essay subscore sat

SAT Essay Scores Explained

On january 19th, 2021, college board announced that they will no longer administer the sat subject tests in the u.s. and that the essay would be retired. read our blog post to understand what this means in the near term and what the college board has in store for students down the road., our articles on subject tests and the sat essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape..

Why are there no percentiles for the essay on an SAT score report?

No percentiles or norms are provided in student reports. Even colleges do not receive any summary statistics. Given Compass’ concerns about the inaccuracy of essay scoring and the notable failures of the ACT on that front, the de-emphasis of norms would seem to be a good thing. The problem is that 10% of colleges are sticking with the SAT Essay as an admission requirement . While those colleges will not receive score distribution reports from the College Board, it is not difficult for them to construct their own statistics—officially or unofficially—based on thousands of applicants. Colleges can determine a “good score,” but students cannot. This asymmetry of information is harmful to students, as they are left to speculate how well they have performed and how their scores will be interpreted. Through our analysis, Compass hopes to provide students and parents more context for evaluating SAT Essay scores.

How has scoring changed? Is it still part of a student’s Total Score?

On the old SAT, the essay was a required component of the Writing section and made up approximately one-third of a student’s 200–800 score. The essay score itself was simply the sum (2–12) of two readers’ 1–6 scores. Readers were expected to grade holistically and not to focus on individual components of the writing. The SAT essay came under a great deal of criticism for being too loosely structured. Factual accuracy was not required; it was not that difficult to make pre-fabricated material fit the prompt; many colleges found the 2–12 essay scores of little use; and the conflation of the essay and “Writing” was, in some cases, blocking the use of the SAT Writing score—which included grammar and usage—entirely.

With the 2016 overhaul of the SAT came an attempt to make the essay more academically defensible while also making it optional (as the ACT essay had long been). The essay score is not a part of the 400–1600 score. Instead, a student opting to take the SAT Essay receives 2–8 scores in three dimensions: reading, analysis, and writing. No equating or fancy lookup table is involved. The scores are simply the sum of two readers’ 1–4 ratings in each dimension. There is no official totaling or averaging of scores, although colleges may choose to do so.

Readers avoid extremes

What is almost universally true about grading of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. The default instinct is to nudge a score above or below a perceived cutoff or midpoint rather than to evenly distribute scores. When the only options are 1, 2, 3, or 4, the consequence is predictable—readers give out a lot of 2s and 3s and very few 1s and 4s. In fact, our analysis shows that 80% of all reader scores are 2s or 3s. This, in turn, means that most of the dimension scores (the sum of the two readers) range from 4 to 6. Analysis scores are outliers. A third of readers give essays a 1 in Analysis. Below is the distribution of reader scores across all dimensions.

What is a good SAT Essay score?

By combining multiple data sources—including extensive College Board scoring information—Compass has estimated the mean and mode (most common) essay scores for students at various score levels. We also found that the reading and writing dimensions were similar, while analysis scores lagged by a point across all sub-groups. These figures should not be viewed as cutoffs for “good” scores. The loose correlation of essay score to Total Score and the high standard deviation of essay scores means that students at all levels see wide variation of scores. The average essay-taking student scores a 1,080 on the SAT and receives just under a 5/4/5.

College Board recently released essay results for the class of 2017, so score distributions are now available. From these, percentiles can also be calculated. We provide these figures with mixed feelings. On the one hand, percentile scores on such an imperfect measure can be highly misleading. On the other hand, we feel that students should understand the full workings of essay scores.

The role of luck

What is frustrating to many students on the SAT and ACT is that they can score 98th percentile in most areas and then get a “middling” score on the essay. This result is actually quite predictable. Whereas math and verbal scores are the result of dozens of objective questions, the essay is a single question graded subjectively. To replace statistical concepts with a colloquial one—far more “luck” is involved than on the multiple-choice sections. What text is used in the essay stimulus? How well will the student respond to the style and subject matter? Which of the hundreds of readers were assigned to grade the student’s essay? What other essays has the reader recently scored?

Even good writers run into the unpredictability involved and the fact that essay readers give so few high scores. A 5 means that the Readers A and B gave the essay a 2 and a 3, respectively. Which reader was “right?” If the essay had encountered two readers like Reader A, it would have received a 4. If the essay had been given two readers like Reader B, it would have received a 6. That swing makes a large difference if we judge scores exclusively by percentiles, but essay scores are simply too blurry to make such cut-and-dry distinctions. More than 80% of students receive one of three scores—4, 5, or 6 on the reading and writing dimensions and 3, 4, or 5 on analysis.

What do colleges expect?

It’s unlikely that many colleges will release a breakdown of essay scores for admitted students—especially since so few are requiring it. What we know from experience with the ACT , though, is that even at the most competitive schools in the country, the 25th–75th percentile scores of admitted students were 8–10 on the ACT’s old 2–12 score range. We expect that things will play out similarly for the SAT and that most students admitted to highly selective colleges will have domain scores in the 5–7 range (possibly closer to 4–6 for analysis). It’s even less likely for students to average a high score across all three areas than it is to obtain a single high mark. We estimate that only a fraction of a percent of students will average an 8—for example [8/8/8, 7/8/8, 8/7/8, or 8,8,7].

Update as of October 2017. The University of California system has published the 25th–75th percentile ranges for enrolled students. It has chosen to work with total scores. The highest ranges—including those at UCLA and Berkeley—are 17–20. Those scores are inline with our estimates above.

How will colleges use the domain scores?

Colleges have been given no guidance by College Board on how to use essay scores for admission. Will they sum the scores? Will they average them? Will they value certain areas over others? Chances are that if you are worrying too much about those questions, then you are likely losing sight of the bigger picture. We know of no cases where admission committees will make formulaic use of essay scores. The scores are a very small, very error-prone part of a student’s testing portfolio.

How low is too low?

