Frequently Asked Questions about the SATs How do colleges use my SAT scores? Most colleges use your SAT scores to see how well you can apply the skills you learned in high school. It also gives them an objective way to compare you with other students who took the test. For example, if your scores on each section are about 500, which is close to the mean (average) score, admission staff would know you scored about as well as half of the students who took the test. It's important to remember, however, that your test scores are not the only information colleges use to make their admission decisions. Grades are a very important part, while essays, recommendations, interviews and extracurricular activities also play a role. Can the SAT really show how well I'll do in my freshman year? According to several studies, the SAT does as good a job as your overall high school grade point average (GPA) at predicting how you will do in your first year of college. In fact, when the two are combined (SAT plus GPA), they are more predictive than either alone. Of course, there are many other factors — including your interest and personal motivation — that influence how well you will actually do in college. Admission officers use your SAT scores and high school GPA along with other factors, like extracurricular activities and other interests, to determine how well you'll fit with their school. Why aren't my scores online yet? Your SAT scores are released on collegeboard.com approximately three weeks after you take the exam. Although most scores are available on the first score release day, a small percentage might not be. If you fall in this small percentage, instead of seeing your scores, you will see a message instructing you to check back at a later date. You will need to check back — usually about a week later — for your scores and to see your full score report. Scores may be released later for reasons that include a late receipt of answer sheets, missing information on your answer sheet, information that is inconsistent with your registration information, or other uncommon conditions that flag your test for more attention. Also, if you took a makeup test later than the actual test day, your scores will be released later. How do I cancel my scores? After you take the SAT, you may cancel your score up until 11:59 ET on the Wednesday after you took the exam. Scores may not be cancelled online or by email. How do I get additional score reports? You can order additional score reports to be sent to colleges, universities, scholarship programs or other programs. (This is in addition to the four reports included with your registration that you
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Frequently Asked Questions about the SATs How do colleges use my SAT scores?
Most colleges use your SAT scores to see how well you can apply the skills you learned in high school. It also gives them an objective way to compare you with other students who took the test. For example, if your scores on each section are about 500, which is close to the mean (average) score, admission staff would know you scored about as well as half of the students who took the test.
It's important to remember, however, that your test scores are not the only information colleges use to make their admission decisions. Grades are a very important part, while essays, recommendations, interviews and extracurricular activities also play a role.
Can the SAT really show how well I'll do in my freshman year?
According to several studies, the SAT does as good a job as your overall high school grade point average (GPA) at predicting how you will do in your first year of college. In fact, when the two are combined (SAT plus GPA), they are more predictive than either alone. Of course, there are many other factors — including your interest and personal motivation — that influence how well you will actually do in college. Admission officers use your SAT scores and high school GPA along with other factors, like extracurricular activities and other interests, to determine how well you'll fit with their school.
Why aren't my scores online yet?
Your SAT scores are released on collegeboard.com approximately three weeks after you take the exam. Although most scores are available on the first score release day, a small percentage might not be. If you fall in this small percentage, instead of seeing your scores, you will see a message instructing you to check back at a later date. You will need to check back — usually about a week later — for your scores and to see your full score report.
Scores may be released later for reasons that include a late receipt of answer sheets, missing information on your answer sheet, information that is inconsistent with your registration information, or other uncommon conditions that flag your test for more attention. Also, if you took a makeup test later than the actual test day, your scores will be released later.
How do I cancel my scores?
After you take the SAT, you may cancel your score up until 11:59 ET on the Wednesday after you took the exam. Scores may not be cancelled online or by email.
How do I get additional score reports?
You can order additional score reports to be sent to colleges, universities, scholarship programs or other programs. (This is in addition to the four reports included with your registration that you
had an opportunity to select within nine days after test day.) Only scores sent directly from the College Board are "official." For example, photocopied score reports or scores on your high school transcript can't be validated. There is a fee associated with ordering additional reports. You can order score reports online or print a form and order them by mail.
I took the SAT a while ago, how do I send my old score?
Your test scores and your responses to the SAT Questionnaire are retained on active file until June of the year after the school year in which you tested. After that, only the test scores are archived.
How do colleges use my SAT Subject Tests scores?
