sat essay subscores range

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Digital SAT Reading and Writing

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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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SAT Score Range: How to Break Down Your Score

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If the SAT score scale confuses you, don’t worry—you are not alone. At a high-level, your SAT score is on a scale of 400-1600. However, the College Board includes a lot of numbers on your score report in an attempt to accurately capture your performance in as many knowledge areas as possible. In this post, we identify each score scale presented on an SAT score report and discuss how you should interpret them.

What Is the Middle 50% Score Range for Colleges?

Colleges want qualified students to apply, and one way they signal who is competitive is by posting an Academic Profile of the most recently accepted first-year students on the admissions website. Here are a couple examples from Boston University and the University of California, Los Angeles . 

As part of the Academic Profile for recently accepted first-year students, schools often include a range of SAT scores for students who achieved the middle 50% of scores. There will always be some students with uncharacteristically low SAT scores that the school admits due to the other strengths of their profile. By contrast, some accepted students have scores much higher than their peers. In making the middle 50% of SAT scores public, schools offer new applicants a rough sense of how competitive they will be while still leaving room for scores above and below their stated SAT range.

You can use these middle 50% of SAT scores to gauge how competitive your application would be at any number of colleges and universities. Let’s use Boston University as our example.

Its accepted students’ middle 50% of SAT scores were 1420–1530. To have BU as a reach school, you should aim for a score within the middle 50% of SAT scores. For BU, that would mean scoring above a 1420. If you do not fit within that range, you certainly should still apply! In fact, 25% of admitted students gained acceptance with scores lower than the published range. Simply acknowledge going in that other aspects of your application must be exceptional in order for you to be offered admission.

If you want to situate BU as your target school, aim for the upper half of the published score range. In the case of BU, the middle of 1420–1530 is 1475, so round up to 1480. A student who wanted to make BU their target school would look at those numbers and say, “Alright, I want an SAT score of at least 1480, ideally something a little higher.”

For safety schools, your SAT score should be at or above the highest score in the range. You should not call BU a safety school unless your SAT score is at or above 1530.

To review….

Build your SAT score goal off three or four Academic Profiles for what you hope will be target schools. Of that initial list of desired target schools, select the one with the highest SAT score range, then aim for the score that would put your SAT in the upper half of scores for accepted students at that school.

What Is the SAT Scoring Scale?

The overall SAT is scored on a scale of 400–1600. You may be wondering why scores are given on this scale. After all, you did not have to answer 1600 questions, so where does the number 1600 come from? Some versions of the SAT are slightly harder than others. It would be unfair for students who happened to sit for the test on a more difficult day to receive lower scores. For that reason, the College Board does not focus on raw scores—the number of questions each student got correct.

Instead, the College Board scales raw scores to fit a normal distribution curve. For every test, the same percentage of 1600s, 1500s, etc. are given as compared with all previous tests. The 1600 scale is purposefully arbitrary—it would be impossible to confuse a scaled score out of 1600 with a raw score out of 154 (the number of questions on an SAT).

But wait—you may say—what about all these other numbers on my score report? Once we get away from the overall score out of 1600, understanding SAT score scales gets a bit tricky. Here’s a chart where you can follow along as we break down each score in detail.

The Mathematics Section is based on a scale of 200–800. This score is added to your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score to get your overall SAT score.

The Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) Section uses that same 200–800 scale.

The two EBRW Subsections are Reading and Writing & Language. These are each scored on a scale of 1–40. To get your total EBRW score, simply add your two subsection scores together and multiply by ten.

Mathematics has a Subsection, also called Mathematics. This is scored on a 10–40 scale as well, essentially so that there is symmetry between the two major sections of the SAT.

All other subscores have no impact on your overall SAT score of 1600. These other scores simply exist to highlight your academic strengths and weaknesses.

The optional Essay Section is a three-number score, and each of those numbers falls in the 2–8 range. For example, the lowest Essay score is a 2–2–2, while the highest possible score is an 8–8–8.

The optional Essay Subsections are Reading, Analysis, and Writing. Two readers grade your response on a 1–4 point scale in these three categories. Their grades are then added to give you Reading, Analysis, and Writing subscores in the 2–8 range. The overall Essay Section score is a list of your three subscores in that same order: Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

Additional subscores are awarded by concept area. Throughout the test, questions in each section are tagged as being related to certain concept areas. Your raw score of the total number of questions you get right for each concept is converted to a scaled score in the 1–15 range.

In Mathematics, the concept areas are Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math.

