scores are considered separately in the admissions process. Your SAT score is a standardized measure of your academic ability, while your college essay offers insight into your personality, experiences, and potential contributions to the college community. They complement each other but serve different purposes.

A strong essay won't change your SAT score, but it can make your overall application more compelling. If your score is below the average for your target schools, an outstanding essay might help offset that to an extent. However, if the school has a minimum SAT score requirement or a high Academic Index cutoff, the essay wouldn't be able to compensate for scores that fall below that threshold.

Remember, both are important, but they showcase different aspects of your candidacy. Focus on presenting the best version of yourself in your essay, and let your SAT score speak to your academic preparedness. Good luck!

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SAT Essay Score: Does It Affect Your SAT score, How Many Points is it and What is a Good Score?

How Much Is the Essay Worth for a SAT Score?

On the old version of the SAT, the essay was required. Now, it’s optional. However, if you think that means you can skip it, you might want to think again.

Some colleges still require you to submit a standardized test essay, like the one on the SAT, but other colleges don’t. If you want to keep your options open for where you can apply to college, sign up for the essay portion of the SAT and make sure you do well. Even if they say they don’t require the essay, some elite schools may still take your SAT essay score into account on your application.

Has There Always Been an Essay on the SAT?

When the College Board created a new version of the SAT in 2016, they changed a lot of things. The SAT writing score now counts for less of your overall SAT score because the two main sections of the test are now the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and the Math section. Your SAT writing score comes from the multiple-choice part of the exam, while your SAT essay score is derived from a new part of the exam. That is the SAT Essay section, which stands on its own and does not affect your score in either of the multiple-choice sections .

You will have 50 minutes to complete the new version of the SAT Essay section. During that time, you will have to read and analyze a text and then you will compose an argumentative essay that examines and explains the effectiveness of the rhetoric in the passage you just read.

For this portion of the SAT, you will be scored on the SAT Essay rubric to earn a score out of 24 points. This score is separate from your 1,600-point score from the rest of the test . This section is also optional and costs an extra $11.50 in addition to the standard test fees.

Do Colleges Want Your SAT Essay Score?

All colleges want your SAT writing score, but that isn’t the same as the essay score. Some colleges want you to complete the essay, others recommend it and still others neither recommend nor require it. All in all, it depends on the college. When in doubt, contact the admissions office of your prospective college for more information.

A few elite colleges continue to require the SAT essay in its current form. Some of these colleges are in the Ivy League, notably Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton and Yale. So, if you’re planning on applying to Ivy League colleges, make sure you take the SAT Essay section seriously.

Even if you’re planning on applying to state schools, you still may want to take the SAT Essay section. Both the University of Michigan system and the University of California system require SAT Essay scores from applicants who apply to any of their schools. On the other hand, some state schools like the University of Illinois only recommend that you take the essay, while other state schools have no stance on the section and most likely won’t take your score into account during the admissions process.

Why Do Some Schools Want the Essay?

We already know that some schools want the essay and others don’t, but why is there such a divide? The schools that do want the essay have several reasons for requiring it. The first is that they want students to understand that writing is an integral part of college coursework, and students who don’t have proficient writing chops will find themselves struggling with their college classes.

It also helps that the new version of the SAT essay lines up well with colleges’ expectations for clear writing and independent thinking skills. The new essay asks students to read and comprehend an argument and then synthesize one of their own based on the effectiveness of the passage’s rhetoric. The new SAT essay not only shows colleges that applicants can write, but it also shows them that applicants can think critically and recognize effective writing techniques as well.

The third reason some colleges may want the SAT essay is because they want as much information on each applicant as they can get. Sometimes, college applications provide an incomplete picture of the students who are applying. The essay gives colleges additional data that can help in choosing between two nearly identical applications, with the student who writes the best, of course, rising to the top.

Why Don’t Some Schools Want the Essay?

One of the main reasons many schools don’t require the essay is that it provides information they already have. Most college application requirements include the submission of a personal essay written by the student applying. This writing sample helps college admissions officers get to know the applicants on a personal level, sure, but it also gives students a chance to let their writing talents shine. So, giving admissions officers more data on writing is unnecessary.