SAT Subject Test scores can help you show colleges how well you know specific subjects. Like the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests give colleges an objective way to see how you did in comparison to other students who took the test.
Colleges also use SAT Subject Test scores to help determine how prepared you are for different college programs, to place you in freshman or higher-level course work, and to advise you on course selection. While some colleges recommend and others require SAT Subject Test scores, even colleges that do not require SAT Subject Tests may still look at your scores to learn more about your academic background and interests.
How is my essay scored?
Every essay is scored by two experienced and trained high school and/or college teachers. The two readers don't know your identity or each other. Each reader gives the essay a score from 1 to 6 (6 is the highest score) based on the established scoring guide. If the two readers' scores differ by more than one point, a third reader scores the essay.
Do you report only the best scores?
If you decide to use Score Choice™, the College Board will not release scores to colleges and universities for admission purposes without your consent. If you don't opt to use Score Choice, all of your scores will be sent to your chosen institutions and programs. Most colleges only look at your highest scores, so you should feel comfortable sending all of them.
How do I send scores to colleges and scholarship programs?
When you register for the SAT, you will have the opportunity to send scores to colleges and scholarship programs. Four score reports are included as part of your registration. You may also choose four additional schools or scholarship programs for an additional fee for each report.
After your test has been scored, you can send additional score reports at any time, for an additional fee per score report.
The SAT Test (sometimes called the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT I, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or the Scholastic Achievement Test) is a nearly four-hour college admissions exam required by most colleges. The ACT Test is an alternative to the SAT test: most colleges require students to submit their choice of the SAT or ACT when applying. To many students, the ACT may feel more straightforward and familiar than the SAT. For example, the ACT tends to avoid obscure vocabulary and brainteasers in favor of everyday vocabulary and core math concepts. While the ACT may sound easier, remember that both the SAT and the ACT exams are scored on a curve. As a result, students should ideally experiment with both tests to discover which test is a better fit for them. Format and Content of the SAT/ ACT Test: The SAT Test covers three areas: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. See the following pages for a more detailed explanation of the test format. What’s a Good SAT/ACT Score? The average SAT score is roughly 500 per section, for a total of 1500. The maximum SAT score is 800 per section, for a total of 2400. The average ACT composite score is 21. The maximum score is 36. Unlike the SAT, the four sections for the ACT are averaged together to get your final score making 36 the highest score for each component section as well as overall for the entire exam. What’s a “good” SAT/ACT score? The answer depends on where they are applying! Here’s how to figure it out: Pick up a college guide or visit a college search site, such as College Board’s College Search. Look up a college you’re interested in and then locate its “middle 50%” SAT/ACT score ranges. That “middle 50%” score range tells you how that school’s typical freshmen did. For example, if the middle 50% for the math section is reported as 540-660, then half of the freshmen scored between 540 and 660. Another quarter of them scored below 540 and the last quarter scored above 660. If your mentee’s SAT/ACT scores fall within the middle 50%, they are likely to be a reasonable candidate for that college. If your mentee falls above the 50% range even better. Of course, SAT/ACT scores are just one component of their application, so consider this information a guideline, not a guarantee.