Are 3s and 4s, then, low enough that an otherwise high-scoring student should retest? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. In general, it is a mistake to retest solely to improve an essay score unless a student is confident that the SAT Total Score can be maintained or improved. A student with a 1340 PSAT and 1280 SAT may feel that it is worthwhile to bring up low essay scores because she has previously shown that she can do better on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math, as well. A student with a 1400 PSAT and 1540 SAT should think long and hard before committing to a retest. Admission results from the class of 2017 may give us some added insight into the use of SAT Essay scores.

Will colleges continue to require the SAT Essay?

For the class of 2017, Compass has prepared a list of the SAT Essay and ACT Writing policies for 360 of the top colleges . Several of the largest and most prestigious public university systems—California, Michigan, and Texas, for example, still require the essay, and a number of highly competitive private colleges do the same—for example, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

The number of excellent colleges not requiring the SAT Essay, though, is long and getting longer. Compass expects even more colleges to drop the essay requirement for the classes of 2018 and 2019. Policies are typically finalized in late spring or during the summer.

Should I skip the essay entirely?

A common question regarding SAT scores is whether the whole mess can be avoided by skipping the essay. After all, if only about 10% of colleges are requiring the section, is it really that important? Despite serious misgivings about the test and the ways scores are interpreted, Compass still recommends that most students take the essay unless they are certain that they will not be applying to any of the colleges requiring or recommending it. Nationally, about 70% of students choose to take the essay on at least one SAT administration. When looking at higher scoring segments, that quickly rises to 85–90%. Almost all Compass students take the SAT Essay at least once to insure that they do not miss out on educational opportunities.

Should I prepare for the SAT Essay?

Most Compass students decide to do some preparation for the essay, because taking any part of a test “cold” can be an unpleasant experience, and students want to avoid feeling like a retake is necessary. In addition to practicing exercises and tests, most students can perform well enough on the SAT Essay after 1–2 hours of tutoring. Students taking a Compass practice SAT will also receive a scored essay. Students interested in essay writing tips for the SAT can refer to Compass blog posts on the difference between the ACT and SAT tasks and the use of first person on the essays .

Will I be able to see my essay?

Yes. ACT makes it difficult to obtain a copy of your Writing essay, but College Board includes it as part of your online report.

Will colleges have access to my essay? Even if they don’t require it?

Yes, colleges are provided with student essays. We know of very few circumstances where SAT Essay reading is regularly conducted. Colleges that do not require the SAT Essay fall into the “consider” and “do not consider” camps. Schools do not always list this policy on their website or in their application materials, so it is hard to have a comprehensive list. We recommend contacting colleges for more information. In general, the essay will have little to no impact at colleges that do not require or recommend it.

Is the SAT Essay a reason to take the ACT instead?

Almost all colleges that require the SAT Essay require Writing for ACT-takers. The essays are very different on the two tests, but neither can be said to be universally “easier” or “harder.” Compass recommends that the primary sections of the tests determine your planning. Compass’ content experts have also written a piece on how to attack the ACT essay .

Key links in this post:

ACT and SAT essay requirements ACT Writing scores explained Comparing ACT and SAT essay tasks The use of first person in ACT and SAT essays Understanding the “audience and purpose” of the ACT essay Compass proctored practice testing for the ACT, SAT, and Subject Tests

About Art Sawyer

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and co-founded Compass Education Group in 2004 in order to bring the best ideas and tutors into students' homes and computers. Although he has attained perfect scores on all flavors of the SAT and ACT, he is routinely beaten in backgammon.

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Hi! I’m a high school junior who took the October and November SATs. I got a 1500 on October and then retook it to get a 1590 in November. I’m very happy with my score, but my essays are troubling me. I got a 6-4-6 in October and thought I would improve in November, but I got a 6-3-6. I really cannot improve my actual SAT score, but I don’t understand the essay. I’ve always been a good writer and have consistently been praised for it in English class and outside of class. Is this essay score indicative of my writing skill? And will this essay hurt my chances at Ivy League and other top tier schools? None of the schools I plan on applying to require it, but, since I have to submit it, will it hurt my chances? Thank you so much.

Maya, The essay is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Honestly, a 6-4-6 is a fine score and will not hurt your chances for admission. It’s something of an odd writing task, so I wouldn’t worry that it doesn’t match your writing skills elsewhere.

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Students taking the latest version of the SAT have a lot of questions about the Essay section in particular. When the College Board redesigned the SAT in 2016, the Essay section was the aspect of the test that changed most substantially.

As a result, it is the section that is least understood. Keep reading to learn how we approach setting a good target score for this often enigmatic section of the SAT.

What Is the SAT Essay?

Students taking the optional Essay section are provided with a written argument and asked to analyze it. Check out the College Board’s example prompt with sample graded responses to get a sense of what the exam looks like.

Is the SAT Essay Required?

This is the only optional section of the SAT. It does not impact your overall score out of 1600. Instead, your Essay grade stands alone on your score report.

While the College Board does not require the SAT Essay, certain schools do.

Schools that Require the SAT Essay

All of the University of California schools
Benedictine University
City University London
Delaware State University
DeSales University
Dominican University of California
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Howard University
John Wesley University
Kentucky State University
Martin Luther College
Molloy College
Schreiner University
Soka University of America
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Texas A&M University—Galveston
United States Military Academy (West Point)
University of North Texas
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Western Carolina University

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Additionally, these schools do not require the SAT Essay but recommend it.

