total sat score with essay

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.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Role: --- Student Parent/Guardian Counselor Other

Class Year: --- 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Other N/A

Popular Posts

• National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2025 April 8, 2024
• SAT and ACT Policies and Score Ranges for Popular Colleges and Universities May 10, 2024
• Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores November 20, 2023
• National Merit Scholarship Program Explained October 4, 2023
• Using digital PSAT Scores to Compare SAT and ACT October 23, 2023

Recent Posts

• Testing Policies in the Spotlight May 14, 2024
• Compass Hosts Counselor Symposia Featuring Admissions Veteran Jonathan Burdick May 3, 2024
• Unusual Surprise for the June ACT Online April 30, 2024

Previous Post SAT Subject Tests FAQ

Next post test prep in 10th grade: when does it make sense, 222 comments.

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.

By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy .

© 2024 Compass Education Group. SAT, PSAT, NMSC, National Merit, Merit Scholar, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, HSPT and AP are registered trademarks not owned by Compass Education Group. The trademark holders were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this website.

• OUR APPROACH
• DIGITAL SAT / PSAT
• ACADEMIC / STUDY SKILLS
• COLLEGE WRITING PREP
• HSPT / ISEE / SSAT / SHSAT
• ACT/SAT FUNDAMENTALS
• ALL CLASSES
• SAT, ACT, & PSAT
• SAT/ACT ESSENTIALS
• MATH SUMMER BRIDGE
• PROCTORED (In-Person or Live Online)
• INTERACTIVE (Online, On-Demand)
• DIGITAL ADAPTIVE (New for Class of ’25 & Beyond)
• SELF-ADMINISTERED
• RESOURCE CENTER
• COMPASS GUIDE
• PRIVACY POLICY

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

What is a Good SAT Essay Score?

Is your SAT score enough to get you into your dream school?

Our free chancing engine takes into consideration your SAT score, in addition to other profile factors, such as GPA and extracurriculars. Create a free account to discover your chances at hundreds of different schools.

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

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

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:

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!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

April 12, 2014

How Does the Essay Affect Your SAT Score?

Although the SAT essay is going to be optional before long (when the test changes in 2016), as of right now it’s a must. So, love it or hate it, your essay will influence your SAT score, and the admissions offices at the colleges you’ll apply to will see that score. So let’s answer one key question: how much does the SAT essay actually count for?

The Numbers

First, the essay is scored according to its own grading system. There will be two readers—real people, not a Scantron machine!—who read and judge your writing, each assigning a mark of zero to six. Zero is the worst (in case that wasn’t totally obvious), but it’s only used for the absolutely ungradable essays. If you write on a completely different topic than what’s assigned, for example, you will get a zero. That means no memorizing a fantastic essay ahead of time! You have to write on the topic they give you. You’d also get a zero if you wrote in another language, say, or simply put no clear thoughts on paper.

A six, on the other hand, is reserved for long, structured essays that are full of clear, concrete ideas, high-level vocabulary, and correct grammar. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s the gist.

After each reader goes through and marks your essay, the two scores will be added to give you a score of 0–12 (if you actually wrote anything remotely relevant, that’s 2–12).

Then that score, in turn, is added to the raw score from the Writing multiple-choice questions, since the essay is just a part of the Writing Section. The multiple-choice sections count for more points, altogether.

Then, once they have the raw total of your essay score and your multiple-choice score added up, they convert that score into the scaled, 200–800 score.

The Importance of the Essay

The scaled score is a little bit hard to explain—how it’s calculated, I mean—and it’s not worth really getting stuck talking about. All that matters is the zero to twelve score ends up affecting how many hundreds are in that scaled score. And I did say that the multiple-choice counts for more than the essay, but that doesn’t mean the essay isn’t important.

In truth, the SAT essay score counts for around 30% your total writing score—in the ballpark of 200 points, altogether. It’s not the only thing, but it’s a significant piece of the puzzle.