How Colleges Use the SAT/ACT Test: Most colleges require the SAT/ACT as part of the admissions process, with some “test-optional” exceptions. Please note: many colleges accept the ACT Test as a substitute for the SAT, and some colleges require SAT Subject tests in addition to the SAT. Why do colleges require tests like the SAT/ACT? Educators say standardized testing enables them to compare students more fairly, since grading practices vary from teacher to teacher and from school to school, but the SAT/ACT grades all students along one standard. What does the SAT/ACT predict? Not much. Standardized testing is not an intelligence test, nor do they accurately predict how well your mentee will perform over four years of college or university. They do, however, for the most part accurately predict a student’s current level of preparation for college work and as a result are a good indicator of your mentee’s first semester GPA. They are also an excellent predictor of your family’s income level: students from wealthier families often score better. There is also evidence that students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds score differently on standardized testing even when controlled for income. Which scores do colleges look at? Many colleges cherry-pick (or “superscore”) the best scores for Critical Reading, Math, and Writing and may recalculate a new ACT composite score, even if those scores are from different test dates. However, some colleges—like the University of California schools—just take the single best overall test date. If necessary, you can contact a school to find out its policy. How heavily do colleges weigh standardized tests? Well, most colleges don’t have a simple formula—they look at the “big picture” of your mentee’s application instead. In addition, not every school is looking for the same kind of student. That said, however, here’s a very loose rule of thumb among highly selective schools: colleges look at your test scores in relations to your background: if you’ve had plenty of opportunity, they expect you to test well. If you’ve had less opportunity (poor HS, non-college family, financial hardships, two languages spoken at home, etc.), they don’t put as much weight on your testing—in part because, as mentioned above, it isn’t very useful in predicting your long term college performance. 5 Free SAT/ACT Prep Ideas:
1. Practice tests a. College Board-
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/prep_one.html b. Peterson’s-
http://www.petersons.com/testprep/tips.asp?id=400&sponsor=1&path=ug.pft.sat c. http://www.testpreppractice.net/
2. Prep books a. Telementoring library, local library
a. Take a free, full-length Official SAT Practice Test. You can take the test online or print it out.
b. Check out The Official SAT Question of the Day™ to answer one SAT question a day (you can even get it daily via Twitter (@SATQuestion) or download the free app).
c. Check out our Test Day Tips and Policies so you know what to expect on test day. d. Did you take the PSAT/NMSQT®? Sign in to My College QuickStart™. You can
review your previous test performance and follow a personalized study plan that fits with the lessons in The Official SAT Online Course™.
e. Use SAT Skills Insight™ to discover how to boost your skills in challenging areas.
f. Try Answers Imagined to discover creative ways to approach tough questions — you might surprise yourself!
4. Online or in-person courses a. ePrep trial*; Number2.com*
5. Online vocabulary practice a. Vocab Builder*; DictionarySquared*
The SAT Subject Tests (formerly called SAT II Subject Tests or just SAT IIs) are one-hour, multiple-choice exams that test your mentee's knowledge of particular academic areas:
2015-2016 Subject Test Names
• Literature • United States (U.S.) History • World History • Mathematics Level 1 • Mathematics Level 2 • Biology E/M (Ecological/Molecular) • Chemistry • Physics
Languages: Reading Only • French • German • Modern Hebrew • Italian • Latin • Spanish
Languages: Reading and Listening • Chinese • French • German • Japanese • Korean • Spanish
How Colleges Use SAT Subject Tests: Many colleges require applicants to take SAT Subject Tests. Requirements vary from college to college, so it's crucial to research the requirements of the colleges and programs they are applying to. For instance, many colleges require students to take two SAT Subject Tests. However, some colleges ask for more tests (like Harvard, which requires three). Some colleges have special guidelines (like MIT, which requires both a science test and a math test). Certain majors--like engineering--even have their own requirements! Again, be sure to find out the requirements for the schools and programs your mentees are considering because you don't want them to disqualify themselves from admission before their application is even considered.
The primary purpose of SAT Subject Tests is to aid admissions officers in evaluating student applications. The tests may also be used to guide course placement once students are admitted. Which SAT Subject Tests should your mentee take?
First, find out the requirements for the colleges and programs your mentee is considering. Websites (like college search engines) or books (like college guides) can help you determine the requirements.
Next, figure out which SAT Subject Tests will fit the requirements and reflect your mentee’s strengths. Your mentee’s best bet is a test that aligns with a course they have completed most recently and did well in. For a free introduction to the SAT Subject Tests, explore the College Board's Subject Test Prep Center. There are 20 SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English, history, languages, mathematics and science. Try the free practice questions or download the Getting Ready for the SAT Subject Tests practice booklet. Also, check out our Frequently Asked Questions to get answers to more specific questions about Subject Tests. Some colleges require or recommend that you take SAT Subject Tests. In addition, you can enhance your application, demonstrate knowledge you’ve gained outside the classroom, and potentially place out of introductory courses.
Register for the tests
SAT Subject Tests Select a subject test to search for available dates
Test Date Deadline* Fee Status
Oct 3 Sep 3 $43 Register Now
Nov 7 Oct 9 $43 Register Now
Dec 5 Nov 5 $43 Register Now
* Deadlines expire at midnight, EDT (U.S.).
