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A lot of students find it difficult to understand the SAT scores as here in India, most scores are in the form of percentiles. The overall SAT test is on a scale of 400-1600. A data table for interpreting SAT and Subject Test scores will help in understanding how the SAT score percentile is calculated.
Candidates who are planning on appearing for SAT should keep the following dates in mind. Complete your registration well in time to avoid last-minute hassles. The expected dates for releasing the SAT score has also been given for your benefit.
| SAT Test Date | Deadlines | Online SAT Score Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2020 | -Registration Deadline: February 14, 2020 -Phone/Online Late Registration Deadline: March 3, 2020 | March 27, 2020 |
| May 2, 2020 | -Registration Deadline: April 3, 2020 -Phone/Online Late Registration Deadline: April 21, 2020 | May 15, 2020 |
| June 6, 2020 | -Registration Deadline: May 8, 2020 -Phone/Online Late Registration Deadline: May 27, 2020 | July 15, 2020 |
Your SAT score consists of the following information:
At a Glance – Components of an SAT Score Report and their corresponding meanings
| Components | Description | Score Range |
|---|---|---|
| Score Range | The aggregate of the two-section scores | 400–1600 |
| Section Score | Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and Math Sections | 200-800 |
| Test Scores | Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Sections. | 10-40 |
| SAT Essay Scores(Optional) | Reading, Analysis, and Writing. | 2-8 |
| Cros-Test | These scores show how well you use your skills to analyze texts and solve problems in these subject areas. | 10-40 |
| Sub Scores | Reading and Writing and Language: Command of Evidence and Words in Context. Writing and Language. | 1-15 |
As the term suggests, SAT Subject Test Percentile gives the score relative to the other students who took the same test. So for example, if a student’s score for the SAT Math 2 Subject is 502 and if the percentile rank for 502 is 30, then this indicates that the candidate has done better than 30% of the students who took the particular test, i.e. SAT Math 2 Subject Test.
Since the number of students who appear for the SAT subject Tests vary, it wouldn’t be accurate to compare the Subject Test Chemistry Percentile with SAT Subject Test Math 2 Percentile or vice versa. To compare your scores with the other candidates, you can view the SAT Subject Test Percentiles 2019 on the official College Board website.
The following table gives details about the calculation of score percentiles.
| SAT Scaled Score Range -(Out of 1600) | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 1600 | 99+ |
| 1550 | 99+ |
| 1510 | 99 |
| 1450 | 98 |
| 1400 | 95 |
| 1330 | 90 |
| 1230 | 80 |
| 1170 | 71 |
| 1110 | 61 |
| 1060 | 51 |
| 1000 | 40 |
| 950 | 31 |
| 890 | 21 |
| 810 | 11 |
| 750 | 5 |
| 680 | 1 |
| 630 | 1 |
| 400 | 1 |
Once you finish your SAT exam the next step involves the sending of scores to colleges. This is an important step of the application process. Most colleges prefer to get the score reports directly from the College Board and not the copies of the report or score report labels on the transcripts.
Your SAT score result will be made available online about 4-5 weeks after your test date. Once the results are declared, the College Board will start sending the SAT score reports to the colleges chosen by you, if selected at the time of registration.
Also read: SAT Exam Analysis
Other Ways to Get Scores
There are alternative methods of receiving their SAT Score in case of non-access to an internet connection, these include
What is Score Choice
In Score Choice, you have the freedom to report the score you choose. You can choose either by test date or by individual test for SAT Subject Tests. Do remember to check the requirements mandated by the college you are applying to as some expect their students to send all their scores. If you do not choose the Score Choice option, then the College Board will send all the available scores of the candidate to the colleges which he/she has selected as score recipients.
Applicants will receive the option of sending four score reports for free at the time of registering for the SAT exam. Within the first nine days, these scores can be sent for free, after which charges are applicable. After nine days a fee is applicable. However, this means that you will be sending your scores without knowing what it is actually. Therefore, you will not be able to choose the score or send your best scores. In such cases, send the score reports to the colleges that ask for all the SAT scores of the candidates.