In EBRW, the concept areas are Expression of Ideas, Standard of English Conventions, Words in Context, and Command of Evidence. 

Cross-section scores are awarded by subject area. On the SAT, questions in Mathematics and EBRW are tagged whenever they also assess another key subject area, such as history or science. Your raw score on these subject area questions is scaled to 1–40.

Analysis in History/Social Studies is one of the cross-section subject areas.

Analysis in Science is the other cross-section subject area.

In addition to all these section, subsection, concept area, and cross-sectional scores, the SAT offers percentile rankings . Your percentile ranking for each category reveals how you performed relative to your peers. For every one hundred students who take the SAT, “X” students scored lower than you, with “X” being your percentile ranking.

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How to Understand Your SAT Score

While the SAT scoring system is complicated, each section and subsection gives you valuable information on where your knowledge stands in relation to that of your peers. Your section scores in Math, EBRW (Verbal), and the optional Essay can answer your big picture question, “Am I performing at the level where I want to be?”

To give a low-end baseline, by the time you apply to college, you will want to clear the College Board’s college readiness benchmarks. The College Board states that students who score at or above 530 in Mathematics are ready to move onto college. For Verbal, it believes that students who receive a 480 or higher are prepared to continue their education. At a minimum, competitive college applicants should aim to clear these college readiness benchmarks.

Additionally, for your overall SAT score, you’ll want to score as high as you can in each section, ideally with a balanced score. Aim to bring your Math and Verbal score within 50 points of each other. To put it in other words, if you think you can achieve a 700 in Math, you want to receive at least a 650 in the Verbal section.

If you want to improve one of these section scores, take a look at your subsection, concept area, and cross-section scores. These numbers will give you a sense of how to customize your test preparation to build your weaknesses into strengths.

Look for low scores to identify weaknesses. Is your Writing & Language score ten points lower than your Reading score? Then invest more time in that area. Is your “Passport to Advanced Math” score a 5, while your other two concept areas in Math are double digits? Consider reviewing questions that lay the foundation for Advanced Math. Is your Analysis in Science score half the value of your Analysis in History/Social Studies score? If so, devote additional time and attention to SAT passages that focus on scientific study.

Additionally for the optional Essay section, aim for a score that roughly aligns with your overall SAT score. Try to match the percentile of your overall SAT with the percentile ranking of your Essay score in each subsection.

Source: College Board and CollegeVine data analysis

How do i set my sat score goal.

To thrive with your college applications, you should aim for a score that is as high as possible and as balanced as you can make it. To review, here are the questions to ask yourself as you set an SAT score goal:

• For Math, this means scoring above a 530.
• For Verbal, your score should exceed 480.
• Is my Math score within 50 points of my Verbal score?
• Am I in the top 50% of scorers for my most competitive target school?

If you see your score faltering in certain areas, take advantage of the many concept and subject break-downs provided in your SAT score report as you prepare for your next test date.

At the end of the day, remember that your SAT is only one part of the bigger picture. Do your best to earn a score that reflects your potential. At the same time, remember that your SAT score is merely one star in the constellation of factors that make you stand out in the admissions process.

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What is a Good Score on the SAT Essay?

by Christian | Dec 24, 2017 | SAT Prep | 0 comments

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Are you getting ready to take the SAT test and wondering “what is a good SAT essay score?” Well, you’re in exactly the right place to study the SAT Essay with a perfect-scoring veteran SAT tutor! Let’s get into it…

What is a Good SAT Essay Score?

So, this article is chock-full of useful info, but let’s get the original question out of the way first. What is a good SAT Essay score?

Well. you have to understand the SAT Essay scoring system to fully understand the question (more details on that below). But for now, let’s just say a pretty “good” SAT Essay score is anything above about a 19 (out of a maximum of 24 points).

Now let me be clear - an 19 would be on the lowest-possible end for what I’d consider basically a “good” SAT Essay score. That’s definitely not a  great SAT Essay score. But it does put you somewhere around the top 20% of students.

If you can get above 22 out of 24,  now you’re looking at an excellent SAT essay score. Of course, shooting for a perfect 24 on your essay is the ideal goal!

But wait a second - let’s back up a bit. What exactly  is the SAT Essay, anyway?

What is the SAT Essay?

Ok, so now you have some idea what a good SAT Essay score is. But what  is the SAT Essay?

Good question. Well, the SAT Essay is an “optional” 50-minute writing assignment , given at the end of the SAT test. Each SAT Essay assignment includes a unique reading passage. But, although the reading passage will change for each test, the prompt and essay task itself is always the same.