More Test Dates
More information at: http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-subject-test-dates
Important SAT® dates and information for U.S. and international students
You can help your students register for the SAT by providing them with the testing schedule in addition to helping them negotiate the registration process. For students testing outside the U.S., see the applicable international dates and deadlines below.
U.S. registration dates and deadlines for 2015-16
Test Dates Test U.S. Registration Deadlines (Expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, U.S.A.)
Regular Late (a fee applies)
October 3, 2015 Current SAT
SAT & Subject Tests
September 3, 2015 September 18, 2015 (for mailed registrations) September 22, 2015 (for registrations made online or by phone)
November 7, 2015 Current SAT
SAT & Subject Tests
October 9, 2015 October 23, 2015 (for mailed registrations) October 27, 2015 (for registrations made online or by phone)
December 5, 2015 Current SAT
SAT & Subject Tests
November 5, 2015 November 20, 2015 (for mailed registrations) November 23, 2015 (for registrations made online or by phone)
January 23, 2016 Current SAT
SAT & Subject Tests
December 28, 2015 January 8, 2016 (for mailed registrations) January 12, 2016 (for registrations made online or by phone)
March 5, 2016 Redesigned SAT
SAT only February 5, 2016 February 19, 2016 (for mailed registrations) February 23, 2016 (for registrations made online or by phone)
May 7, 2016 Redesigned SAT
SAT & Subject Tests
April 8, 2016 April 22, 2016 (for mailed registrations) April 26, 2016 (for registrations made online or by phone)
June 4, 2016 Redesigned SAT
SAT & Subject Tests May 5, 2016 May 20, 2016 (for mailed registrations) May 25, 2016 (for registrations made online or by phone)
Important information for U.S. registration deadlines • U.S. deadlines apply to students testing in the United States and U.S. territories.
• U.S. registration materials that are mailed must be postmarked by the U.S. deadlines. The deadlines expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, U.S.A..
• On March 5, only the SAT is offered. Note that the March 5 SAT is not available in the following U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands.
• Sunday administrations for students who cannot test on Saturday due to religious observance usually occur the day after each Saturday test date, except for October 11, which has been moved a week later to avoid conflict with a religious holiday.
• The Language with Listening Tests are offered only in November.
The ACT National Test Dates in the U.S., U.S. Territories, and Canada Test dates in other countries
2015–2016
2016–2017
•
Test Date Registration Deadline (Late Fee Required)
September 12, 2015 August 7, 2015 August 8–21, 2015
October 24, 2015 September 18, 2015 September 19–October 2, 2015
December 12, 2015 November 6, 2015 November 7–20, 2015
February 6, 2016* January 8, 2016 January 9–15, 2016
ACT Fee Waivers What are they, and who is eligible?
If you can't afford the registration fee for the ACT (No Writing) or ACT Plus Writing, you may be eligible for an ACT Fee Waiver. Information about the eligibility requirements and how to request a fee waiver is sent each summer to high schools.
You must meet all of the following requirements:
1. Currently enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade. 2. Either a United States citizen or testing in the U. S., U.S. territories, or Puerto Rico. 3. Meet one or more indicators of economic need listed on the ACT Fee Waiver form.
If you are eligible, you may use a maximum of two separate fee waivers total. The waiver is used once you register, even if you do not test on the requested test date.
IMPORTANT: To take full advantage of the waiver, you must follow through and test on your registered test date.
Fee waivers cover only the basic registration fee for your test option, including up to four college choices (if you provide valid codes when you register). Waivers do not cover the late registration fee, test date or test center changes, standby fee, or any other services.
You cannot request a fee waiver directly from ACT; you must contact your high school counselor. If you receive an ACT Fee Waiver Form, follow the "Student Directions" on it for your registration method (or if requesting Special Testing).
Note: If you register online, and register during the late period or request any additional services, you must enter a credit card to pay those fees before submitting your registration.
SAT Fee Waivers What are they, and who is eligible?
