While you may know that your SAT total score will lie between 400 and 1600, there's more that goes into scoring your SAT than you may realize.
If you’ve already taken the SAT or a practice SAT, you know that there are not 1600 total questions to answer on the test…
So where does your SAT total score come from? How is the SAT scored? How does College Board come up with it and what are you meant to see when you look at it?
The quick answer: it’s complicated.
In order to polish up your admissions applications and score scholarship money, you’ll need to get the highest SAT score possible. And in order to get the highest SAT score possible, you’ll want to understand what you’re getting into with the test and how to set yourself up for success.
Here are two quick ways to do that starting right now:
1. Download the completely free Insider’s Guide to To The ACT & SAT to score some invaluable, immediately usable SAT strategies for higher scores.
2. Read onward to learn how your SAT score is created, so you can create a plan to achieve your highest possible SAT score.
How Is The SAT Score Calculated?
The SAT is composed of two main subjects that are separated into two sections each, and the second section of each subject will be unique to each student, spitting out an easier or harder version depending on how the student performs
The first two sections make your English score with 27 questions each (54 total).
The last two sections compose your Math score with 22 questions each (44 total).
These two subject scores are calculated on scale between 200 and 800 and then your total score is the sum of your two section scores which makes your total SAT score a sum between 400 and 1600.
How Much Are Individual Questions Worth?
If you do the math, 54 or 44 questions is not very many compared to the 200-800 point scale that they turn into.
Dividing 800 by 54 or 44 evenly might suggest that each English question is worth 15 points and each math question is worth 18 points. And while, on the whole, individual Math questions are absolutely worth more than individual English questions, it's not quite that simple.
Unfortunately, part of SAT's formula when calculating your scores includes the DIFFICULTY of the question.
Questions are divided roughly into three categories: Easy, Medium, and Hard. Then College Board applies a WEIGHTING system to your answers.
What does that mean?
Essentially, it means that, the harder the question, the more it is worth (and the more it can help you get the harder version of the adaptive test).
While College Board does acknowledge this is part of their scoring process, they refuse to release their formula (and is likely to change over time). So we can only guess.
There is evidence to suggest that the Hard level questions might be worth upwards of 25 points each, which makes each individual answer you choose much more high stakes and makes filling in a guess on every single answer you don't have time for very important!
How Does The Adaptive Algorithm Affect Scoring?
Depending on how many Easy, Medium, and Hard questions you get right in the first section of each subject, your score will either add up to be high enough for the harder version, or it will not and you will be given the easier version, on the second section.
This happens separately for each subject, so you could get the harder version of English and the easier version of Math, for instance.
The easier version will be primarily composed of Easy and Medium questions, and these are worth less than Hard questions. Even if you get all of the questions correct, there is ultimately a limit to how high you can score.
Only students who get the harder version of the section section can try for scores in the 80th to 100th percentiles.
There is quite a bit of overlap in the lower-end scores possible with the harder test and the higher-end scores of the easier test. This is to ensure that the majority of students end up slightly above or below the 50th percentile.
Additionally, getting a perfect score on the easier section can absolutely get you to your goal score, especially if you get the easier version on only one section.
So, depending on how urgent it is for you to get those tip top scores, based on the schools you would like to apply to, you'll want to be extra careful with how precise you are with your answer choices in the first round of each subject.
Other FAQs About SAT Scoring
Q: Is there a penalty for guessing on the SAT?
A: Nope! There is no penalty for guessing on the SAT. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer or an answer left blank. So if you start to run out of time at the end of the test, or if you encounter a question you know isn't worth your time, make sure you bubble in an answer!
Q: Is my SAT score good enough for me to stop testing?
A: If you are seeking more information on how your score measures up against other scores or what SAT score schools might be expecting you to have, here is what a “good” SAT score looks like.
Q: How else can I improve my SAT score?
A: Check out our updated online SAT prep courses just for you!
Q: Where can I find out more about the SAT?
A: You can find upcoming SAT test dates listed here and information regarding when to expect your SAT scores back here.
Have a more specific SAT question? Click here to send your questions about the SAT. We're happy to help!