Schools that Recommend the SAT Essay

Abilene Christian University
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Allegheny College
Amherst College
Art Institute of Houston
Augsburg University
Austin College
Caldwell University
California State University, Northridge
Central Connecticut State University
Central Michigan University
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Coastal Carolina University
Colby College
College of Wooster
Colorado School of Mines
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Corban University
Cornerstone University
Dallas Christian College
Duke University
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Nazarene College
Easternn University
Endicott College
Five Towns College
Gallaudet University
George Washington University
Georgia Highlands College
Greenville University
Gwynedd Mercy University
High Point University
Hofstra University
Holy Family University
Husson University
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University Southeast
Indiana Wesleyan University
Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus
Juilliard School
Keiser University (West Palm Beach)
Lehigh University
Madonna University
Manhattan College
Marymount California University
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
McMurry University
Mercy College
Modern College of Design
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Morehouse College
Mount Saint Mary College
Mount St. Joseph University
National-Louis University
New Jersey City University
Nichols College
North Park University
Occidental College
Ohio University
Oregon State University
Purdue University Northwest
Randall University
Randolph-Macon College
Reading Area Community College
Rowan University
Rutgers University—Camden Campus
Rutgers University—Newark Campus
Saint Michael’s College
Seton Hill University
Shiloh University
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Silver Lake College of the Holy Family
Southern Illinois University of Carbondale
Southern Oregon University
Spring Hill College
Sul Ross State University
SUNY Farmingdale State College
SUNY University at Stony Brook
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M University
Texas State University
The King’s College
United States Air Force Academy
University of Evansville
University of La Verne
University of Mary Hardin—Baylor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Minnesota: Twin Cities
University of New England
University of Northwestern—St. Paul
University of the Virgin Islands
University of Toledo
University of Washington Bothell
VanderCook College of Music
Virginia Union University
Wabash College
Webb Institute
Webber International University
Wesleyan College
William Jewell College

Should You Take the SAT Essay Section?

We recommend taking the Essay section just in case you want to apply to one of the schools that requires or recommends it. If you’re absolutely sure you won’t apply to any of these schools, you can skip it. Just know that you can’t retake the SAT essay alone, so if you change your mind and want to apply to a school that requires the Essay section, you’ll have to retake the whole test.

How Is the SAT Essay Scored?

Your essay will be evaluated on three criteria—Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

The Reading grade is meant to gauge how well you understand the passage content. Did you absorb the information you just read? Especially when the details are not intuitive, your readers will be checking to see that you read closely and caught the nuance of the piece.

The Analysis score relates to how well you represented the argument that the writer made. Your goal in the Essay section should be to determine what the writer’s main argument is and describe how they present it.

Finally, your score in Writing reflects your own command over the English language. Your capacity to write clear, well-structured sentences that use a wide range of vocabulary will determine this grade.

Two readers each give the essay a score between 1 and 4, depending on how well each reader thinks you did in the three categories. Their grades are then summed to give you a three-part grade. The highest grade you can receive is 8, 8, 8, while the lowest possible score is 2, 2, 2. To give an example, one student may score a 5, 4, 4, which would mean that their readers submitted the following feedback:

What’s a Good, Average, and Bad SAT Essay Score?

In 2019, the mean score on the Reading and Writing for the SAT Essay was a 5. For the Analysis section, the mean score was a little lower at 3, simply because Analysis is a skill that high school students spend less time honing than Reading or Writing.

For a detailed breakdown of how 2019’s test takers performed, here are a few score distributions:

sat essay reading score distribution chart

Here’s a rough breakdown of the percentile scores based on the most recent College Board data. Here’s how this chart works: say you scored a 6 on the Reading section. According to the data, that means that you performed better than 70% of other essay writers.

SAT Essay Score Percentile Rankings

Source: College Board and CollegeVine data analysis

How Should You Understand and Improve Your SAT Essay Score?

Unless your SAT Essay score is rock-bottom, you should not feel the need to retest just to improve your Essay score. If you received a low score that you feel isn’t representative of your writing abilities, focus on crafting stellar college essays instead of retaking the SAT just for the Essay section.

If you were unhappy with your SAT Essay score AND your overall SAT score, however, then you should consider retaking the test with the Essay section.

Here are a few tips on how to improve your SAT Essay score:

1. Annotate the passage. Read carefully. Start by boxing the main argument of the passage, then put a star next to three or four places where the author employs a strategy to win the readers over. These may include:

Refuting a counter argument
Raising a question
Providing anecdotal evidence
Using statistics to support a claim
Citing historical examples
Employing rhetorical devices, such as metaphor

2. State the main point of the passage author. Make it clear that you understand what the author is trying to say by stating their thesis clearly in your essay response. No one reading your essay should have any doubt as to what you think the main point of the passage is.

Make the author’s thesis clear at the beginning of your response as well as in your concluding paragraph. Tie back to it often within your body paragraphs too.

3. Outline before you write. Spend 3-5 minutes organizing your thoughts. Build up 2-4 points about the argument’s structure. Think of yourself as a debate coach. Give feedback on the persuasion tactics the author used. Which ones were most effective? What could they have done to sway their audience even more?

Remembered the strategies you starred when you were annotating? These are the building blocks of the author’s argument, and your essay should provide analysis of how effectively these building blocks were used.

4. DO NOT include your personal opinion. The essay exists to assess whether you can analyze an argument. It has nothing to do with your personal views. If you find yourself defending or disagreeing with the passage, that is a good sign that you are missing a chance to analyze the argument’s structure.

5. Proofread your essay. Give yourself 2 minutes towards the end of the section to improve the language you used. Search for spelling and grammar mistakes, as well as weak word choice. Replace monosyllabic words like “good” and “is” with more dynamic vocabulary, such as “striking” or “constitutes.” This is a quick and easy way to boost your Writing score.

For more advice on how to study for the Essay section, check out our How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT Essay and The Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Essay .

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

How to Interpret Your SAT Scores

Understanding how to read your score report is an essential component of the college admissions process. The information provided on your report will allow you to gauge your competitiveness and help you prep for the SAT.

[ RELATED: What’s a good SAT score? ]

SAT score by numbers

Your Evidence Based Reading & Writing score is calculated based on your performance on the Reading and Writing & Language tests, which are the first 2 tests on the SAT. Your Math score is calculated off your performance on the calculator and non-calculator portions of the Math section, which comprise the second half of the SAT.

In addition to your section scores, you’ll also receive a score for each of these tests—Reading, Writing & Language, and Math—on a scale from 10 – 40. If you take the optional SAT essay, you’ll receive 3 separate scores—each out of 8 points—for reading, analysis, and writing, which do not impact your overall SAT score out of 1600.