Test fees can be a barrier to college entrance for some students. Fee waivers are intended to help these students pay for the SAT and/or SAT Subject Tests™. Download this checklist to guide a student through the process. Learn more about the SAT Fee-Waiver service by having a look at our Guidelines for Students and Families (also available in Spanish). Information for this page was collected from the Guidelines above and from the following address: http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers How do I know if I am eligible? Students must be in 11th or 12th grade to use an SAT fee waiver, or in 9th to 12th grade to use a Subject Test fee waiver. To be eligible, you must meet at least one of the requirements below:
• Enrollment in or eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). • Annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA
Food and Nutrition Service. • Enrollment in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income
families (e.g. Federal TRIO programs such as Upward Bound). • Family receives public assistance. • Lives in federally subsidized public housing, a foster home or is homeless. • A ward of the state or an orphan.
How to Get a Fee Waiver Your high school counselor or an authorized community-based organization can give you a fee waiver if you qualify. If you are a home-schooled student, you will need to provide proof of eligibility (tax records, public assistance records or record of enrollment in an aid program) to a high school counselor in your area or at your local public high school. Once your counselor determines that you are eligible, you can receive up to four fee-waiver cards. You are eligible for two SAT registrations and two SAT Subject Test registrations (for example, you can’t use three fee waivers for the SAT and one for SAT Subject Tests). That’s a total of four fee waivers (up to three Subject Tests per test date) Fee Waivers — the Tests and More When you register for the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, the fee waiver will cover: • 100% of the registration fee for a single test date for the SAT or SAT Subject Tests (covers the costs of up to three individual SAT Subject Tests taken on a single test day). • Four additional score reports, which you can order at no charge at any time after registering for the test(s), including after you have seen your scores. You are entitled to a total of four such reports regardless of how many fee waivers you use.
• Question-and-Answer Service (QAS) or Student Answer Service (SAS) if ordered at the time of registration. These two services help you be sure your scores are accurate by providing more information about the types of questions and how you answered them. (QAS and SAS aren’t available for SAT Subject Tests.) • Up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms. As a fee-waiver user, you are entitled to use, and will automatically receive, four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms. Many four-year and two-year colleges accept application waivers. • Get a $40 discount on The Official SAT Online Course when you order it during online registration Using Fee Waivers You can use a fee waiver to register for either the SAT or the SAT Subject Tests. Talk to your counselor about registering for these tests and verifying that you qualify for a fee waiver. If you qualify for a fee waiver, you’ll get a card with a unique fee-waiver code to use for registration. Make sure to register by the regular deadline. Online Registration You can use a fee waiver to register online for the tests at sat.collegeboard.org/register. You will be asked to enter the following information from your card: the 12-digit code, the counselor’s name and the eligibility criteria you meet (marked on the front of the fee-waiver card). You can use the fee-waiver code only once. Paper Registration To register by mail, complete all required fields on both the fee waiver card and the registration form. Incomplete cards or forms will be mailed back to you unprocessed. On the registration form, make sure you indicate your name exactly as it appears on your acceptable photo ID, your gender, date of birth, high school information and grade level, in addition to the date and type of test and test center information. Mail your completed registration form and card by the deadline (or, if testing at an international location, in time to be received by the deadline). NEW: Fee waivers can be used for late registrations in the US and US territories at no additional charge. Important Registration Notes • You will be asked to provide a photo at registration. See ID Requirements for more information about test-taker identification requirements. • Fee-waiver codes are good for only one registration. If you register with a fee waiver and miss the test day, you cannot reregister with the same fee-waiver code. You can, however, pay a fee to change your registration (change fees are not covered by fee waivers). To do this, go online or call Customer Service and transfer your registration to another test date. • Fee waivers may not be used for waitlist registration.
SAT, ACT, Both or Neither? Help on Figuring Out if the SAT or ACT is the Right Exam for You
By Allen Grove
SAT, ACT, both, neither? Most colleges accept SAT or ACT scores, so you may wonder if you should take the SAT, ACT or both exams. It's even possible you won't need either exam given the growing number of test-optional colleges. On the flip side, you may find that if you take the ACT, you still need to take SAT subject tests.
