SAT Results 2025: Score Validity & Report, How to Download SAT Result

An applicant's total score is between 400 and 1600. The total SAT score is the sum of the two section scores: Reading & Writing, and Maths. Both of these sections can accommodate a possible score range of 200 – 800. The Reading & Writing score is composed of the Reading Test plus the Language Test, and each which collectively contributes to a sectional SAT score. The SAT Math section score is made up of the Math questions' answers only. Thus, no SAT section score can go beyond 800 because the questions are marked in a pre-defined manner. Thus, applicants can score overall on 1600 scale.  

Yes. in case applicants feel the need to go for a review of their SAT scores, they can apply for it. But it will take some time for College Board to release the questions and the answers selected by the applicant in some time and not immediately. Thus, go for a SAT score review only if absolutely necessary and if still dissatisfied, apply for SAT exam again. The SAT score review should only be applied for if the applicant's answers are incorrectly marked despite selecting the right options. Usually, such mistakes do not happen but in case they do, they will be rectified and will appear in the final SAT score result.

Since SAT Digital is the new way of taking test that is, online and the duration of the test has reduced, the time of SAT result declaration has also reduced. When SAT was tested on paper the results were released in 3 weeks but SAT Digital results are released in a span of 12-13 days from the date of examination. Students can sit for SAT exam accordingly and send across their SAT scores to the respective universities they are applying to. Applicants must ensure that they sit for that SAT exam date, where they can get their SAT score results within the application submission timeline 

College Board releases SAT scores at 8:00 a.m. ET (Eastern Time) which is 5:30 p.m. IST (Indian Standard Time). So based on the SAT result date as given by College Board, College Board releases SAT scores and results on that day at 5:30 p.m. (IST). Applicants waiting for their SAT results, shall receive them at this time on the designated date. 

For any reason, you need to cancel your SAT Score, here are two methods through which one can cancel their SAT score:

• At the test centre: If you are unsure about how the test went, or if you feel like you have skipped a number of questions, you can cancel your test right then and there. Right at that moment, at the test centre, you can ask the supervisor for a ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ form. Fill in all details along with your signature. Submit the form to the supervisor. Make sure you submit this before leaving the test centre.
• At home: If your poor performance hits you after you leave the test centre, you can cancel your test at home as well. However, there is a time limit to it. You need to submit your cancellation request by writing to College Board as quickly as you can because the deadline for receiving such requests will be 11:59 PM (IST) on a Wednesday after the test date. You need to download ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ online from the College Board website, fill in your details, sign it, and fax it or speed-post/courier it overnight. 

Applicants while registering for SAT exam have the option of indicating which colleges or universities their SAT scores are to be forwarded once they are released. The SAT scores are released to those recipients (colleges and/or universities) and once they are delivered the status against each recipient changes to delivered. Thus, this way applicants can check whether or not their SAT scores have been delivered to their college or university of application post SAT results are declared. Applicants can mention upto four recipients to whom score reports can go to once the results are declared of the SAT exam.

No, the SAT scores cannot be affected by any miscellaneous reason except for your preparation. The SAT scores are based on the correctness and the ability to understand, analyse and then answering the questions. In case any of these pointers are missed out, applicants may lose out on their overall SAT score reports. It is always advised that students work as per a strategy and prepare for SAT exam with utmost dedication. The SAT exam scores will remain unaffected by the device on which you took the test on. The applicants have to just give the correct answers and score well on the exam irrespective of the device. 

As per the latest SAT exam pattern, the perfect scores on SAT is 1600 and not 2400. The scores are bifurcated like this:

• Minimum SAT section wise scores are 200, so for both sections its 400.
• Maximium SAT section wise scores are 800, so for both sections an overall score is 1600.
• The SAT scores are calculated based on correct answers only.
• There is no percentile scoring on SAT based on the number of applicants who appeared for the test. 

SAT score results are declared within two weeks of exam conduction. It usually takes 13-14 days for College Board to release the scores of SAT exam for the applicant, but the score reports take some more time to be relased. Within a week or two the score reports with SAT exam scores are sent to the colleges the applicant had selected during SAT exam registrations. Thus, applicants should ensure that the SAT exam date they choose, the results of the exam align with their admission applications. Also the time for sending the SAT score reports should also be taken into account. 

Once the SAT exam results are announced, applicants can log on to their account and download their SAT score report. The SAT score report is automatically sent to the selected institutions by the applicant during SAT registrations within 10 days, for additional score reports, applicants have to pay an additional fee per report. Fee charged by College Board for additional SAT score reports are as follows:

If someone has not appeared for the SAT for more than a year then those scores get archived. If someone wants to report the archived scores to the colleges or universities then they need to retrieve the scores. They can be ordered by phone or mail. Candidates need to pay a $35 fee for retrieving the old SAT scores, also the standard fee for additional score reports i.e. $14 needs to be paid for each order along with the Archived fee. So, the total amount comes out to be $49 per old SAT score report. 