Understanding how you rank

Cross-test and subscores.

You’ll receive 2 cross-test scores for Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science, each on a scale of 10 – 40. Cross-test scores describe how well you performed on certain questions across the entire SAT. Your History/Social Studies score, for example, will be drawn from relevant questions in from History/Social Studies passages in both Reading and Writing & Language, as well as in certain questions on the Math test that require you to analyze historical or socio-cultural information.

Finally, your score report provides 7 subscores that break down your performance within each test. These scores range from 1 – 15.

The SAT will give you 4 subscores on the Reading and Writing & Language sections. These include Command of Evidence and Words in Context questions. Command of Evidence subscores are derived from your performance on questions that ask you to cite evidence for an answer choice. The Command of Evidence subscore also includes infographic questions and questions that ask you to identify how an author used evidence or asked you to revise a passage to clarify the author’s main idea.

The Words in Context subscore assesses vocab-in-context questions on the Reading Test as well as word-choice questions on the Writing & Language test. The Writing & Language test also includes 2 additional subscores: Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions.

What are SAT test scores vs cross-test scores?

How will these scores affect college admissions, if at all, what your sat score tells you.

Colleges and universities publish these ranges indicating what percentage of their entering class had score ranges above and below the 25 – 75 range. This means that 50% of their admitted freshmen had scores that fell between those 2 numbers, 25% of their admitted freshmen scored above the top number, and 25% of them scored below the bottom number.

So how do your SAT scores measure up? Just because your score is in the 25 – 75 range doesn’t mean you have a 50/50 shot at being admitted. On the other hand, SAT scores near the 75% and above range will give you confidence that you are a competitive applicant at that institution.

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Should I take the SAT over again?

Acknowledge the strengths that led to your test score.

Regardless of the composite score you received, there are parts of the exam in which you performed at or above average. Recognize and mark those as your strong points. To stay on top of your progress, you need to keep practicing those areas of strength.

Examine where you could have done better

Unless you got a perfect score, there were undoubtedly certain sections you struggled with more than others. Play close attention to those parts, write them down, and note why you got those questions wrong; then, let these reasons why be your guiding principles when you go back to study again. Don’t be concerned with just getting the right answer. Instead, fight to understand why you got it wrong so that you will not make the same mistake twice.

If you‘re not happy with your score, there’s still hope

An average or lower score does not mean that you should give up. Instead, it should motivate to prove your original score wrong. This time, study harder and use the knowledge you gained from the first exam to do even better on the second. If it’s too late to take it again, find alternative ways to showcase your abilities. Improving your GPA, becoming more involved in school, and volunteering are all great ways to show potential schools that you are a great student and that a test score does not define you. You should also consider searching for schools that match your score range.

If you are happy with your score, there’s still room to improve

If you got a good score on your first go-around, that’s an amazing feeling. However, do not let a good score make you complacent and underestimate your full potential. Always aim to improve—just a small increase in your percentile could help you get into your dream school. Remain focused in school and continue to push yourself.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, understanding sat subscores.

Hi everyone, I'm a little confused about SAT subscores, and I couldn't find a clear answer online. Can someone explain which sections contribute to which subscores and how they're calculated? Thanks!

Hello! I'm happy to help you understand SAT subscores. The SAT is divided into two main sections: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math. Your total SAT score is the sum of these two section scores and ranges from 400 to 1600.

Now, let's break this down a bit further. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is comprised of two tests: the Reading test and the Writing and Language test. Each test contributes to a separate score, ranging from 10 to 40. Your EBRW section score is the sum of your Reading test score and your Writing and Language test score, multiplied by 10 to shift it to the 200-800 scale.

The Math section is also divided into two tests: the Math calculator test (38 questions) and the Math no-calculator test (20 questions). Both tests together make up your Math section score, which ranges from 200 to 800.

Essentially, your SAT subscores are the scores you receive for the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math (combined) tests. To calculate your total SAT score, you simply add up your EBRW section score and your Math section score.

In addition to these section scores, the SAT also provides three cross-test scores. These are related to questions spread across the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math tests and are scored on a scale of 10-40. The three cross-test scores are for Analysis in Science, Analysis in History/Social Studies, and Passport to Advanced Math. Take note that cross-test scores aren't factored into your overall SAT score. Instead, they're intended to give you more insight into your strengths and weaknesses across foundational skills.

I hope this clears up your confusion regarding SAT subscores and how they're calculated!

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The Digital SAT® (or DSAT®) represents a significant evolution in how the College Board administers and scores the SAT®. Starting in Spring 2024, this new format leverages the benefits of digital testing and adaptivity to assess a student’s capabilities better. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming test format:

Reading and Writing Modules:

Module 1: You will answer 27 questions; your raw score will be the number of correct answers.
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Math Modules:

Module 1: This section includes 22 questions, with your raw score reflecting the number of correct answers.
Adaptive Component: As with reading and writing, your performance in Math Module 1 determines the question set in Math Module 2, which also has 22 questions. Your raw score is based on correct answers.
Scoring: The raw scores from both Math modules are combined and converted into your Math Section Score, ranging from 200 to 800.

Revised SAT® Score Calculation:

With the introduction of the DSAT®, the calculation of scores are now:

Reading and Writing: The raw scores from both Reading and Writing modules are added and converted to the section score.
Math: Similarly, the raw scores from both Math modules are totaled and then converted to the section score.

The total SAT® score, combining the Reading, Writing, and Math sections, will still range from 400 to 1600.

What’s the difference between SAT® raw scores and SAT® scale scores? How do they calculate each ?

Raw Scores: These are simply the number of questions you answer correctly across the modules. There is no penalty for guessing, so your raw score is the total count of correct responses.

Scale Scores: The raw scores are then converted to scale scores for each section. These are between 200-800 for the two sections, to give you a total SAT® score between 400-1600.

Understanding Raw Scores and Scale Scores in the Digital SAT®

For the DSAT®, this conversion will consider the adaptive nature of the test, ensuring that scores are comparable across different test forms and difficulty levels.

