{"id":7194,"date":"2024-11-27t01:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-11-27t09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/sat\/?p=7194"},"modified":"2024-11-27t14:15:57","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27t22:15:57","slug":"sat-scores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/sat\/sat-scores\/","title":{"rendered":"good sat scores and average sat scores (2024-2025): the complete guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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this article has everything you need to know about sat scores for the 2024-2025 academic year and beyond:<\/p>\n
what’s an average sat score? whether you are a student, a parent, or an administrator, we’ll guide you through what you need to know to analyze sat scores or set a goal score. <\/p>\n according to the college board’s most recent data, the average 2024 sat score was 1024 (out of a possible 1600).<\/strong> <\/p>\n a score of 1350 and above is generally considered to be a very good sat score<\/strong> as it puts you in the top 10% of test takers. <\/p>\n but here’s the thing \u2013 these are just numbers. your score is just one snapshot of your academic potential. the sat isn’t a measure of your intelligence or a crystal ball predicting your future. it’s just one piece of the college admissions puzzle.<\/p>\n so what makes a good sat score for you depends on your goals. the more competitive your dream schools are, the higher your target score should be. for fall 2025 admissions and beyond, many of the highest-ranked colleges and universities now require test scores. a good sat score can also land you a scholarship at many others. but it’s also important to remember that over 80% of colleges and universities have test-optional or test-free admissions policies, meaning you don’t have to submit sat scores to get in.<\/p>\n so the answer to what makes a good sat score is a lot more nuanced than the national averages. by the end of this article, you should have all the information you need to make an informed decision about what sat scores mean for you. <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n additional data:<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n average sat scores have declined a bit in recent years. <\/p>\n the average sat score in 2024 was 1024.<\/strong> <\/p>\n in 2023, the average sat score was 1028. <\/p>\n in 2022, the average sat score was 1050, and in 2021, it was 1060. <\/p>\n some researchers point to pandemic learning loss as a reason for the decline, while others hypothesize that its because more students are taking the exam or because some students are preparing less since so many schools are now test-optional or test-free (hey, more reason to prep!)<\/p>\n while over 80% of colleges and universities have some form of test-optional or test-free admissions policies, it’s also important to know that many selective colleges and universities are starting to require the sat or act again. over 50 colleges and universities (and growing) require test scores.<\/p>\n because of all the nuances in college admissions, comparing your scores to the national average doesn’t help you much. rather, if you are targeting a school that requires tests, you’ll want to understand whether you fall above, below, or in the middle 50th percentile range. <\/p>\n and if you are targeting a school that is test-optional, you’ll want to know whether submitting test scores will help your chances or not (and likely they only will help if they are above the averages for the school, or if they strengthen your overall profile as a student). <\/p>\n the tables below will help you understand the admissions requirements, as well as the 25th to 75th percentile sat scores, at many u.s. colleges and universities. (note that while some schools release average, or mean, sat scores of admitted applicants, many do not, which is why we’ve focused on the middle 50th percentile range. if you score near or above the 75th percentile mark, consider yourself above average for students that submitted scores.)<\/p>\n when you get your score report, you’ll be able to see how your scores compare to the average sat scores for your school, your district, and your state, which are other important benchmarks that colleges and universities use to understand your scores in context of your environment. you can see more about this in the college board’s guide to understanding scores<\/a> and the college board’s sat annual report<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n now let’s talk about what makes a good sat score. is 1200 a good sat score? what about 800?<\/p>\n generally speaking, here’s a rough breakdown:<\/p>\n below 1000:<\/strong> below average another good rule of thumb: the range for a good sat score at many competitive schools tends to sit between 1200 – 1400. and the range is typically 1400 – 1600 at the most competitive schools.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n here’s a quick breakdown of what percentile your sat score puts you in:<\/p>\n top 50% of test-takers:<\/strong> 1000+ sat percentiles are calculated annually. click the arrows below to see the college board\u2019s most recently released sat taker percentiles<\/a>. <\/p>\n
\nwhat’s a “good” sat score?
\nhow is the new digital sat impacting scoring?<\/em> <\/p>\ntable of contents<\/h2>\n
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average sat scores<\/h2>\n
good sat scores<\/h2>\n
\n1000-1200:<\/strong> average to slightly above average
\n1200-1350:<\/strong> good score
\n1350-1450:<\/strong> excellent score
\n1450-1600:<\/strong> outstanding score<\/p>\nsat score percentiles<\/h2>\n
\ntop 25% of test-takers:<\/strong> 1200+
\ntop 10% of test-takers:<\/strong> 1350+
\ntop 1% of test-takers:<\/strong> 1450+<\/p>\nsat percentiles (composite)<\/summary>\n