The wait for SAT results—whether from a real test administration or from a practice test—can be stressful. Once you actually receive your scores though, how can you interpret them, and how are they calculated?
Understanding your SAT score
Having a firm grasp on how the SAT is scored is important so that you can form an effective test strategy. Here's what you should know:
- You will receive two section scores: a verbal score and a math score. Each section is scored on a scale of 200-800.
- Your composite score will be the sum of the two section scores. For example, i if you receive a verbal score of 580 and a math score of 610, your composite score will be 580 + 610 = 1190.
- The SAT is an adaptive test. This means that the first module of a section will contain questions with a wide range of difficulty levels, and your performance on that section will determine whether the second module in the section contains mostly easy, medium, or hard questions. It also means that your performance in that first module will have a large impact on your overall section score
- Not every question is worth the same number of points. Harder questions will be worth more than easier questions, so it's entirely possible for two students to answer the same number of questions correctly in each section and receive very different section scores.
- You are not penalized for incorrect answers.
How does SAT scoring affect test strategy?
The adaptive nature of the SAT can make time management a little tricky in some cases. If you perform well on the first module of a section, your second module will be more difficult, so the questions will require more time to solve. As a result, if you've breezed through the first module, you may be lulled into feeling that you have plenty of time in the second one. Beware of your timing and keep moving! For more information about how the exam structure impacts test strategy, check out
our blog on adaptive testing.
Additionally, because there are no penalty points for incorrect answers, you should absolutely guess on every question. Never leave an answer blank. If you reach the point at which you have less than one minute remaining and realize that you don't have enough time to finish a section, stop whatever you're doing and enter answers for all of the remaining questions. You may be surprised at the number of additional points you earn!
Need more individualized advice?
The recommendations above are general suggestions. If you have specific questions, reach out to our experts here. We’re happy to help in any way we can.