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Duke University
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UCLA
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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

What's the average SAT score?

Hi folks, I'm just wondering what the average SAT score is these days. And would you consider it to be a competitive score for most colleges? Thanks!

11 months ago

Hi there! The average SAT score for students tends to fluctuate slightly from year to year, but as of 2020, it was around 1059 out of a possible 1600 points. This average is derived from a 528 in Math and a 531 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Although this is the average score across all test-takers, it's important to note that the competitiveness of your SAT score depends on the specific colleges you're targeting.

For most colleges, a score that is average or above-average might be acceptable, especially for schools with lower levels of selectivity. However, if you're aiming for more competitive colleges or top-tier institutions, you'll generally need a higher SAT score to be considered competitive. For these schools, scores in the 1400-1600 range (or a similar percentile, which for 2020 was the 90th-99th percentiles) are more common among admitted students.

To get a better idea of the SAT scores that would be considered competitive for a specific college, you can check their website for admissions statistics or take a look at their admitted students' profile. This information will give you a clearer understanding of the range of scores that are typically accepted and can help you gauge whether your own score falls within that range.

It's worth noting that many colleges use a holistic admissions process, which means they look at a range of factors in addition to SAT scores, such as your high school transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations. A strong SAT score is just one piece of the puzzle!

11 months ago

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