And what about those who say the essay doesn’t matter? Simply put, they’re usually wrong . Most schools were really skeptical of the Writing Section when this version of the SAT first debuted it back in 2005. And sure, some are still not totally signed on, but for the most part it does factor into your admissions. And 99% of the time, you’ll have no idea how much that lady who works in the admissions office cares about your Writing score—you’ll just have to trust that a high score is better than a low one.

And for that high score, you need to put some energy into preparing to write your essay!

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553 © 2022 Accepted

Tools & Calculators

Digital sat® score calculator.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 26, 2024

Are you preparing for the Digital SAT® (DSAT®) exam and curious about your potential score? You’ve come to the right place! With this interactive SAT® score calculator, you can predict how your raw score translates to your SAT® score to answer the common question, “Is my SAT® score good enough?”

Educators : Albert offers free trials to all qualified schools and districts!

SAT® Score Calculator

Enter your scores.

Reading and Writing Module 1

Reading and Writing Module 2

Math Module 1

Math Module 2

SAT® Reading Section

SAT® Writing Section

SAT® Math Section

Choose your score curve

Digital SAT® Legacy Pen-and-Paper

Looking for SAT® study materials for the new digital format?

What is the digital sat® when is the sat® going digital.

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.
• Adaptive Component: Your performance in Module 1 influences the difficulty of the questions in Reading and Writing Module 2, which also contains 27 questions. Your raw score here again depends on the number of correct answers.
• Scoring: The raw scores from both modules are combined and converted to your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section Score, ranging from 200 to 800.

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!

Interested in a school license?​

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what do sat subscores mean expert guide.

On first glance, your SAT score report may look completely confusing. Altogether, you’ll get a total of 15 distinct scores, or 18 if you take the essay section! While the scores are numerous, they're also helpful. They put your results under the microscope and give you detailed feedback about your performance.

This guide will demystify all these test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores so you can make the most out of your SAT score report. Let’s start with a glossary to help you keep track of all the different score types.

SAT Score Types: A Glossary

These are all the scores that you'll get on your SAT score report. You'll also find out what percentiles your scores represent , or how you did compared to other test-takers in your grade.

• Total score:  your two section scores added together.
• Section scores:  your Math score and your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score from 200 - 800.
• Test scores:  your Reading, Writing and Language, and Math scores; range from 10 to 40.
• SAT essay scores:  three scores for Reading, Analysis, and Writing, each between 2 and 8.
• Cross-test scores:  a score for Analysis in History/Social Studies and a score for Analysis in Science, both between 10 and 40.
• Subscores:   four subscores for skill areas in Reading and Writing and three for skill areas in Math; range between 1 and 15.

As you can see, there are several score types with various scales. But how do these score types add up to 15 (or 18 with the essay) scores? Check out the chart below for the full breakdown.

SAT Score Ranges: Full Breakdown

The most important scores for college and the ones with which you’re probably most familiar are your section and total scores. A perfect total score is 1600, and an average SAT score  falls somewhere around 1000. Regarding sections, perfect section scores are 800, and average section scores fall around 500.

While the new SAT scale should be relatively familiar to most students, the cross-test scores and subscores are a bit unusual. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly these scores measure and why they’re important to understand.

Like a weird hybrid pluot (plum + apricot), cross-test scores select from across sections to bring you an entirely new species of score. 

What Are SAT Cross-Test Scores?

Cross-test scores represent your performance on questions across all three sections, Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. College Board categorizes questions into certain skill areas. The two skill areas that you need to know about to understand cross-test scores are called Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science.

You might be surprised to learn that there are questions in Reading, Writing and Language, and Math that are considered to measure your Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science skills. These skill areas aren’t limited to one section, but rather pop up across the entire SAT.

In reading, Analysis in History/Social or Analysis in Science questions tend to be those based on History/Social Studies or Science passages , respectively. The same goes for the questions in Writing and Language. As for Math, these questions tend to be word problems or data interpretation questions based on graphics.