Another reason some colleges don’t want the SAT essay is because they don’t require the writing portion on the ACT . Requiring the SAT essay might give an unfair advantage to students taking the SAT instead of the ACT, or it could also disadvantage students who do poorly on the SAT essay if it was required but the ACT essay was not.

Additionally, some experts believe that standardized test essays are not a good measure of future college success . This means that while the essay section does provide additional data, some colleges aren’t sure if that data is valid. Still, other schools are wary of the additional cost of the SAT essay, thinking that having to pay more money may represent a burden to underprivileged students.

Understanding the SAT Essay Rubric

To know how high you have to score, and to understand how to succeed on this portion of the test, you’ll have to take a closer look at the SAT essay rubric. On the rubric, your score comes in three parts: reading, analysis and writing . You can earn from one to four points on each part, which are then multiplied by two for your score. You can earn up to eight points in each part for an overall score of up to 24 points .

Earning Points for Reading

To earn the full eight points for reading on the SAT essay, your essay has to demonstrate:

• That you understand the passage
• That you can clearly communicate the passage’s main idea as well as its details and how they relate to the main idea
• That you can interpret the ideas of the passage without errors
• That you can both paraphrase and quote textual evidence with skill and ease

Earning Points for Analysis

To earn the full eight points for analysis on the SAT essay, your essay has to communicate:

• Insightful analysis of the passage’s key features
• A thorough evaluation of the author’s choices, especially in regard to rhetoric
• Thoroughly reasoned claims that are supported by evidence from the text
• A focus on the most relevant parts of the text instead of delving into extraneous features or tangents

Finally, the writing itself should be free of errors, precise and effective and should demonstrate a sophisticated command of standard English.

Related Articles

What Are the Five Parts of an Argumentative Essay?

How to Write a Thesis & Introduction for a Critical Reflection Essay

How to Write an Introduction to an Analytical Essay

Examples of Expository Essays in Middle School

What Do You Have to Make on the GED to Pass?

How to Write Conclusions for Expository Papers

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How Many Essays Does the GED Have?

• PrepScholar: Does the SAT Essay Matter? Expert Guide
• CollegeBoard: SAT Essay Scoring
• Kaplan: New SAT Essay Scoring Rubric
• Khan Academy: The SAT Essay: Overview

Rebecca Renner is a teacher and college professor from Florida. She loves teaching about literature, and she writes about books for Book Riot, Real Simple, Electric Literature and more.

How Important Are SAT, ACT Scores in College Admissions?

Many colleges' testing policies have changed. Here's what that means for you as an applicant.

Are SAT, ACT Scores Still Important?

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College admissions experts encourage students to take the SAT or ACT at least once, barring significant access barriers or text anxiety.

Taking the SAT or ACT is often a source of stress for students, as some spend weeks or months prepping to try to earn a score high enough to land at their ideal college. But now, many schools are placing less emphasis on these standardized test scores in the admissions process and are instead focusing on other factors, like GPA and essays.

Around 1,750 four-year colleges have announced plans to go test-optional or test-blind for fall 2023, according to a tentative count by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, a nonprofit advocacy group commonly known as FairTest. This trend, while not new, was accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, when many students were unable to access testing sites.

Colleges also recognize that there are "correlations between income and test scores," says Dana Rolander, a certified educational planner and founder of Ohio-based Midwest College Consulting.

"Students from more underrepresented groups with less privilege have had less access to test prep, so it hasn't been considered an equal playing field for kids from all backgrounds," she adds.

Test-Optional v. Test-Blind

A test-optional policy – implemented at schools such as Appalachian State University in North Carolina, Cornell University in New York, Princeton University in New Jersey and the University of Chicago in Illinois – typically allows first-year students to decide whether to submit their SAT or ACT scores to a college.

"It certainly benefits students for whom standardized tests are not their strong suit," says Anna Ivey, founder of Ivey Consulting, a college and graduate school consulting firm.

"We all know people who are very gifted academically and they are just not good standardized test-takers," Ivey says. "That is a very real phenomenon. So it's a good thing that people now have the choice as far as whether they want to make that part of their profile or not."

Far less common are test-blind or test-free policies, which are being used by the University of California system and schools like Loyola University New Orleans in Louisiana and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. These policies mean that even if a student submits SAT or ACT scores, the school will not consider them during the application process.