In essence, you must provide a “ rhetorical analysis ” of the reading passage. Instead of  responding to the author’s arguments, you are meant to  analyze those arguments and judge their effectiveness at convincing the author’s audience.

You’ll be graded in three key areas:

• Reading (Do you demonstrate an understanding of the passage?)
• Analysis (Do you successfully complete the analytical task you’ve been given?)
• Writing (Is your own essay well-written on every level?)

Now’s not the right time to get into deep strategies or rules for better SAT Essay scores. Luckily, we’ve produced an entire SAT Essay course that will teach you everything you need to know - fast. Click here to get access to download the course from anywhere in the world.

How is Your SAT Essay Scored?

So, how will your SAT Essay be scored? Well, it’s actually kind of interesting, and it’s important to know if you want a great score.

The SAT Essay is the  only section of the test that is graded by humans (that’s also why there’s a small additional charge to register for the SAT Essay).

Each of the two essay graders will quickly read your essay. They’ll follow a specific grading rubric to give you a subscore in each of the three subcategories: Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

These subscores range from a “1” at the lowest to a “4” at the top. With three subscores, that means each grader can give you anywhere from a “3” to a “12” at the highest. Both graders will give you their own set of subscores, which puts your final score between a “6” at the very lowest, and a “24” for a perfect SAT Essay.

There’s a lot more you need to know about the SAT Essay to excel, but this should at least give you an idea how your writing will be graded.

What is an Average SAT Essay Score?

How about if you’re a student who’s not looking for a  great SAT Essay score, but just an “average” score? What is an average SAT Essay score, anyway?

Well, there will always be a little bit of flex from test to test, but the typical “average” SAT Essay score is a 14 out of 24. Mathematically, the average “should” be a 15 out of 24, which is right in the middle. But, in real life, the overall average actually comes out at 14.

Where does that missing point disappear to? It turns out that many high schoolers struggle with the “Analysis” subscore of the SAT Essay. Probably that’s because they don’t prepare enough for this very specific writing assignment. Then, on test day, the “average” student doesn’t know  exactly what they must do for the Analysis subscore and they lose points. Make sure that’s not you!

What is a Bad SAT Essay Score?

This brings us to a question that’s not exactly fun: “What is a bad SAT Essay score?”

Personally, I dislike negativity - even the worst SAT Essay score is simply a chance to study, practice, and improve!

Still, it’s definitely possible to get a “bad” SAT Essay score. Since you’re using this score as part of your competition to get accepted into college , a bad SAT Essay score is simply any score that keeps you out of your favorite college.

Therefore, we definitely don’t want to be down in the bottom half of SAT Essay scores (a 15 or below).

Even worse would be dropping to a 12 or below. That means you’re only getting “2’s” on your subscores from both graders - definitely not where you want your score to be if you’re looking seriously at most decent colleges (at least the ones that require SAT Essay scores).

Wait up a second - did I just say “the colleges that require SAT Essay scores”? Does that mean that  not all students need to take the SAT Essay? Read on to find out…

Is the SAT Essay Section Required?

So, considering that the SAT Essay will add some extra stress, time, and work to your testing day, is the essay even considered a mandatory section of the SAT test?

Well, the truth is that the SAT Essay is an “optional” section. You can select to register for the test with or without the essay section. It’s an easy choice during the official SAT registration process. There’s a small additional fee to take the SAT test with the Essay, but as a pro tutor it’s something I consider important for most students.

While it’s true that not every student needs to take the SAT Essay, it’s usually better to be safe than sorry. After all, if you realize later that you  did need an SAT Essay score for your college applications, you’ll have to take the  entire SAT test again, just for a single chance at the essay at the end of the test!

This leads right into the next question about the SAT Essay….

Does Your SAT Essay Score Even Matter?

Now, here’s the million-dollar question: does your SAT Essay score even matter, in the big scheme of things?

Well, I wish I could give you a short answer to that. But the truth is, it depends on your priorities in life .

If you’re applying to Harvard for a Creative Writing degree, then a bad SAT Essay score is really going to hurt your chances.

But, if you’re applying to one of the many schools that does  not look at your SAT Essay score, then of course your essay scores won’t matter a single bit - even if they’re perfect.

Most students will fall somewhere in-between. For example, some of the colleges you apply to will “require” you to submit some SAT Essay scores, but they won’t  really look to hard at your essay scores.

In other words, many colleges do consider your SAT Essay, but few schools put a tremendous weight on the significance of your Essay score.

