What is a Good SAT Score?

How the Digital SAT is scored?

Before starting with SAT preparation, students should know when they should actually start studying for the SAT Exam. We need to understand the SAT score range for determining a good SAT score.

The SAT exam is divided into two sections - 1. Reading & Writing, and 2.Mathematics. These two sections are scored on a 200-800 point scale, for a maximum score of 1600 i.e. total score.

According to the College Board, the average SAT score for 2021 – 2022 was 1200. So, anything above 1200 can be considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on the SAT is the perfect score of 1600. As candidates receive scaled scores, they should know about SAT scaled scores and percentiles.

Check: SAT Exam Syllabus

What is a Good SAT Score?

A good SAT score aids an applicant in his/her admission to the college of choice. Be it meeting the SAT cutoff (minimum requirements mentioned on the university website) or scoring above other competing applicants is any day a good SAT score for an applicant. So how are SAT scores considered good or bad? Check out the section below: 

• The average SAT score is 1050 (approximately as per Collge Board). So any SAT score above 1050 would be considered as an above average score.
• A SAT score of 1350 would put the applicants in the top 10% of test takers and help them make their admission applications even more competitive at more selective schools.
• A good SAT score falling in the category of 90th percentile and above is anyway a good score.

SAT Score Percentiles

When talking about a good SAT score, there is always mention of the percentiles. The percentiles based on SAT scores correspond to a comparative study, which shows how an applicant performed in comparison to the other one. So once applicants get their SAT scores, to understand if they are at par or not, they must consider percentile scores as well. Check out the table below to understand how SAT scores correspond to percentile scores:

SAT Exam Scores	Percentile Score
1570-1600	99+
1530-1560	99
1430-1440	95
1350-1360	90
1290	85
1240	80
1200	75 (good)
1030	50 (median)

Percentile scores would help applicants understand how they performed and if their SAT score is good or not for admissions abroad. 

What is a Good SAT Score for College Admissions?

There are different tiered universities, each accepting a different set of SAT scores, check out below which type of university accepts how much SAT score:

• A score of 1400 or more on the SAT for Ivy League colleges can be considered good.
• For a mid-level university, anywhere between 1200 - 1400 can be considered as good.
• And for those who want to attend a community college, a score of 1000 – 1200 can also work.

As College Board, themselves have clarified that a good SAT score is not a guarantee for admission to a good college or university. Your complete application should match complete college requirements like your overall profile, admission essays, GPA, etc.

Good SAT Scores for 20 Popular US Colleges

The following is a list of top US universities accepting SAT scores for undergraduate admissions for the year 2022-23:

US Universities Accepting SAT Scores	Average Composite SAT Score	Competitive Level
Princeton University	1518	Extremely Competitive
Harvard University	1580	Extremely Competitive
Columbia University	1524	Extremely Competitive
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1543	Extremely Competitive
Yale University	1530	Extremely Competitive
Stanford University	1520	Extremely Competitive
University of Chicago	1545	Extremely Competitive
University of Pennsylvania	1525	Extremely Competitive
California Institute of Technology	1555	Extremely Competitive
Johns Hopkins University	1515	Highly Competitive
Northwestern University	1520	Highly Competitive
Duke University	1505	Highly Competitive
Dartmouth College	1500	Highly Competitive
Brown University	1515	Highly Competitive
Vanderbilt University	1525	Highly Competitive
Rice University	1530	Highly Competitive
Washington University	1530	Highly Competitive
Cornell University	1505	Highly Competitive
University of Notre Dame	1480	Highly Competitive
University of California, Los Angeles	1405	Highly Competitive

Since a lot of US universities choose to be test-optional it may or may not be mandatory for international students to submit an SAT score while applying for undergraduate admissions. Students must check the minimum SAT cut-off if applicable and prepare for SAT exam accordingly.  

How to improve SAT Scores?

Even if you are not scoring up to your expectations, there is always a scope for betterment. You can sit for SAT exam again, but only if you have enough time between applying for SAT exam again and applying to your desired university. Check the SAT exam dates and then register for SAT and appear for the test if required. You can take SAT multiple times in a given year. Check out the following tips as to how to score well on SAT exam: 

1. Focus and Practice More:

Candidates can start taking SAT Practice Tests: Tips and Resources formulate essential SAT Tips and Strategies and make an appropriate study plan which they can follow and improve their scores.

2. Give SAT again:

Generally, candidates who attempt the SAT exam a second or third time score high on their previous tests. If you prepare well, you can improve your scores exceptionally well. Apart from making a perfect study plan, go for the Best books and resources for SAT and prepare systematically.

What is a good SAT Score also depends on the target college to which the candidate wants to go. Good SAT Score for applicants depend on their targeted schools!

Thus, we can conclude by saying that there is no good SAT score, rather SAT scores depend on the university's admission criteria if at all they provide SAT cutoffs or a range of scores to fall back on. Students must check out the university requirements and plan accordingly based on their key areas of strengths and weaknesses and then prepare for SAT. In case the choice of university accepts both ACT and SAT, then applicants can have a look at this article too for more details - SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Easier and How to Choose the Right Test?

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