These policies often come with caveats. For instance, a college may claim to be test-optional, but still require scores for certain programming or out-of-state applicants. Some test-optional schools even consider test scores when determining merit scholarship recipients.

"Students unfortunately have to do a little bit of digging around to make sure that they see all the fine print because each school has its own policies," Ivey says.

How Colleges Review Applications

"Test scores tend to validate other parts of the application," Rolander says. "But a high school transcript is always going to matter more than a test score."

Transcripts are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, since some high schools offer varying types of advanced classes. This means that if your high school did not have Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, it won't be held against you.

Schools – especially those with holistic admissions – also pay attention to other parts of the application, including extracurricular activities , class rigor, recommendation letters and answers to essay prompts.

"It was never the case that the outcome rested on an SAT score . That was never how the world worked in admissions," Rolander says.

Dan Kwon, senior vice president of admissions consulting at FLEX College Prep, notes that essays are becoming far more important in the college admissions process.

An essay helps give "insight about who you are, the values that you hold and how you might fit into their environment," he says. "It sheds light into your maturity, your reflectiveness and, importantly, your goals and aspirations. Admissions officers genuinely try to look for the students who are going to best achieve those and fit into that particular environment. Because for better or worse, they can't accept everybody."

Should I Still Submit My Scores?

College admissions experts encourage almost every student to take the SAT or ACT at least once, barring significant access barriers or text anxiety. Fee waivers for both tests are available for eligible students, and those who qualify may also receive waived application fees at certain colleges.

Based on how well you perform, you can decide whether or not to submit your scores. Both the SAT and ACT have an option to cancel scores if the test didn't go well, for instance if the student filled out the answer sheet incorrectly or didn't finish the exam.

If a student takes the SAT or ACT more than once, some colleges require all of the results on the respective test to be submitted. Others automatically superscore, meaning that a student's highest scores from each section on all test attempts are combined to create a new composite score.

Experts recommend looking up the "middle 50" – the range of scores between the 25th percentile and 75th percentile for the last admitted class – on each college's website to see if your score falls within or above that range.

"If you're in the upper part of that band or above, those scores help you," Ivey says. "But if you are in the bottom half of that band or below, those scores don't help you. So unless there's some other extraneous reason why you should be submitting those scores, I would say don't submit them. My general rule for people is submit your scores only if they are required or if they help you."

In the fall 2021 college application cycle, about 20% of applicants had no recorded SAT or ACT score, according to data from the Admissions Research Consortium of the College Board, the not-for-profit organization that administers the SAT. Half submitted an SAT or ACT score and 30% had a score but chose not to submit it.

"Keep in mind that test-optional policies, I think, are contributing to the rise (in) applications , particularly at selective colleges," Rolander says. "Because students who might not otherwise have applied because of lower test scores now sometimes feel they have a better chance at admission, especially if their grades and the rest of their application is strong."

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How important is the SAT? That’s the question on a lot of college-bound students’ minds.

The SAT (or ACT) functions as a screener: many schools will automatically screen out applicants with an academic index (AI) lower than a certain threshold. Most colleges are unlikely to tell you what that threshold is.

Your AI is computed with standardized test scores and GPA or class rank. While it’s unlikely to get you into a top school alone, since you’re competing against many other students with high AIs, it could keep you out.

Why Your SAT Score Matters

As discussed previously, top schools use your SAT score as a screener at top schools. Big state schools that don’t necessarily perform a holistic review of individual candidates, since the applicant pool is so large, may place more weight on your scores. Your SAT results can also play a large factor in winning certain scholarships.

Why Colleges Want to See Your SAT Scores

Colleges want students who can handle the rigor of their curriculum. GPA and class rank often mean something different from school to school. For instance, an A at one school could translate to a B+ at another.

While colleges will receive a profile of your school to better understand the grade distribution and how your performance compares to that of your classmates, a standardized measure of academic performance helps them compare you to the larger admissions pool. Standardized tests are the same for everyone, so they give admissions committees another way to understand your academic performance. A 750 on your SAT Math test means the same for everyone, no matter what your background or high school.

That said, a strong SAT score is unlikely to make up for a weak GPA . If you perform well on the SAT but have weak grades compared to those of your classmates, colleges may wonder why you weren’t able to keep up in school.