Your SAT Essay score tends to matter more and more for each of the points below:

• Applying to “elite” colleges and universities.
• Applying for writing or literary degrees.
• Applying to many schools that require an SAT Essay score.

How Do You Get a Good Score on Your SAT Essay?

First things first - to cut to the chase for a much higher score on your SAT essay, click here and get our complete SAT Essay course . It’s our premier course on the SAT and ACT Essay from a perfect-scoring veteran tutor, and it’s available for instant download anywhere in the world.

Here are the keys to a higher SAT Essay score:

• Knowing of the SAT essay scoring system.
• Using a clear and dependable essay-writing strategy.
• Writing multiple practice SAT essays on different prompts.
• Focusing hard and using every available minute on test day.

Each of these bullet points (and much more) are covered in deep strategic detail in our SAT Essay course . So get it today - it will help, trust me. Best of all, the course is covered with a 100% money-back guarantee, so you really can’t go wrong.

If you’re looking for more free info on the SAT Essay, start with this article . Our free blog articles won’t be quite as well-organized or thorough as our complete essay course, but we’ve still published plenty of useful info to keep you busy!

Get Higher SAT Essay Scores Today!

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SAT General Info

One question that often comes up as you begin studying for the SAT is this: how on earth is this thing scored? Or more specifically, how are the raw scores you earn from each section turned into those neat numbers between 200 and 800 you see on the score report?

This article breaks down how the SAT is scored, section by section. You will learn how your raw score becomes a scaled score and how you can use that information to your advantage. After all, a strong understanding of the exam can give you an edge on the SAT.

The SAT has two big sections—Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), and Math. You can earn a scaled score of between 200 and 800 points on each section, for a total of 1600 possible points on the SAT .

The scaled score of between 200 and 800 is converted from the raw score you earn on each section. Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly . Skipped or wrong questions do not add or subtract from your raw score.

So how do those raw scores become scaled scores? It happens through a process that College Board calls 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.”

In other words, equating is not curving your score relative to other test takers on the day you take the test. Equating controls for slight variations in different SAT dates to ensure that scaled scores represent the same level of ability across different test dates.

For example, a 600 on SAT Math in March has to represent the same ability level as a 600 on SAT Math in May. So if the May test turns out to be more difficult for students, the raw-score to scaled-score calculation will be adjusted so that a slightly lower raw score still nets a 600 scaled score.

Since the equating formula changes from test to test to keep the scores equal, there is no way to know for sure how a certain raw score will translate to a scaled score . However, the College Board releases raw score to scaled score ranges to give you an idea of what level of raw score you need to get to certain scaled score numbers.

While there are not confirmed score range tables available yet, we can use the raw to scaled score tables included in College Board’s free SAT practice tests for a sense of how raw scores become scaled scores on the Redesigned SAT.

You'll notice as you look at the tables that they differ slightly: for example, a raw score of 57 gets you a perfect 800 on Test 4 but not Test 1. This is because, as we discussed above, each test is equated so that despite slight differences in difficulty, an 800 on one test means the same as an 800 on another test. In this case, the Math section on Test 4 is slightly harder, so you can only miss one point and still get an 800.

And don’t worry—we will explain scoring for each section in depth so you’ll know exactly how to use these tables.

 Test 1 Score Conversion Table

Test 4 Score Conversion Table

Next, we will break down the mechanics of scoring section-to-section, to help you best prepare for each part of the test.

Calculating Your Math Section Score

Finding your score on SAT Math is relatively straightforward. I'll walk you step-by-step through finding your raw score to calculating your final scaled score between 200 and 800.

#1: Figure out your raw score on each of the two math sections (No Calculator and Calculator) . This is just the total amount of questions you answered correctly.

The No Calculator section has 20 possible points, while the Calculator section has 38 possible points. Blank or wrong questions do not count for or against you. For the Grid-In answers, where you fill in the answer rather than choosing A, B, C, or D, remember that there can be a few different ways to write the same answer (for example, 3/5 could also be written as 0.6).

#2: Add your No-Calculator raw score to your Calculator raw score. This is your final Math raw score. The highest possible raw score is 58.

#3: Using the table for your practice test, find the scaled score of 200-800 your raw score matches to.

  Via College Board's Scoring Your Practice Test 1 .

#4: What if you're not using one of College Board's practice tests? If you’re scoring questions from a practice test without a raw score to scaled score table, or you just want to know how many raw points you would need for a certain score, look at both tables to come up with an estimate.