The new Digital SAT® is adaptive. This means that the difficulty of the questions in the second module will be based on your performance in the first module. This ensures a more personalized test experience and allows for a precise measurement of your skills and knowledge.

As we prepare for the launch of the Digital SAT®, we’ve updated our SAT® score calculator to reflect these changes. This tool is invaluable for assessing students’ readiness and predicting their potential performance.

What is a good SAT® score? Decent score? Bad score?

A good SAT® score really depends on the student and their aspirations. For example, if you’re applying to Harvard and have a 1200 SAT® score, you’ll unlikely get in since Harvard’s average score is typically over 1500. However, i f you’re applying to Michigan State University with that same score, that would be competitive for your college application.

Generally, anything that falls into the top 30% of graduating high school students should be considered a good SAT® score. When you review the 2019 SAT® score trends , you see the nationally representative sample average SAT® score is 1120. The 70th percentile SAT® test taker is 1170.

The former number compares how students did on the SAT® to an overall sample of all students grades 11-12, regardless of whether or not they took the SAT®. The latter number applies the actual scores of students in the past three graduating classes to the latest SAT®.

A decent SAT® score would probably be something around the 50th percentile. Using the nationally representative sample, you’d find this to be a 1010. Looking at just SAT® test takers, the 50th percentile SAT® score is between 1050 and 1060.

A bad SAT® score is quite subjective. But, i f you were looking at it from a percentiles standpoint, it could be any score below the 25th percentile. Looking at the nationally representative sample, this is between 870 and 880. For just SAT® test takers, it’d be a 910.

Is 1600 a good SAT® score?

Yes! 1600 is not just a good SAT® score; it’s a perfect SAT® score. Like the ACT®, depending on the particular test, there is sometimes leeway on getting a perfect SAT® score. In other words, there are edge cases where you may be able to get one Reading question wrong and still get an 800 for your section score.

How hard is it to get a 1400 on the SAT®?

It can be pretty tough to score a 1400 on the SAT®. Scoring a 1400 means you’re in the 97th percentile for the nationally representative sample and the 94th percentile among SAT® takers.

Furthermore, if you were to assume you wanted to score a 700 in both sections and you play around with the score calculator above, you’d see that to score a 700 in math, you can only miss around s eve questions on average.

Then, to score a 700 in Reading and Writing, you’d only be able to miss around seven questions in SAT® Reading and Writing.

Is 1200 a good SAT® score?

A 1200 is a good SAT® score. Reviewing the 2019 SAT® score trends, you’ll see that 1200 equates to the 81st percentile for the nationally representative sample and the 74th percentile for SAT® test takers. This means scoring 1200 on the SAT® puts you in the top quartile of high school students taking the test.

What is the average SAT® score?

The average SAT® score is typically between 1010 and 1060. This is pulled from the SAT® score trend data in which the 50th percentile for the nationally representative sample was a 1010, and among SAT® test takers, the 50th percentile fell between a 1050 and 1060.

Why is the SAT® exam curved?

The SAT® exam itself is not curved relative to test takers. However , the College Board puts each test through an “equating” process. This process ensures no student receives an advantage or disadvantage from taking a particular for on the SAT® on a particular day.

In other words, it ensures a test score of 500 equals a test score 500 on an SAT® from another day.

How do I read my SAT® Score Report?

The College Board provides a helpful short video on how to understand your SAT® score report here .

The first step is navigating to studentscores.collegeboard.org .

Upon logging in, you’ll see your total SAT® score, which combines your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section and Math Section score.

In your SAT® Score Report, you’ll also find specifics on your test scores (number correct and incorrect in each section), cross-test scores (how you analyze texts and solve problems that are interdisciplinary with Science and History) and subscores (how you performed on specific key concepts).

The report color-codes each section so you know exactly where you need to improve.

You can review the College Board’s PDF resource on reading SAT® Score Reports here .

Why should I use this SAT® score calculator?

We’ve crafted Albert’s SAT® score calculator to align with the latest official practice test curves provided by the College Board. This ensures our calculations are as accurate and current as possible. With the new Digital SAT® format launching in 2024, we’ve updated our calculator to reflect these changes and provide you with reliable score estimates.

We developed this DSAT® score calculator to go beyond the static tables typically used by others. Our interactive tool, complete with sliders, offers a more dynamic and engaging way to visualize your scoring potential. It’s not just about crunching numbers; it’s about providing a motivational and insightful experience to help you identify where you can make the most impactful improvements in your SAT® preparation. With our calculator, you can experiment with different scenarios and see how changes in each section could elevate your overall score to meet your SAT® aspirations.

How do you figure out your SAT® superscore?

To figure out your SAT® superscore, you’ll need to first compile all of the test days you took the DSAT®. Next, look for your highest scores for SAT® Reading and SAT® Math.

So for example, if you earn a 700 on one SAT® Math test, and a 750 on another, you’d choose the 750.

Finally, total your highest scores — this is your DSAT® superscore.

Looking for extra SAT® practice?

Albert provides hundreds of Digital SAT® practice questions with detailed explanations and full-length practice tests . Get started today!

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Digital SAT® Score Calculator

Last Updated: May 5, 2024

The digital SAT exam consists of 2 sections, Reading and Writing and Math. Each section is scored on a scale of 200 - 800 , and the entire exam is scored on a scale of 400 - 1600 , with a 1600 being a perfect score.

On the real exam, each question has its own weight, which means that each exam has its own scoring curve. The scores in the calculator below are our best estimates.

Instructions : Enter the number of correctly answered questions for each module using the sliders below to calculate your final score.

For adaptive test scores , check the 'Adaptive' box - your module 2 scores will be weighed differently depending on your module 1 scores for each section.

Enter Your Scores

Reading and Writing Module 1

Reading and Writing Module 2

Math Module 1

Math Module 2

Reading and Writing

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How Is The Digital SAT Structured?

The SAT® consists of two sections: Reading and Writing and Math .