However, if there were extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or illness, strong SAT scores could indicate that you have the aptitude to succeed in spite of low grades. Be sure to explain any circumstances outside of your control that impacted your academic performance on your applications.

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

Testing-Optional Schools

Some colleges do not require standardized test scores as part of the admissions process. However, while submitting scores at these schools is not required, that doesn’t mean the tests are not considered. Between two candidates who are identical in other respects, the one who submits good test scores is going to have a leg up over the one who doesn’t submit scores at all. Check out The Reality of the Testing Optional Trend for more information about schools that don’t require test scores.

What You Should Be Doing to Prepare

So how can you make sure you perform well on the SAT?

Start by practicing. Take plenty of practice tests in the weeks and months leading up to your first sitting. Figure out your target score and concentrate on honing weak areas.

Taking the PSAT can also help you figure out what areas you need to improve. If you take the PSAT sophomore year and/or early junior year, you’ll know what to focus on in your studying.

Preparing for the SAT? Download our  free guide with our top 8 tips for mastering the SAT.

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

What’s Your SAT Score Worth?

And who will help you make the most of it?

What if we told you a higher SAT predicts you making a higher salary later in life? And what if we gave you the inside info on which colleges do the best job of turning smarts into money? That’s the point of today’s post, where we answer the question: What’s Your SAT Score Worth?

To answer the question, we pulled data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard data. In exchange for accepting federal financial aid, colleges are required to submit detailed data on their student body, and the government collects earnings data from those who received financial aid.

The result: we can see the midpoint SAT of students entering a college, and then the median earnings of their employed graduates four years after they graduate. Linking the two together, we can answer two interesting questions.

On average, how much does an undergraduate’s SAT score impact their future earnings? And also, which colleges and universities do the best job of maximizing their students’ earnings relative to their baseline academic performance as freshmen?

Key SAT Test Statistics

We sampled roughly the top 100 ranked colleges and universities, and linked up median SAT scores and earnings by college to make a graph showing the relationship:

Here’s what you need to know about the data:

1. Every additional 100 points of median SAT score among students at a college predicts $8,840 in additional annual earnings for their graduates.

So, a college with a median SAT score of 1300 would expect its graduates to earn $8,840 more per year than a college with a median score of 1200. Remember, this is an association, not necessarily causation.

2. As you can see from the visualization, there’s a lot of variability at the same median SAT.

Statisticians use a measure called correlation to quantify the relationship between two things. A correlation of 1 indicates a very strong relationship, whereas 0 indicates no relationship. For example, a correlation of 1 would mean that higher SAT scores always lead to higher earnings, and a correlation of 0 would mean there’s no connection at all.

In this case, the correlation between SAT scores and earnings is about 0.48.

This indicates that the median SAT scores of a school’s graduates explain only about 24% of the differences in earnings.

3. Some colleges do a much better job at helping students reach their earning potential than others, relative to SAT scores.

Who are these outliers? That’s the focus of our next section.

The Colleges That Best Convert SAT Points Into Dollars

One way of looking at this data is to see SAT scores as student potential. It’s up to the universities and students themselves to mold that potential through education, opportunities, and individual development. High SAT scores are an advantage but not a guarantee of success.

The question then is which colleges do the best job at helping students convert their SAT smarts to earnings later in life?

If you get a high score, who will help you make the most of it?

We can answer this question by comparing our model’s prediction of earnings by median college SAT to the actual median earnings of students. We did just that, crunched the numbers. Here are the top ten colleges that most exceed our statistical model, and by how much:

We noticed a few patterns in this list, notably the overrepresentation of STEM-focused elite schools. Two small entrepreneurship-focused business colleges, Babson and Bentley, punch way above their weight compared to the Ivy League, whose sole member of this elite group is Harvard.

But what about somewhat less elite colleges?

We could call this list “Top Highly Selective Colleges for Earnings Graduate Overperformance.” Among those with a median SAT between 1300 and 1400, here are our best overperformers:

And what about more achievable schools for most students?

We did limit our research to around the top 100 universities, so our sample has a minimum median SAT of around 1150. We’ll call this list our “Top Selective Colleges for Graduate Earnings Overperformance.”

Here’s how our top schools with a median SAT below 1300 rank relative to predicted earnings:

As you can see, both SAT scores and careful college selection can have an independent effect on optimizing the earnings of graduates. Students would do well to study this data in more detail to get the best educational value from their own raw capabilities.