For example, when I look at Table 4, I see that a raw score of 40 on that test would have gotten me a 670! Based on that, I know if I get a raw score of 40 on Math, I can bet on a final score in the low- to mid-600s. We'll talk more about how to come up with raw score goals later in the post!

Calculating Your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Score

#2: Find your raw score on the Writing section. This is just the total amount of questions you answered correctly. Blank or wrong questions do not count for or against you. The highest raw score possible is 44.

#3: Find your Reading “scaled score” on the table. This is a number between 10 and 40.

#4: Find your Writing “scaled score” on the table. This is a number between 10 and 40.

Via College Board's Scoring Your Practice Test 1 .

#5: Add your Reading and Writing scaled scores together. You’ll get a number between 20 and 80.

#6: Multiply your scaled score by 10. This is your final scaled score between 200 and 800.

Finally, I can calculate my total SAT composite score, since I know my Math score (610) and my EBRW score (640). I simply add them together to get the composite: 610 + 640 = 1250. Not too shabby!

But wait, there's more! The SAT also gives you a number of subscores : two that rate your ability in different subjects (History/Social Studies and Science), and seven that break down the Math, Reading, and Writing sections into more specific (and creatively-named!) skills, for example, "Heart of Algebra." You can read in-depth about the subscores here .

We’ll explain here how to calculate these various subscores—and also talk a bit about why they’re not as important as your main section scores.

Cross-Test Scores: Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science

To calculate your cross-test scores, you need to have access to a detailed answer key that marks which questions fall under which cross-score categories , since they will come from all different sections of the test. If you take the College Board's free practice tests (linked above), then you can use their answer keys, which are quite detailed.

Find the questions marked as History/Social Studies and Science in the answer key. Next, find your raw score for each category—simply total up how many questions you got right. This can be a bit tedious, since you have to count up questions from different sections. College Board's answer keys come with a table to help you do this.

Via College Board's Scoring Your Practice Test 1 .  

Finally, use their table to calculate your final scaled score, between 10 and 40, for each subject area, History/Social Science and Science, based on the raw scores you found. Unlike EBRW, you do not combine these two scores and multiply them for a final scaled score between 200 and 800. They simply stand alone as indicators of your Science and Social Science skills.

Subject-Specific Subscores

You can also calculate subscores for seven other areas: Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, Words in Context, and Command of Evidence. These subscores give you more fine-grained information about your performance within Math and EBRW.

You find these subscores using the same process: find the questions marked as belonging to those categories, total up your raw score for each category, and then use the conversion table to find your scaled scores. It can definitely be tedious to calculate all of these on your own, since there are seven categories, but it can be worth it to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker , as we will discuss below.

  An example of how to find the relevant questions to calculate a subscore. Via College Board's Scoring Your Practice Test 1 .

The final conversion table for finding your subscores. Via College Board's Scoring Your Practice Test 1 .

How Much Do My Subscores Matter?

In terms of how your SAT score is perceived, the subscores aren’t very important. Colleges are looking most closely at your composite score, and then at the two main section scores (EBRW and Math). They may look at your subscores for more info or context about your performance, but they’re not nearly as important.

Colleges are more likely to rely on just the basic composite (1600) and main section scores (out of 800) to compare your scores with other applicants.

However, your SAT subscores can be very helpful for you. Why? They can give you major clues as to where to focus your prep.

For example, say that when you calculate your math subscores and notice that you missed over half of the “ Passport to Advanced Math ” questions, despite getting the other questions mostly correct. That’s a big hint that you are struggling with some higher-level math concepts, and you should study them carefully before retaking the test.

So even though it's tedious, if you're not getting the scores you want on practice exams, take the time to calculate your subscores —both the cross-subject scores and the section subscores—to figure out where you're going wrong and to focus your studying more carefully.

What About the Essay?

Unlike the old SAT, on the new SAT, your essay score is totally separate and not combined with your final composite score in any way. (You could technically score a perfect 1600 even with a subpar essay—not that we recommend blowing the essay off, as we will discuss below!).

As for how your essay is graded, it will receive three scores between 2 and 8: one score for Reading, one for Analysis, and one for Writing. A 2 is the lowest score for any category, while 8 is the highest.

• Reading will judge how well you read through and understood the passage the essay is about and how well you demonstrate that understanding in your essay.
• Analysis will judge how well you analyze the passage in relation to the prompt and how solid (or not) your argument is.
• Writing will judge how strong your essay is from a construction standpoint: in other words, is it logical? Does it flow well? Do you use good grammar and spelling?