SAT percentiles is based on the number of test takers and how an applicant scores higher than the fellow test takers. For example, a 75th percentile score means that an applicant has scored higher than 75% of the test takers. Thus, this is how a percentile score is generated for a given SAT exam at any given point of time.

The SAT percentiles usually change annually, because this data is based on the number of applicants taking the SAT exam annually. Thus. the SAT scores and percentiles can vary accordingly. Applicants do not need to calculate their SAT percentiles mannually. The SAT score report usually consists of the percentiles that is generated by College Board. 

The colleges applicants apply to usually consider both - SAT scores and percentiles. This is done basically to understand the competitiveness among applicants who have applied to a certain college. Also, admission committees understand where the applicants stand based on their SAT scores, percentiles and based on their overall application for admission. 

It is a process where colleges do not take into consideration the scores of one particular date rather they consider the candidate’s highest section scores across all the SAT exams which the candidate has appeared for. It means colleges consider the highest Reading and Writing (RW) score and the highest Mathematics score of the candidate and combine them to get the overall score.

SAT scores are submitted through the College Board website to universities the applicant is applying to. The score reports are then sent officially to the universities the applicants choose to submit to for the applicants after the scores are released. 

Your Digital SAT score result will be available online within a couple of days after your test date. Once the score result is available, the College Board begins sending SAT score reports to the colleges the candidate has selected, if any, at the time of registration.

With Score Choice, one gets the freedom to report the score he/she chooses to send to colleges. The candidate can choose the score report by test date or by individual test for SAT Subject Tests. However, before sending the scores always make sure to check with the college or the scholarship program to which you are applying, as many colleges and scholarship programs require students to send all their scores. If the candidate doesn’t select Score Choice then College Board will send all the available scores of the candidate to the colleges which he/she has selected as score recipients.

Sending score reports to colleges up to five years after giving the test needs to be retrieved from the archives. The candidates need to pay $35 if they want to send SAT scores they took more than a year ago. Candidates also need to pay an additional score report fee every time they wish to send their old reports to the colleges. Further, the candidates cannot order old SAT scores online through the College Board, this can be done only through their customer support number or mail.

Students who don’t have easy access to the Internet can check out alternative methods of receiving their SAT Score, these include

• SAT Paper Score Reports: Candidates who register by mail and don't have active College Board online accounts will receive paper score reports.
• SAT Scores by phone: Candidates can also receive their scores over the phone. However, they would be required to pay an extra fee for the same.
• SAT Score Verification: Candidates can call Customer Service at +1-212-713-7789 (for countries other than US & Canada) and get their scores.

Applicants receive four free score reports while registering for the SAT exam.  Applicants get the option of sending these reports to their choice of colleges or scholarship programs for free. Aspirants can send the scores up to nine days after taking the test. After nine days they will be charged for sending the score reports. With this, the aspirant can send four reports for free. However, there is a catch, the aspirants are sending the scores without knowing their actual scores. This means the candidates won’t be able to choose the score they want to send or they won’t be able to send their best scores. In this case, it is advisable to send the score reports to the colleges that want to see all the SAT scores of the candidates.

Note: The SAT exam has undergone a big change in 2016. Changes include a new structure, scores, sections, and a new approach to testing. Check out about New SAT Format 2024: Difference Between Old and New SAT Format.

Students preparing for the SAT usually are confused about how much preparation is required for SAT and when should they start with it. There are no straight answers as the process of preparation is different for every student. Work on your weak areas, chalk out those topics which require maximum attention and work on them. Once you are done with the entire syllabus you can begin attempting some of the practice tests. See where you lack in the mocks and improve those areas with more practice and this should be a regular process rather than a laid back process. 

Its essential to understand that what is the meaning of 'good SAT score' if it is based on the minimum requirements set by the university then a certain aim has to be set, but if it is more towards a personal goal then the targetting strategy would be different. In order to score good, the students shall prepare themselves of how they wish to plan their studies and assess their previous knowledge first and then working on the SAT syllabus. There is no one way of scoring good on SAT, but definitely the effort and practice of the applicant would pay off.

It is important to grow reading skills as it will help you in your studies ahead irrespective of the study area you choose. Reading should not feel like a task, it can be done as a fun activity. If you love to read novels, read them but you can also add more to it. Like if you love reading science fiction, then also try reading short stories or classic novels as it will widen your horizon. try things that challenge you and just don't restrict yourself to simple plain reads. Thus, it will only prove significant in the long run and not just for scoring higher on the SAT Reading & Writing section.

In SAT Digital exam, the test-takers get points for every correct answer whereas there are no points taken for incorrect answers. So, you should attempt maximum questions in SAT. Since there is no negative marking for incorrect answers or for leaving questions unanswered in their final SAT score report, the students should take benefit of the situation and answer all questions. The time of SAT has reduced hence, caution must be exercised while answering the SAT exam questions.

It depends on the college where you are sending scores. Every institution has its policy for accepting SAT scores. If they accept only the highest score then you need to send only the highest scores. If they want you to send all scores then you need to send all score reports. Completely depends upon the university you are applying to and how they wish to receive your scores. The candidates can check for the process and request for their SAT score reports accordingly.