Here are a few example problems to show you which questions College Board categories as Analysis in History/Social Studies or Science.

These sample questions from Reading are all considered to test your  Analysis in History/Social Studies skills.   

This example from Writing and Language is categorized as Analysis in Science.

This example from Math is considered to be an Analysis in History/Social Studies question.  

You can find more examples by taking a look at the scoring guides to College Board’s free official SAT practice tests . Not only do they help you score your sections, but they also mark the questions that fall into these two skills categories. That way you can calculate your own cross-test scores as you grade your SAT practice tests. I’ll explain how to do this in more detail below, but first, let’s take a look at the other new score type on the SAT, subscores.

SAT subscores are like a photo taken with a macro lens; they reveal your performance in close, sharp detail. 

What Are SAT Subscores?

SAT subscores, like cross-test scores, measure your performance on questions that fall into certain skill areas. Unlike cross-test scores, subscores don’t mix and match questions between all three sections. You’ll get subscores for questions in Math and subscores for questions in Evidence-based Reading and Writing.

You’ll get seven SAT subscores. In Math, your subscores will measure these skill areas: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. In Evidence-based Reading and Writing, your subscores will measure Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Words in Context, and Command of Evidence.

Of course, you’re not expected to know automatically which questions fall into which skill areas. Let’s take a moment to define each. You can also check out our  more detailed guides with sample questions for each section and skill area.

What Are the Seven Subscore Skill Areas?

First, we’ll consider the three skill areas in Math, followed by the four skill areas in Evidence-based Reading and Writing .  

#1: Heart of Algebra . These math questions ask you to solve linear equation and linear inequalities, interpret linear functions, and solve linear equation, inequality, or function word problems.

#2: Problem Solving and Data Analysis . These math questions ask you to calculate rates, ratios, and percentages, interpret scatterplots and tables, and draw conclusions from collections of data.

#3: Passport to Advanced Math . These questions ask you to solve quadratic equations, interpret nonlinear expressions, interpret nonlinear equation graphs, solve operations with polynomials, and solve quadratic and exponential word problems.

#4: Expression of Ideas . These (typically Writing) questions ask you to make word choice or structural changes to improve a passage’s organization or impact.

#5: Standard English Conventions : These (typically Writing) questions ask about grammar, usage, sentence structure, and punctuation.

#6: Words in Context . In Reading, these questions ask you to interpret the meaning of a word or phrase or determine how word choice shapes meaning, style, and tone. In Writing, they ask you to add or change a word to improve meaning.

#7: Command of Evidence . These questions are varied. In Reading, they may ask you to state your evidence for your answer to a previous question or to identify how an author uses evidence to support her claims. In Writing, these questions typically ask you to improve the way a passage develops information and ideas. In both sections, they might ask about the relationship between a passage and its accompanying informational graphic.

All of these subscores, along with the cross-test scores and other score types discussed, will show up on your SAT score report. However, they’re not for your eyes only. Your prospective colleges that you’ve indicated as score recipients will also get to see all your scores. These score types are new this year, so how are colleges going to use them as they evaluate you as an applicant?

Just how crucial are your cross-test scores and subscores for college? As it stands now, not very.

How Do Colleges Use Your SAT Cross-Test Scores and Subscores?

According to College Board , your detailed score report is great at “highlighting your strengths and showing colleges that you’ve been building the skills and knowledge you need for college and career.” They’re meant to show that you have skills like Analysis in Science and Command of Evidence to do well in college courses and life in general after high school.

At this point, though, it doesn’t appear that your cross-test or subscores are particularly important for colleges. Many colleges are still catching up to the changes in the new SAT and figuring out which test they’ll accept for Class of 2017 and Class of 2018 students. For now, your section and total scores remain the most important metric for applying to college and determining whether your SAT scores make you a competitive applicant .

