What's a Good SAT Score?

If you’re wondering what a good SAT score is, you’re not alone. It’s one of the top questions we get from both students and parents. The answer depends on what you want to do with your score.

For a senior applying to college, a strong SAT score depends on the schools you're applying to. Each school has its own score expectations, and a score that may be average at a highly selective school might be in the top percentiles at another.

Think of your college application as an intricate recipe. Your SAT score is just one ingredient. Some schools require that you submit your SAT score, but many schools are test optional. Even when applying to test-optional schools, taking the SAT could help you stand out on your applications. 

When you combine your score with everything else in your application, like your GPA, your extracurricular activities, and your personal essay, you might get something really great—like a delicious acceptance letter.

In addition to helping you stand out on college applications—and keeping your options open—the SAT can help you plan for your future. 

• If it's your first time taking the SAT, your score will provide you with insights into your academic strengths and opportunities to improve. 
• Your SAT score can connect you with scholarships to help you pay for college.
• The Career Insights Snapshot on your SAT score report can help you consider your options based on growing careers in your state that match your skills and interests.

The key takeaway is this: A good score is one that works with the rest of your application to get you into a college you’re excited about and/or helps you identify strengths that propel your career options.

The following information will help you figure out where you want to go and what scores can help you get there.
 

1. Think About Your Future

Imagine your ideal college experience. What do you see? Are you in a big city or a small town? Is there a strong theater program or a state-of-the-art computer lab? Use the College Search tool on BigFuture.org to find schools that match what you’re looking for based on location, majors, campus life, and other factors and then put together a college list.

2. Understand the Score Range

The score range for the SAT is 400−1600; that’s your total score. It’s the sum of your scores on the Reading and Writing section and the Math section, which each have a score range of 200−800.

3. Don’t Obsess Over the Numbers

We’re serious. Your SAT score might be a significant part of your college application, but it’s not the only part. Even if you get a 1600, there’s no guarantee you’ll get accepted if the rest of your application doesn’t match what the college is looking for. And don't count yourself out if your score isn't where you think it should be to apply to a particular school. Your application may have other strengths that make you a great fit!

4. Check Average SAT Scores

The average scores of accepted students vary from school to school. Highly selective colleges accept a small percentage of applicants, so most admitted students have SAT scores near the top. Many other colleges admit a higher percentage of applicants, so their average SAT scores are usually lower. Other colleges, including most community colleges, may not ask for SAT scores at all.
 

To find out the average SAT score ranges for the schools on the college list you created, use the College Search tool on BigFuture.org. Look at the Overview section and Admissions section for each college. 

Next Steps: Practice and Improve

If you haven't taken the test yet or you're thinking of retesting, you may be wondering how to get the best score possible. Here are two easy ways to improve your score:

1.    Target your practice 

When you take an official practice test in Bluebook, you’ll be able to see the specific knowledge and skills that you need to focus on in My Practice. You can review those skills using Official Digital SAT Prep on Khan Academy®. 

You can also visit sat.org/practice  for tons of free practice resources, including:

• Information on how to identify your biggest opportunities for score growth
• Ideas to create a study plan that works for you, including suggested study activities
• Study strategies to build your confidence ahead of test day
• Tips on using all our practice resources effectively, including Khan Academy and official practice tests
• A breakdown of the Student Question Bank and frequent question stems you’ll see on the test 

2. Take the test again
 

Students who take the SAT a second or third time consistently get higher scores. Here's why you might do better if you take the test again:

• You’ll have learned more in school.
• You’ll have more time to study.
• You’ll know what types of questions you’ll see.
• You’ll be more confident knowing what to expect.
   

You’ll also be able to take advantage of the superscoring at some colleges. Superscoring is when colleges add your best Reading and Writing score to your best Math score—even if those scores are from different dates—to get your best total score.
 

One More Thing
 

Don’t stress out. No matter what your SAT score is, there’s a college that’s right for you—you just have to find it. Good luck!

Learn more about the SAT, including how to register.

Check out all the official practice resources available to you.