Certain colleges, particularly those focused on STEM fields and entrepreneurship, seem to do an exceptional job at helping students convert their raw potential, as measured by SAT scores, into higher earnings later in life.

By Ryan Bowling

Matthew has worked at Mometrix since 2007 and currently serves as the Executive Managing Partner. He holds degrees from Texas A&M University in Industrial Engineering. Matthew's experience at Mometrix is used to help departments collaborate thoughtfully, identifying and avoiding potential pitfalls. He especially enjoys building sustainable systems, maintaining data hygiene, and adapting to an ever-changing business environment. With his wife and four school-aged children, he enjoys traveling, Legos, and participating in the worship and work of his local church.

Study Technical Notes and Limitations

To compile our statistics, we compared estimated median SAT scores from around 140 of the nationally top-ranked colleges and universities. Estimated median SAT scores were calculated as either the sum of the midpoint math and verbal scores for the admitted freshmen, or else an average of institutions’ most recent self-reporting of 75th and 25th percentile scores to either the Department of Education or US News or other popular aggregators of such statistics, respectively. Graduate median earnings four years after graduation were also compiled from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard reports. A potential limitation of this study is that the earnings data is derived from those graduates who received some sort of financial aid, not a complete sample of graduates. However, to the extent it shows the earning differentials of the least privileged students who attend selective colleges, these students arguably benefit less from other sources of privilege in their post-undergraduate careers due to personal or family networking; in other words, the earnings of students receiving financial aid seem more likely to reflect the true “value add” of a university than those who pay sticker price.

by Mometrix Test Preparation | This Page Last Updated: May 9, 2024

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a good sat score for 2024.

SAT/ACT Score Target

The 2023-2024 college application season is in full swing, which means you’re probably taking standardized tests. Will your scores get you accepted to your top colleges? And if your scores aren’t high enough, what can you do to give your SAT scores an added boost?

We’ll walk you through how to decide if your SAT scores are good enough for your college admissions goals . We’ll:

• Answer the question, “What is a good SAT score for 2024?”
• Explain everything you need to know about overall average SAT scores in 2024
• Show you how to figure out if your SAT score is high enough

Ready? Let’s dive in!

If you want to hit the bullseye with your college application, you need to understand what makes a good SAT score first.

What Is a Good SAT Score for 2024 Overall?

A good SAT score in 2024 is one that gets you accepted to the colleges you’re applying to . That means what qualifies as a “good” score for you will probably be different than what constitutes a good score for someone else. For example, a good SAT score for someone who’s not applying to competitive colleges will be lower than a good score for students who are trying to get into Ivy League schools .

Having said that, we can talk about what makes a “good” SAT score in general by looking at national score averages. A good SAT score will be higher than the national average SAT score . 

We’ll start by looking at what’s the average SAT score in 2023. The average cumulative SAT score 2023 was 1023 . If we break that down by section, the average Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) score was 520, and the average Math score was 510. 

With that in mind, we can infer that based on past years’ trends, a good SAT score for 2024 will likely be close to a 1023 too . 

Now that we know that a good SAT score last year was a 1023 or above, what is a good SAT score for 2024? Typically, any score that puts you in the top 50%, or top half, of SAT takers is viewed as “good.” The higher you score above that average score, the better your score is! On the other hand, scores that are below the national average SAT score will be less competitive on college applications. 

Understand How to Use Percentiles to Find Your Good SAT Score (2024)

Now, here’s how you can use the average composite, or total, SAT score to evaluate your own SAT scores. If you scored higher than a 1023, which is the average SAT score, you can consider your score “good.”   

If you want to know more about where your scores stand in comparison to other test takers, percentiles can give you even more information. Percentiles tell you what percentage of other test takers you scored the same as or better than . 

For example, let’s say you take the SAT test without studying and score in the 30th percentile. That means you scored higher than 30% of other test takers. It also means that you scored under a 1023, which puts your score below average.  

But let’s say you study and use PrepScholar’s SAT Complete Online Prep program before your next SAT test. This time, you score in the 75th percentile! You’ve now earned an SAT score that’s higher than 75% of test takers, which is well above average! 

