What is the Average SAT Score?

SAT Reasoning Test or the Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test, and now known as just SAT, is a common test that produces standardized scores, for admissions into various colleges in the United States. A student's performance on this test determines her/his eligibility into the different types of colleges in the US.

The SAT comprises of two sections, namely the Evident-based Reading and Writing Section and the Mathematics Section, with the total score ranging between 400-1600. The subjective score varies from 200-800, 800 being the highest an individual can achieve in a section. Let us know what average SAT scores for admission into various colleges are.

On the two sections of a SAT, the score ranges from 200-800. In order to calculate your SAT score, you need to know your Raw Score and the Score Conversion Table. The Raw Score is solely the number of questions that were answered correctly.

Once you have the Raw Score, you need to match it to the respective section in the Score Conversion Table. For the Evidence-based Reading and Writing section, you need to convert the scores of both the subsections, the Reading Test and the Writing Test, and multiply the result by 10. This is your final score of the section which will range between 200-800.

Similarly, for Mathematics section, you need to calculate the Raw Score, take the respective sectional value from the Table, multiply by 10 and obtain the final Sectional score. This, too, will range between 200-800. There is no deduction for any wrong answers or blanks in any of the sections.

In order to find out your Total SAT score, you need to add your Evidence-based Reading and Writing Score to the Mathematics Score. The final result thus obtained will be your Total SAT score.

Percentile is given to the candidates for the purpose of comparison with the rest. If a candidate obtains a percentile of 90, this implies that he fared better than 90% of the candidates.

In order to get admitted to a college of your choice, your test scores must clear their established cutoffs. The range of average SAT scores for various universities are as follows:

• Ivy League Universities: 1400-1600
• Top Private Universities: 1300-1500
• Top Public Universities: 1000-1300

While these are the requirements of the top universities in USA, the average score of students on the SAT is around 1060 out of 1600, and the score ranges per subject are as follows:

• Evidence-based Reading and Writing: 520-540
• Mathematics: 510-530

Some colleges do not only determine your overall SAT scores, but also the scores by subject. As such, performing well in one subject, but poorly in the other cannot be considered as your ticket to a good college.

You may reappear for the test if your scores aren't good enough. Each attempt of yours is included in the final SAT score that you will present to a college. The SAT can be taken numerous of times but only your last six scores will be considered while determining your final score during the admission process. This SAT score is exactly what it is, average.

Furthermore, the requirements of scores in different colleges varies greatly. If you want to get into a good college of your choice, you will have to find out these requirements, and the average figures perhaps will be rendered useless. If you want to perform better on the test, you have to start preparing well in advance.

A lot of students opt for special coaching to fare well in this test. If you need to use the available resources, you should leave no stones unturned in order to get into a college of your choice.

If the college deems you worthy enough, considering your scores, it is highly likely that the college will provide you with different scholarships to pursue your education and career. It is then, worthwhile to try to get into one of the best universities by working hard right from the start.