Each section consists of 2 modules, with 27 questions in each Reading and Writing module and 22 questions in each Math module for a total of 98 questions. There are no penalties for guessing, so answering every question is recommended.

The exam itself takes 2 hours and 14 minutes in total, with each Reading and Writing module taking 32 minutes and each Math module taking 35 minutes. There is a 10-minute break in between the two sections (after Reading and Writing and before Math).

To learn more about the SAT exam format, check out our in-depth guide here.

Adaptive Scoring

One of the most important changes in the digital SAT is adaptive testing, a testing model where the exam dynamically adjusts its difficulty based on the student's performance in real-time.

How It Works

Adaptive testing on the digital SAT operates by dividing the test into modules, with each student's performance in an initial module determining the difficulty level of the subsequent one. This approach means that doing well in the first module could lead to harder questions in the next, while struggling might result in easier ones.

Adaptive testing aims to provide a more accurate assessment of a student's abilities, tailoring the difficulty of questions to match their skill level. This method benefits students by offering a test that is more representative of their individual knowledge and skills.

For more information on adaptive testing, read our comprehensive adaptive testing guide.

How To Maximize Your Score On Adaptive Tests

Like studying for any other exam, preparing for the adaptive digital SAT revolves around get familiar with the exam through practice tests.

The best resource is of course College Board's Bluebook application. These practice tests, written by the same creators of the real exam, are adaptive and are crucial for students to understand how the test works. Students should make sure to take each exam and pay attention how the difficulty changes between module 1 and 2.

Additionally, students should consider taking the PSAT/NMSQT® exam as it has also transitioned to an adaptive format, providing a valuable preview of what to expect on the SAT. The digital PSAT covers almost exactly the same topics and uses the same format as the digital SAT.

Score Ranges and Scaling

The scoring process involves converting raw scores (one point per correct answer, with no penalty for wrong answers) to scaled scores using a curve that is exam-specific .

For example, scoring 52/54 can be a perfect 800 in Reading and Writing in some exams, but in other cases it can translate to a 780.

The scoring range on the digital SAT remains comparable to the traditional SAT, with scores ranging from 400 to 1600. However, the Reading and Writing sections are now combined, and the Math section allows calculators throughout.

Although there is no universal scaling algorithm as each curve is exam-specific, in general getting a difficult question wrong is penalized less than getting an easy question wrong.

What Is A Good Score?

A "good" score depends on individual goals, but statistically, a 1200 (600 in Math, 600 in Reading and Writing) is considered above average. The digital SAT's scoring algorithm accounts for the difficulty of questions answered, potentially impacting final scores.

To qualify for top-50 schools (in the US), students should aim for at least a 1400. While SAT score is not the sole criterion for admission, it significantly enhances a student's profile. This score, coupled with strong academic records, extracurricular achievements, and compelling personal essays, positions applicants favorably.

For admission to elite top-20 universities, the standards are even higher. A score of 1500 or above is often seen as a threshold in the highly-selective admissions processes in these schools. Again, SAT score isn't everything, but a near-perfect score can boost a student's application.

PSAT/NMSQT® is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which are not affiliated with, and do not endorse, Test Ninjas.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, act subscores vs. sat subscores: how to compare.

SAT versus ACT

Both the ACT and SAT subscores provide students with detailed information about their weaknesses and strengths in categories more specific than English, Reading, Math, Science, and Writing (ACT) or Reading, Writing, Math, and Essay-writing (SAT). Understanding the implications of that detailed information, however, can be difficult, due to the sheer number of scores.

In this article, we'll discuss how subscores can be useful to students and whether or not subscores on one test can indicate how a student would do on the other.

feature image credit: 029.365 Elements of Perspective /used under CC BY-SA 2.0 /cropped from original.

What Are SAT/ACT Subscores?

In addition to total scores out of 36 and 1600 and section scores out of 36 and 800 (or out of 40 for individual "test scores" on SAT Reading, Writing, and Math), the ACT and SAT both provide students with subscores . The stated goals of these subscores are to “provide more detail about student achievement” ( SAT ) and give students a "better understanding [of] strengths and areas for improvement in each subject"( ACT ).

The subscores calculated on each test fall under one of two different categories:

Section-level subscores : These “reporting categories” subscores give information about the different types of question within a specific section (e.g. types of Math questions).

Cross-test scores : These subscores give information about how student is doing on a specific topic, computed by combining information from multiple sections (e.g. Math and Science on the ACT to get the STEM subscore).

SAT vs. ACT Subscores: Can You Compare Them? And Why Would You?

The short answer: yes, some subscores can be compared .

The closest relationships are between the SAT and ACT essay subscores, followed by the SAT Writing and ACT English subscores. In practical terms, this means, for example, that students who score highly on all the ACT essay subscores can expect to do fairly well on the SAT essay subscores , while students who don't do well on ACT English subscores can anticipate similarly poor results on SAT Writing subscores.

By contrast, it's unlikely that students would see any relationship between their subscores on SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and ACT Reading , because the subscores measure such different things. If you get high ACT Reading subscores, that's great, but it doesn't tell you anything about how you'd do on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing subscores. This is even more true for ACT Science , since the only science-related subscore on the SAT measures something completely different from what the ACT Science subscores are trying to capture.

Subscores for SAT/ACT Math fall into the middle between the highly comparable SAT/ACT essay and Writing/English subscores and the divergent SAT/ACT Reading subscores. There is some overlap between what the Math subscores measure across the two tests, but the correspondence is a little fuzzier . A high subscore on ACT's Algebra subscore could mean you'd get a high score on SAT's Heart of Algebra subscore, but you could just as easily get a medium score because there's a considerable difference in what the Algebra questions on each test are meant to measure.

But why would you want to compare subscores across the SAT and ACT?

The biggest reason is that doing so can give you more information about whether or not it's worth taking both the SAT and the ACT . For instance, if you take the ACT and score poorly on certain subscores in ACT English, you can expect to not do any better on the SAT Writing versions of those subscores (and thus on SAT Writing). Conversely, even if you did poorly on some of the ACT Math subscores, there's a much better chance that you could do better on the related SAT Math subscores and get a relatively higher overall SAT Math score.