To help you get a handle on how to use percentiles to evaluate your score, check out this chart of the 2023 percentile scores for SAT test takers : 

Source: The College Board

As you can see from the numbers above, a composite SAT score of 1350 or higher will get you in the 90th percentile, or top 10% , of test takers. In other words, you don’t have to earn a perfect 1600 in order to achieve a great SAT score. Scoring a 1350 will still place you in a higher percentile than most students! 

If your composite score is a 770, you’ll fall in the 10th percentile of test takers. Unfortunately, the 10th percentile is considered really low. You’ll only score higher than 10% of test takers with a 770, which won’t enhance your college applications. 

But let’s say you increase your score by 100 points to earn an 870 instead of a 770. While 100 points sounds like a lot, that increase in points still only boosts you to the 25th percentile. That means your score will still be below 75% of test takers, which puts you well below average. 

Based on the SAT scores for 2023, we can conclude that SAT scores that fall at the 25th percentile or lower aren’t good SAT scores . 

Now that the SAT is going digital, does that change what constitutes a good score? Our experts weigh in below.

What’s a Good SAT Score 2024 on the Digital SAT? 

Now you know the average SAT score 2023 test takers scored. But what is a good SAT score for 2024, when the exam goes totally digital? 

At this point, the College Board says that scoring will work the same on the digital SAT as it did on the paper and pencil SAT . That means that scores on the digital SAT will mean the same thing as scores on the paper exam did. For instance, a 1600 on the digital SAT will be the equivalent of a 1600 on the paper SAT. 

You’ll also be able to compare your digital SAT scores to other test takers based on percentile data released by the College Board. For instance, the College Board will still use a percentile range from one to 99 to help students understand how their scores compare to those of other test takers. 

At this point, though, we aren’t sure when the College Board will release its first round of data on digital SAT score percentiles. We’ll know later in 2024 how the College Board plans to provide digital SAT score data as a resource to test takers! 

At the end of the day, evaluating national percentiles can help you understand how your SAT scores compare to other recent test takers. But since your end goal is to get accepted to your top colleges, you also need to consider how strong your scores are for the schools you’re applying to! 

How Do Test Optional Policies Affect What’s a Good SAT Score 2024? 

In college admissions, it’s increasingly common for colleges to use either test optional or test blind policies, which mean that test scores are not a required part of your application . But what do these test policies mean for you and your SAT score goals? 

At test-optional schools, you can choose whether you submit your SAT scores. Many schools claim that your chances of admission will not be negatively affected if you choose not to submit your scores. 

At test blind schools, no applicant’s SAT/ACT scores will be considered during the admissions process . If you submit your scores, they won’t be factored into your admissions decision. 

The main way that test optional and test blind policies affect setting your SAT goal score is that they may make it more difficult to find up-to-date SAT score percentiles and averages for some colleges . Many schools that now use test optional or test blind admissions don’t release their admitted students’ SAT scores anymore. This can make it tough to find out what your target SAT score should be. 

But there are some aspects of college admissions that test optional and test blind policies don’t apply to. In these cases, if you don’t have test scores available, it could put you in a difficult position. 

For instance, some schools may not look at SAT scores when you apply for admission, but they might be required by your departmental program. Test scores may also be used to decide whether students can be exempted from entry-level courses, even at schools that use test optional or test blind admissions. Additionally, some scholarships require test scores as part of their award criteria. 

That’s why it’s important to check with your schools before deciding whether to take the SAT! You don’t want to skip the test only to find out that you actually need scores to get into your dream program or qualify for important scholarships. 

To learn more about these changes, take a peek at our article on how test optional policies affect the importance of SAT/ACT scores in college admissions . We’ll help you learn how to set SAT score goals if you’re applying to schools that don’t require the SAT.

You're unique...and so is your target SAT score. 

What’s a Good SAT Score 2024 for You? 

Seeing how your scores fit match up with national percentiles is a great place to start when it comes to setting and reaching your goals for college and beyond. But to actually get into your dream schools, you need to make sure you’re earning a “good” score for the colleges you’re applying to. 

At PrepScholar, we call this process setting your SAT target score . Like an arrow hitting a bullseye, when you hit your target SAT score, you increase your chances of getting admitted!