Note: The SAT exam underwent a huge makeover in 2016. Changes include a new structure, new score, new sections, and a new approach to testing. Read all about the New SAT.
Once you receive your scores, you have to send them to the colleges you have picked. A fee of $12 is charged per score report. Send your overall SAT score to the colleges that do not require the SAT scores for all the exams you have appeared in. Send your best section scores to colleges that accept SAT super scores.
In the rush reporting, the score report of the candidate is sent to the colleges within two to four business days excluding holidays and weekends. However, this option is only for scores that have already been released. A fee of $31 is applicable to avail of this facility, additional charges are also charged. Check with your colleges about the applicable format and the schedule for score processing. Also, a lot of colleges do not accept Rush Reporting, so remember to check with your college first.
The College Board offers SAT fee waivers/scholarships for students coming from a financially weak background. Using this waiver, a candidate can send their scores to colleges of their choice for free of cost. However, eligibility is subject to the latest changes. For more details, you can get in touch with the College Board representative or contact them via mail.
Also read: SAT Exam Eligibility Criteria
Test scores that are within five years need to be retrieved from the archives and a fee of $31 is applicable. An additional score report fee is also applicable if you want to send your old reports to the colleges. You need to either call on the customer support number or send a mail, in order to get your old scores.
In a super score, the college takes into account the highest section scores across all the SAT exams which the candidate has appeared for instead of looking at one particular exam. The highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score and highest Mathematics score are combined to arrive at the overall score of the student.
If your scores are more than a year old, these are called archived scores. To retrieve these scores, for the purpose of sending to universities, a fee of $31 is charged for retrieving the old scores and a standard fee of $12 is to be paid for every order along with the Archived fee. This works out to a total of $43 per old score report.
The SAT total score range is between 400 and 1600 and between 200-800 for each of your two subscores in- Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math. The additional sub-scores is for the essay and it can range between 2- 8 points and for between 10-40 for Reading, Writing and Language and Mathematics.
Also read: SAT Exam Syllabus
In SAT Score verification process, your entire score is reevaluated and the sections are rechecked. You can opt for this option if you are not satisfied with the scores or if you got less than what you expected. Sometimes, it can happen that your essay is illegible or blank when viewed online. In such cases too, the expected SAT score can be less. There are three options under SAT score verification:
If you ever feel the need to cancel your SAT scores, here’s how you can choose to do it:
2020 SAT Score Release Schedule
| SAT Test Date | MCQ Scores Release Date | SAT Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2020 | March 27, 2020 | March 30, 2020 |
| May 2, 2020 | May 15, 2020 | May 18, 2020 |
| June 6, 2020 | July 15, 2020 | July 15, 2020 |
The SAT exam score is one of the main elements of the college application and most students would be quite familiar with this standardized exam, conducted mainly for admission to colleges all over the US. As the policies are frequently being updated, check with the University you are applying to understand the admission requirements. The cut-offs for the top universities in the US and Canada usually range between 1400 and 1600.
| University | Score-Range |
|---|---|
| Brown University | 1410-1570 |
| Columbia University | 1460-1580 |
| Dartmouth College | 1440-1580 |
| Cornell University | 1390-1550 |
| Harvard University | 1480-1600 |
| Yale University | 1440-1570 |
| Princeton University | 1470-1600 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 1480-1600 |
An average SAT score is generally close to 1000 and anything above 1200 is considered to be a good score. The maximum score is 1600. As the scores are scaled, a fair idea of the SAT scaled score and percentile is required.
Students preparing for the SAT exam generally lack clarity on the amount of preparation needed. The amount of time needed depends on the student and it definitely varies from one person to another. Here are a few useful tips to help you plan your preparations.
Also read:
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