So what are the different subscores, and which ones are comparable? We’ll start off by comparing different reporting categories for the SAT and ACT, section by section.

Section-Level Subscores on the SAT and ACT

Reporting categories function similarly on the SAT and ACT in that they both attempt to break down entire sections like English or Math into more specific skills that students can then focus on. There is a slight difference in how questions are sorted into different subscores, however: on the ACT, a question is always grouped into at least one subscore category, while on the SAT there are some questions on the Math and Reading sections that don't fall into any specific reporting category.

One other difference between the way section-level subscores are used on the SAT and ACT is that on the SAT, subscores are scaled to a range of 1-15, while on the ACT, subscores are measured on a scale of 0-100%. As you'll see in the more detailed analyses below, the number of questions that go into each subscore varies a little bit more on the ACT than on the SAT, so a percentage reporting system makes more sense for the ACT.

Important caveat : our descriptions of correspondence between the different subscores on the SAT and ACT are based purely on content (what the subscores say they're measuring), rather than empirical data on correlations between different subscores (since that data is not currently available). We'll update this article if and when that data is released.

Reporting Categories: Math (SAT and ACT)

Out of the 58 questions that appear on the Math section of the SAT, there are three no-calculator and three calculator questions that don't apply towards any subscore, leaving 52 questions to fall into one of three non-overlapping categories: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math.

In contrast to the relatively straightforward division of questions on SAT Math, ACT Math reports eight different subscores to students. Two of these subscore ( Preparing for Higher Math and Integrating Essential Skills ) cover all 60 ACT Math questions; of the remaining categories, five are further divisions of Preparing for Higher Math, while one (Modeling) measures questions from both the Preparing for Higher Math and Integrating Essential Skills subscore categories.

*Number of questions with a "~" next to it indicates variation from test to test.

SAT Math vs ACT Math Subscores

Based on the SAT and ACT's descriptions of what each subscore covers, there is a lot of overlap between subscores on the two tests. The biggest links are as follows:

SAT Heart of Algebra and ACT Algebra
SAT Problem Solving and Data Analysis and ACT Statistics & Probability and/or ACT Integrating Essential Skills and/or ACT Modeling
SAT Passport to Advanced Mathematics and ACT Functions

The overlap between the subscores is not complete (for instance, Heart of Algebra on the SAT does not cover exactly the same things as Algebra on the ACT), but there still should be some correspondence between the above subscores on the SAT and ACT. We have a much more detailed look at the ways SAT and ACT Math compare to one another in this article .

Reporting Categories: Writing and Language (SAT) and English (ACT)

On SAT Writing and Language, all 44 questions fall into one of two section-level subscores: Expression of Ideas or Standard English Conventions.

Similarly, ACT English divides up its 75 questions into three different subscores: Production of Writing, Knowledge of Language, and Conventions of Standard English.

SAT Writing vs ACT English Subscores

Based on the descriptions of the two tests' subscores, students can expect their SAT Standard English Conventions subscore to be similar, percentage-wise, to their ACT Conventions of Standard English subscore. For instance, a student who gets 14/15 (93.3%) on Standard English Conventions should expect to get a similar score on Conventions of Standard English. SAT's "Expression of Ideas" subscore appears to cover items that both Production of Writing and Knowledge of Language subscores cover on the ACT, so it's possible that those scores would also be correlated; however, because you'd be going from one subscore to two subscores (or two to one), the equivalency is likely to be less clear.

For more about the connection between SAT Writing and ACT English, read our comparison of the two sections .

Reporting Categories: Reading (SAT and ACT)

SAT Reading is unusual among SAT sections in that there are no subscores that only reflect performance on the SAT Reading section. Instead, the SAT has two reporting categories that combine questions from Writing and Language and from Reading: Words in Context and Command of Evidence. The breakdown of how many questions from each section are included in each subscore is shown in the table below.

The ACT is much more straightforward with its Reading subscores. The Understanding Complex Texts subscore measures how well students understand the central meaning of college-level texts (although which subset of items this subscore refers to is not told to the student); in addition, all 40 Reading questions are further divided into one of three subscore categories (Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas).

SAT Reading vs ACT Reading Subscores

Because the SAT "Reading" subscores draw on items from both SAT Reading and Writing and Language, while the ACT Reading subscores only apply to ACT Reading items, it's harder to compare the categories. Based on the descriptions of the subscores, the SAT Words in Context subscore likely will show some kind of correlation with ACT Craft and Structure subscore, while the SAT Command of Evidence and ACT Integration of Knowledge and Ideas subscores are also likely linked; however, the relationship is much weaker than with ACT English/SAT Writing and Language items.

Learn more about the differences between SAT and ACT Reading here !

Reporting Categories: Science (ACT Only)

The ACT Science Test provides three subscores: Interpretation of Data, Scientific Investigation, and Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results.

ACT Science vs SAT Subscores

Since the SAT has no science section, there is no direct comparison possible from section-to-section. While the descriptions of the skills measured with ACT Science subscores may have some relationship to the items captured by SAT Reading and Math, the tasks that the ACT asks students to complete are specific enough to ACT Science that it's unlikely there'd be a strong correlation between subscores on ACT Science and those on SAT Reading or SAT Math.

Reporting Categories: Writing (ACT) and Essay (SAT)

With the changes to the SAT in March 2016, there is no longer one total SAT Essay score reported. Instead, students who opt to take the essay will receive three different subscores: Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

The ACT still provides students who opt to take ACT Plus Writing with an overall Writing score on a scale of 2-12, but since September 2015 has also reported four different subscores to students: Ideas & Analysis, Development & Support, Organization, and Writing. As of September 2016, the total ACT Writing score is just an average of the four domain scores each student receives on the essay, so it's debatable whether or not the domain scores count as "subscores," but I've included them below for completeness's sake (and to make it easier to compare with the SAT essay).