The first step to setting your target SAT score is confirming the list of schools you’re going to submit applications to. Many schools list the average SAT scores of recently admitted students on their admissions websites. If it isn’t listed there, you can also check a school’s common data set, which you can find online by searching for “[school name] + common data set.”

Once you know the average SAT scores for your schools, you’re ready to set your target score. Your target score will be the same as or higher than the highest average score on your list of colleges . Matching your target score with the highest average score on your score list gives you the best chance of getting accepted to all of your schools!

For example, if the schools you’re applying to have average SAT scores ranging from 1050 to 1230, you’ll want to try and earn a 1230 or higher on your SAT. That ensures you’re meeting or exceeding the average SAT scores for the schools on your list even though your score will be 200 points higher than the 2023 SAT score national average. 

From there, you can think about the best ways to increase your score if you’ve taken the SAT but haven’t hit your target score yet. PrepScholar offers expert SAT prep courses and tutoring that can help you earn more competitive scores. We’ll create a study plan that’s customized for you so you can make the biggest score improvement possible!

We'll walk you through every step you need to take to set your SAT target score. (Jogging shoes optional!)

3 Steps To Setting Your Target Score for 2024

We’ve gone over why you need a target SAT score, so now you’re ready to set a target SAT score that fits with your college goals! Here are three easy steps to setting the right goal score for you. 

Step 1: Make a Schools Chart

To begin the process of finding your target SAT score, create a chart that lists the name of every school you’re applying to, along with the 25th percentile and 75th percentile scores for every school’s admitted students. Feel free to create a chart yourself, or you can do it the easy way and download ours . Just click the thumbnail below!

When you make your chart, don’t forget to include all of your match schools and reach schools . There’s no need to include safety schools , since you already know you’re probably overqualified as an applicant to those schools!

To help you get an idea of what your chart will look like, here’s a sample chart with a few schools already listed: 

Step 2: Find SAT Score Range for Your Schools

Once you’ve listed your schools in your chart, the next thing to do is track down current SAT score data for the colleges you’re applying to . For this year, that would be the SAT average score 2023. Specifically, you’ll need to look for the average range of SAT scores for each school, or middle 50%. 

The middle 50% includes SAT scores ranging from the 25th to 75th percentile scores. You can find this number by going to your college’s official website and searching for data on students’ facts and figures, testing, or admissions. You could also search for “[School Name] average SAT scores” or “[School Name] SAT scores” and look for links that bring you back to your school’s official website. 

If you’re still having trouble, search for “[School Name] common data set,” which is an official document that includes admissions data for your college’s most recently admitted class. When you access a college’s common data set, scroll down until you find Section C, which provides data about admitted students’ SAT scores. 

When you’ve wrapped up your search, your completed chart will look similar to this: 

Step 3: Determine Your SAT Goal Score

Once you’ve filled out your school chart, you’re ready to figure out your target SAT score! You’ll be able to do this by finding the highest 75th percentile score in your score chart. This is the SAT score that you’ll be aiming for when you take the SAT. Why? Because it’s the score that’s most likely to get you accepted to every school on your list!

For example, in our sample chart above, the highest 75th percentile score is a 1560 for Rice. Since that’s the highest 75th percentile score of all your schools, your target score will be a 1560. That’s in the 99th percentile of all test takers!

But what should you do if you’re worried your target score will be tough to reach? You can lower your goal score! A good target score would be a score that’s in between the highest and second-highest 75th percentile scores in your chart. If you use our sample chart, the second-highest 75th percentile score would be a 1470 for UT Austin, which is in the 96th percentile . 

When you have your target score set, you’ll need to figure out your goal scores for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math sections too. You’ll do this by dividing your target composite score in half. Doing this will give you approximate scores to aim for on the individual sections of the SAT. For instance, if we use Rice as an example, this would be 1560 2 = 780. 

Let's take a look at how Maria's goal score set her up for success.

Example: How Maria Set Her Goal Score

To make this process even clearer, let’s look at how a hypothetical student puts it to use. Maria’s filled out her SAT target score chart with all of the schools she’ll be applying to: 

Based on these middle 50% scores, Maria should set a target SAT score of 1560 . Aiming for the highest average SAT score on her list gives Maria the best chance of getting into all the schools listed on her chart. 