Many students score similarly on the ACT and SAT. However, the tests do assess different information and problem solving skills, so it's not unusual to do better on one exam than the other. Key exam differences are outlined below. Princeton Review's book ACT or SAT? may also be of use.
1. Aptitude vs. Achievement The SAT was designed as an aptitude test -- it tests your reasoning and verbal abilities, not what you've learned in school. In fact, the SAT was supposed to be a test that one could not study for -- studying does not change one's aptitude. The ACT, on the other hand, is an achievement test. It is meant to test what you have learned in school. However, this distinction between "aptitude" and "achievement" is dubious. There's concrete evidence showing that you can study for the SAT, and as the tests have evolved, they have come to look more and more like each other.
2. Test Length The ACT has 215 questions plus the optional essay. The SAT has 140 questions plus the required essay. The actual testing time for the ACT with essay is 3 hours and 25 minutes while the SAT takes 3 hours and 45 minutes (total test time is longer for both because of breaks). Thus, the ACT allows less time per question.
3. ACT Science One of the biggest differences between the ACT and SAT is that the ACT has a science test that includes questions in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics and earth science . However, you don't need to be a science whiz to do well on the ACT. In fact, the science test is really assessing your ability to read and understand graphs, scientific hypotheses, and research summaries. Students who do well with critical reading often do well on the Science Reasoning Test.
4. Writing Skills Differences Grammar is important for both the SAT and ACT, so students taking either exam should know rules for subject/verb agreement, proper pronoun usage, identifying run-ons and so on. However, the emphasis in each exam is a little different. The ACT places more emphasis on punctuation (learn those comma rules!), and it also includes questions on rhetoric strategies.
5. ACT Trigonometry The ACT has a few questions that require trigonometry. The SAT does not. ACT trig is quite basic, but you should go into the exam understanding how to use sine and cosine.
6. The SAT Guessing Penalty The SAT was designed so that random guessing hurts your overall score. If you can eliminate at least one answer, you should guess, but otherwise you should leave the answer blank. The ACT has no guessing penalty. This difference doesn't really make one exam easier or harder than the other, but some students do find the guessing penalty stressful.
7. Essay Differences The essay on the ACT is optional, although many colleges require it. On the new SAT, the essay is required. You have 25 minutes to write the SAT essay and 30 minutes to write the ACT essay. The ACT, more than the SAT, asks you to take a stand on a potentially controversial issue and address the counter-argument as part of you essay. The SAT essay prompts tend to present a broad issue that you need to explore using examples from history, literature or your personal experiences.
8. SAT Vocabulary The SAT critical reading sections place more emphasis on vocabulary than the ACT English sections. If you have good language skills but a not-so-great vocabulary, the ACT might be the better exam for you. Unlike students who take the SAT, ACT exam takers won't improve their scores significantly by memorizing words.
9. Structural Differences Students taking the SAT will find that the questions get more difficult as they progress. The ACT has a more constant level of difficulty. Also, the ACT math section is all multiple choice whereas the SAT math section has some questions that require written answers. Finally, the essay for the SAT comes first; the ACT optional essay is last.
10. Scoring Differences
The scoring scales for the two exams are quite different: each section of the ACT is out of 36 points, whereas each section of the SAT is out of 800 points. This difference doesn't matter much since scores are weighted so that it's equally hard to get a perfect score on either exam, and average scores are frequently around 500 for the SAT and 21 for the ACT.
One significant difference is that the ACT provides a composite score -- it shows how your combined scores measure up against other test takers. The SAT provides just individual scores for each section. For the ACT, colleges often place more weight on the composite score than individual scores.
How the SAT Is Scored 1. First, we calculate your raw scores
Your raw scores are calculated for each section based on the number of questions you got correct or incorrect, or that you omitted.
SAT Scoring
Correct Answers Incorrect Answers Omitted
+1 point for questions you get correct
-1/4 point subtracted for incorrect multiple-choice
0 points subtracted for incorrect student-produced response (math section)
0 points subtracted for questions you don't answer
Subject Tests Scoring
Correct Answers Incorrect Answers Omitted
+1 point for questions you get correct
-1/4 point subtracted for each 5-choice question
-1/3 point subtracted for each 4-choice question
-1/2 point subtracted for each 3-choice question
0 points subtracted for questions you don't answer
Subscores on the SAT Subject Tests are used to compute the total score, but their individual contributions differ between the different tests. Subscores are reported on a 20-80 scale. For the French, German, and Spanish with Listening tests, the reading subscore counts twice as much as the listening subscore. For the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tests, subscores are weighted equally.