SAT Essay vs ACT Essay Subscores

As with ACT English vs SAT Writing, a very strong case can be made for the correlation between subscores on the SAT and ACT essays . While the SAT Essay Reading score is its own beast, there's a fairly straightforward relationship between the remaining two SAT essay subscores and the four ACT essay subscores:

SAT Essay Analysis = ACT Essay Ideas & Analysis and ACT Essay Development & Support
SAT Essay Writing = ACT Essay Organization and ACT Essay Language Use

The numerical relationships aren't exact between the essay subscores (you can't just multiple your ACT Essay Organization and Language Use summed scores by 2/3 to get your equivalent SAT Essay Writing score), but the theoretical relationships between SAT/ACT essay subscores are strong . If you do well on the Analysis and Writing portion of the SAT essay, chances are you will also do very well on the ACT essay; if you get extremely high ACT Organization and Language Use scores, you'll likely do well on at least the Writing area of the SAT essay.

For further reading, check out our articles analyzing the rubrics that determine your SAT and ACT essay scores .

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Cross-Test Scores on the SAT and ACT

Cross-test scores are meant to analyze performance on a broader level than the section subscores can. Theoretically, these cross-test scores are capturing information about broader skills like “analysis in science” and “English/Language Arts” that students have to draw on for multiple sections.

As of March 2016, the SAT now provides students with two scores that incorporate items from all sections of the test: Analysis in History/Social Sciences and Analysis in Science.

The ACT's cross-test scores are a little more limited in scope; the English Language Arts score averages together students' English, Reading, and Writing test scores, while the STEM score averages together students' Math and Science test scores.

*Only calculated for students who do the optional essay (ACT Writing)

**Calculated using the Writing Test scale score (1-36) rather than the normal ACT Writing score (2-12), although this scaled Writing score is no longer reported to students on score reports (Source: Email communication with ACT Customer Care).

Unlike section-level subscores, the cross-test scores on the SAT and ACT are not really comparable, due to methodological differences (SAT cross-test scores use some items from Reading, Writing, and Math, while ACT cross-test scores use all items from selected sections). So if you get a high ACT STEM score, that's no guarantee you'd get an equally good "Analysis in Science" score on the SAT.

A Quick Note on College and Career Readiness Scores

These scores are only part of ACT score reports, so they’re not comparable across SAT and ACT, but I wanted to briefly mention them because the college benchmarks, at least, do show up on every student's score report (the career readiness information only shows up if students have previously completed ACT's Interest Inventory).

With college readiness benchmark and estimates of how well high school students are likely to do in introductory college courses like Freshman English or College Algebra, ACT, Inc. is trying to provide more guidance for high school students . This is admirable, but it's unclear whether or not the benchmarks twist the test into supporting interpretations that were never meant to be made and that the data do not support. Because the methodology used to calculate benchmarks and college readiness is not public (for instance, students can't see which Reading questions go into their " Arguments " benchmark score, or what constitutes a college " History " class for the purpose of benchmarks), it cannot be independently assessed for veracity and validity . Similarly, there has been no public research released thus far that shows supplying students with these benchmarks has any benefit.

In my personal opinion, these college and career readiness scores, absent empirical proof, are more likely to have a neutral or harmful effect than to provide any benefit. This is particularly true for scores that tell students they aren't REALLY interested in what they think they're interested in (as the Interest Inventory might), or inform students have no chance at succeeding in a field they are interested in (for instance, if they have <25% chance in getting above a C in Engineering but want to be an engineer).

My advice: Skip looking at the College and Career Readiness subscores and benchmarks . Until there's evidence that shows the ACT benchmarks are a more reliable predictor of college success than high school GPA , there's no point fretting over them.

No need to worry about the College and Career Readiness benchmarks.

Do Subscores Succeed?

In a very limited sense, subscores do succeed in their goal of providing more information about student achievement. In particular, subscores help students who can’t afford or don’t want to order Test Information Release (ACT) or Question and Answer Service/Student Answer Service (SAT).

Large discrepancies between subscores within a section are a sign that students have specific areas they can improve on and see a large impact in their scores ; for example, if you get 16% on statistics and probability and 100% on all other math subscores, then you can know with precision what's keeping your Math score down and what you have to work on to increase it. For the most part, though, there’s going to be some correlation among performance on subscores within a section (that’s why they’re in the same section – they’re testing related skills), and blips on the subscore percentages won’t tell you as much as looking at the individual questions you got wrong and determining why you got them wrong.

Cross-test subscores are more independent and so do provide unique information, but that information isn’t really useful to students in terms of test preparation. For instance, if a student gets 38/40 in “Analysis in History/Social Science” and 40/40 in “Analysis in Science” on the SAT, that might show where the student’s strengths lie, but it’s not an area that students can specifically target to improve on; any improvement on cross-test subscores has to come at a lower level, through students increasing their question-level or section-level knowledge.

College and career readiness subscores like the ones the ACT provides could potentially be helpful to students who have no idea what they want to study in college, but in all honesty there are better places to get guidance for that than your performance on a 4-hour standardized college entrance exam.

Bonus: Want to improve your SAT/ACT section scores? Check out our top guides for every single section of the SAT and ACT.

SAT 800 Score Guides: SAT Reading | SAT Writing | SAT Math | SAT Essay

ACT 36 Score Guides: ACT English | ACT Math | ACT Reading | ACT Science | ACT Essay

These are the very best guides available on boosting your SAT/ACT scores, section by section. They're written by Harvard grads and perfect SAT/ACT scorers. Don't disappoint yourself - read these guides and improve your score today.

What’s Next?

Pit the SAT and ACT against each other with our full breakdown of the differences and similarities between the SAT and ACT ; if you prefer a side by side comparison, then you'll prefer our SAT vs ACT comparison charts .

Scoring equally well on both tests and thinking about doubling down? Learn the best (and only) reasons to take both the SAT and ACT here .

Not sure which test to take? Read our guide on whether you should take the ACT or new 2016 SAT .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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