But if Maria really wants to get into Vanderbilt, the most competitive school on her list, she may want to aim even higher than a 1560. Why? Because scores above a 1560 will be above average for admitted Vanderbilt students. And, as we’ve talked about, earning an SAT score that’s above average for students admitted to your top school improves your chances of admission!

But what if Maria takes some extra time curating her college list and narrows it down to just three schools? Let’s take a look: 

Since the highest average SAT score on this narrowed down list is a 1360 for UNL, Maria should aim for a 1360 on the SAT . But remember: it’s a good rule of thumb to try to score above the highest average SAT score on your list. For Maria, that means aiming for a score above a 1360. This will give Maria the best chance of getting accepted to every school on her list!

When it comes down to it, you’ll need to find out the average SAT scores of recently admitted students to set a target SAT score that can get you into all the schools on your college list. Basing your score goals on the highest average SAT scores of students who got accepted to your target schools is your best chance of getting accepted! 

We’ll walk you through this whole process–including how to find the average SAT scores for every school on your list!--in the next section. 

You don't need a TARDIS to know how SAT your score stacks up to scores of the past.

What’s a Good SAT Score 2024 Compared To Past Years? 

You now know how to determine what’s a good SAT score for you. But what if you want even more SAT score data to help you set your target scores? One thing you can do is look at SAT scores from past years to determine whether good SAT scores for 2024 stand up to good scores from past years!

The good news is that good SAT scores don’t change much each year. Of course, percentiles and averages can shift up or down a bit from year to year, but they rarely change significantly. In general, what’s considered a good SAT score, based on averages and percentiles, stays steady year after year . 

At present, we have data on average SAT scores for students who took the SAT from 2017 to 2023, since the SAT was redesigned in 2016. We can use those successive years of average scores to see how good SAT scores have shifted over the past seven years!

This chart shows average SAT scores from 2017 through the most recent 2023 averages:

As you can see from the chart, average SAT scores haven’t changed dramatically over the past seven years. However, external factors can sometimes have an exceptional impact on average SAT scores during some testing cycles. For instance, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has had a cascading effect on the average SAT scores for students in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. The pandemic triggered significant changes in students’ learning environments, access to learning tools and exam prep, and general stress. These pressures may have contributed to the average score drop that we see from 2020-2023. 

We can also look at percentiles to determine what’s a good SAT score compared to previous years. Percentiles tell you what percentage of test takers you scored the same as or better than on the SAT. You can see current and past SAT percentiles for 2017 through 2023 below: 

We can see from the chart above that percentiles haven’t changed much over the past seven years. From year to year, score ranges don’t change more than 10 points in each percentile. 

Predicting how SAT score averages and percentiles will shift from one year to the next can be difficult. However, since score averages haven’t changed significantly over the past seven years, we can conclude that what counts as a good SAT score hasn’t changed much either . 

Conclusion: What Is a Good SAT Score in 2024? 

We’ve covered three ways that you can determine what’s considered a good SAT score in 2024. 

You can start by looking at the national average composite SAT score . For 2023, that’s a 1028. All scores above that average can be considered good scores, because those scores are higher than the majority of test takers. 

You can also look at SAT score percentiles to determine what’s a good SAT score. Percentiles compare your SAT score with those of other test takers by showing you what percentage of test takers scored the same as or higher than you. The higher percentile your scores are in, the better you performed compared to other test takers. 50th percentile scores (1028 or higher) are average, and 75th percentile scores (1200 or higher) and 90th percentile scores (1350 or higher) are good and excellent.

At the end of the day, the best way you can define a good SAT score is by checking the scores of recently admitted students at the colleges you’ll apply to. Find SAT score information for every school on your list, and remember that the 75th percentile score for each school is your target score. That’s the score that’s good for you personally as a college applicant!

What's Next?

Now that you've figured out your goal score, it's time to start studying. The best place to start is with our ultimate guide to the SAT . It'll introduce you to the test, give you study tips, and set you up for improving your score. 

Once you've got the basics down, it's time to start practicing. One of the best tools in your arsenal are the free SAT practice tests that are available online. These will help you test your skills in real time and adjust your study habits to target your weakest areas.

Of course, you can also get some expert help, too. PrepScholar's Complete Online SAT Prep program is guaranteed to boost your SAT score. That way, you'll have a better chance of getting into your dream school. 

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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