2. Then we "equate" them
We do a statistical analysis to make sure the test is an accurate representation of your skills. The unscored section of the test also helps us ensure the test is fair. Questions in the unscored section are not factored into your SAT score.
In our statistical analysis, equating adjusts for slight differences in difficulty between test editions and ensures that a student's score of, say, 450 on one edition of a test reflects the same ability as a score of 450 on another edition of the test. Equating also ensures that a student's score does not depend on how well others did on the same edition of the test.
Every SAT includes a 25-minute section, which doesn't count toward your final score. It may be a critical reading, mathematics, or multiple-choice writing section.
We do this because it helps us assess questions for next year's test, and it ensures that the SAT accurately reflects your skills. Also, the unscored section helps us account for minor differences in difficulty across all the different forms of the test.
3. That gives you a final score
Your raw score is then converted to a scaled score (reported on a 200-800 scale) by a statistical process called equating. Equating ensures that the different forms of the test or the level of ability of the students with whom you are tested do not affect your score. Equating makes it possible to make comparisons among test takers who take different editions of the test across different administrations.
SAT scores are reported on a scale from 200-800, with additional subscores reported for the essay (ranging from 2-12) and for multiple-choice writing questions (on a 20-80 scale). Your scores tell college admissions staff how you did compared with other students who took the test. For example, if you scored close to the mean or average- about 500 on SAT critical reading and 500 on SAT mathematics- admissions staff would know that you scored as well as about half of the students who took the test nationally.
SAT Subject Test Scores
SAT Subject Test scores are reported on a scale from 200-800, with subscores being reported on a scale from 20 to 80. Reading and listening subscores are reported for all Language Tests with Listening, and a usage subscore is also reported for the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tests. Your scores tell college admissions staff how you did compared with other students who took the test.
Score Range
Your test score represents a snapshot in time. If you took the test multiple times, however, that number would likely change- increase or decrease- on each test. This is why we sometimes say a score range better represents your true ability; it considers multiple snapshots of your score instead of just one. Usually, your scores fall in a range of roughly 30 to 40 points above or below your true ability. Colleges know this, and they receive the score ranges along with your scores to consider that single snapshot in context.
Average Scores
Average (or mean) scores are based upon the most recent SAT scores of all students of a particular graduating class.
Percentiles
Percentiles compare your scores to those of other students who took the test. Say, for example, your reading score is 500. If the state percentile for a score of 500 is 47, then this means you did better than 47 percent of the state's college-bound seniors.
Percentiles are based on the most recent scores earned by students in the previous year's graduating class who took the SAT during high school. For the SAT, you will see percentiles both for the total group of test-takers and for your state. Your percentile changes depending on the group with which your scores are compared. Because the total group is larger and more diverse than the state group, your total and state percentiles may differ.
More on Subscores:
SAT Writing Section Subscores
The raw scores for the multiple-choice writing section are converted to scaled scores that are reported on a 20-80 scale. Every SAT contains a 25-minute essay. The essay subscore is reported on a 2-12 scale. (Essays that are not written on the essay assignment, or which are considered illegible after several attempts at reading, receive a score of O.) Each essay is independently scored from 1 to 6 by two readers. These readers' scores are combined to produce the 2-12 scale. If the two readers' scores differ by more than one point, a third reader scores the essay. The multiple-choice writing section counts for approximately 70 percent, and the essay counts for approximately 30 percent of your total raw score which is used to calculate your 200-800 score.
SAT Subject Tests Subscores
Subscores on the SAT Subject Tests are used to compute the total score, but their individual contributions differ between the different tests. Subscores are reported on a 20-80 scale. For the French, German, and Spanish with Listening tests, the reading subscore counts twice as much as the listening subscore. For the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tests, subscores are weighted equally.