Even though these cross-test scores and subscores don’t seem particularly important for college yet, they can still play a very influential role in your SAT prep.  

How Are SAT Cross-Test Scores and Subscores Useful?

It may be tempting to look past these cross-test scores and subscores as unimportant, but they can actually be quite useful as feedback for your SAT prep. If you’re retaking the SAT, then you can use these scores to figure out your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. If you haven’t taken the SAT yet, then you can calculate these scores on your SAT practice tests to get the same information.

For instance, you may be looking to raise your EBRW score . Your subscores may show that you’re solid on Expression of Ideas questions, but need to study grammar and usage rules to do better on Standard English Conventions questions. On Math , you may be strong on questions in Heart of Algebra and Passport to Advanced Math questions, but need to focus your prep on Problem Solving and Data Analysis problems. Your cross-test scores and subscores point out the question types and skill areas that you should study to maximize your improvement for next time.

As mentioned above, you don’t have to wait until you take the official SAT to get this kind of feedback. You can take the time to calculate your cross-test scores and subscores on your own from SAT practice tests.

Figuring out your cross-test scores and subscores can be time-consuming, but it's well worth it if you're prepping for the SAT.

How to Calculate Your Cross-Test Scores and Subscores from Practice Tests

To score your practice tests, you can consult their accompanying scoring guide. As it turns out, the guide also labels the questions that fall into the various skill areas pertinent to cross-test scores and subscores, like Analysis in Science, Words in Context, and Heart of Algebra. For instance, this example is taken from the scoring guide  to College Board's SAT Practice Test 1 and tells you which questions fall into the Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science skills categories: 

First, you use your practice test's scoring guide to identify the relevant questions in a skill area. Then you calculate your raw score by simply adding one point for every correct answer. If you’re calculating your raw score for Words in Context questions, for example, then you would locate these questions with the help of the scoring guide and answer key and add one point for every one you answered correctly.

Then you can consult official conversion tables to convert your raw scores into scale scores. As you read above, your cross-test scores get converted into a scale from 10 to 40. Your subscores get converted to a scale between 1 and 15. Below are the cross-test score and subscore conversion tables provided by College Board .

SAT Cross-Test Score Conversion Table (10 - 40)  

SAT Subscore Conversion Table (10 - 15)

For an even more detailed list of step by step instructions for calculating your cross-test scores and subscores, you should consult our  comprehensive guide on SAT scoring . While this process may feel a bit tedious and time-consuming, it can really be worth it. These scores can give you invaluable insight into your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker and help you prep smarter for your next test.

Your SAT score report may look like a bunch of confusing numbers at first, but hopefully, now you understand what all those scores mean. Your total scores will fall between 400 and 1600. Your section scores for Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing range between 200 and 800.

Your cross-test scores and subscores dig deeper into your performance, revealing how well you did on specific skill areas and question types. Cross-test scores, as their name indicates, sample questions across all three subjects. Subscores shed light on questions from Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing.

While these specific scores don’t seem to be particularly important for colleges yet, they will appear on your SAT score reports and be visible to admissions officers. For now, they’re most useful as feedback for your skills as a test-taker and areas for growth.

Whether you’re looking at your official SAT score report or grading your own practice tests, you should take the time to interpret these scores. The insight they reveal into your strengths and weaknesses can be invaluable feedback as you sharpen your skills for the SAT.

What’s Next?

At this point, all students will be taking the redesigned SAT.  If you're one of them, check out our comprehensive guide on how to study for the new SAT . You can also find lots of helpful strategies and study tip by section here .

Just as cross-test scores and subscores can help you study in the most effective way, so too can taking the time to analyze your mistakes. Check out this guide to learn why studying your mistakes is the secret to boosting your scores and how to do it in the most effective way .

Are you wondering how many hours of prep time you need to achieve your target scores? This 6 step guide helps you figure out exactly how long you need to study for the SAT to meet your goals.

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”