Two readers (as in, two flesh and blood people!) will read your essay, and give the Reading, Analysis, and Writing parts of your essay a score from 1 to 4. Those scores will then be added together for the three final scores of between 2 and 8. You can read a complete SAT essay rubric in case you’re curious about how exactly the essay will be graded.

How To Use This Information

So, now that you’re an expert on how the SAT is scored, how can you use this information to your advantage? We have identified four key ways in which understanding SAT scores can help you make a smart study plan and improve your score.

#1: Develop Targeted Raw Scores

You can use College Board’s raw-to-scaled score tables to help develop a target raw score for each section. For example, if you want to crack 700 on Math, you should aim for at least a 45, though 50 is the safest bet.

If you want to get to at least a 700 on EBRW, since it combines Reading and Writing, you can play around a bit with your raw score goals. For example, you could aim to get a scaled score of 35 on each section, for a total of 70. In this case, you would go for 45 raw points on Reading and 39 raw points on Writing.

But say you are really confident about the Writing section but less confident on Reading. You could go for a perfect 40 on Writing and aim for 30 on Reading and still get a 70, a.k.a. 700, overall. In that case, you would aim for all 44 raw points on Writing and 36 raw points on reading.

So no matter what your score goals are, using the tables to find the raw scores you need helps make your studying more concrete and manageable. Knowing how many raw points you need gives you a much better sense of how to approach each section.

(By the way, if you're wondering what SAT score you should aim for you should read our guide to what a good SAT score is .)

#2: Guess Aggressively

Since the Redesigned SAT doesn’t have a guessing penalty, make sure to answer every single question on every single section —even if it means filling in random bubbles if you run out of time at the end of the test. At best, you’ll pick up an extra raw point or two, at worst, you won’t gain any. But you will not be hurt at all by guessing , so it’s worth the shot!

Remember: if you're leaving blank bubbles on your SAT answer sheet, you're basically throwing away free raw points.

#3: Don't Sweat the Essay... But Don't Brush It Off, Either

Since the essay doesn’t factor into your final composite score, don’t devote too much of your SAT study time on it. Having the highest composite score possible is important both for admission to selective schools and for getting merit scholarships .

However, you shouldn’t swing the other way and completely bomb the essay. Colleges will be able to read your essay when your SAT scores are sent, so you want it to represent your sincerest effort. Especially since colleges have the essay as an example of your writing, you want it to be good quality so that your carefully edited essays don't look like they were written by someone else.

Bottom line: your overall composite score is much more important than the essay, and as long as your essay score isn’t drastically different than your composite, you’ll be fine.

#4: Do Sweat the Math Section

Since Math is exactly half of your composite score, it’s more important than ever to study hard for it. Unlike the old SAT, on which Math was just 1/3 of your total composite, on the current SAT, Math can absolutely make or break your score.

To take an example, let's look at two hypothetical students. Student A does perfectly on Reading and Writing, scoring a perfect 40 on each section for a composite of 800. However, he stumbles a bit on Math, getting a composite of 600. Student A's final composite is 1400.

Student B, meanwhile, does perfectly on Math, with a score of 800, and Reading, with a scaled score of 40. However, she stumbles a bit on writing and only gets a scaled score of 30. Her final EBRW scaled score is a 70 (40 + 30), meaning that she ends up with an EBRW composite of 700. So Student B's final composite score is a 1500, significantly higher!

The message here isn't to neglect studying for Reading and Writing. It is still important to do very well on both sections for a strong EBRW score. However, you can see that out of the three sections, Math carries the most weight , so it's very important to do well on Math for a strong final composite score.

What's Next?

Did the last section freak you out? If you don't consider yourself a math person, don't panic! We have the ultimate guide for SAT Math including practice problems and key strategies to help you do well.

By the way, we believe anyone can be a math person! To find out how, check out this article on getting perfect grades in high school from our resident Harvard alum. Not only does this guide have great advice for improving your grades, it also explains the concept of a "growth mindset" and why having this mindset is key to doing well, even in subjects you think you're not good at.

Get the complete lowdown on the Redesigned SAT with our complete guide to the New SAT . In this post we break down new question types, new strategies, and new challenges that you may face on the SAT beginning in March 2016.

What SAT score should you aim for? We take you step by step through figuring out your SAT target score. This is a crucial step to be able to figure out the raw scores you need for each section and to make a comprehensive study plan.

Need more help with SAT Prep? Send your parent or guardian our guide to the SAT to get them thinking about the test prep process.

Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.

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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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