SAT question points and scoring

Hello! I'm studying for the SAT and I'm curious about how the scoring works. How many points is each SAT question worth? Is there a penalty for wrong answers?

Hello! The SAT scoring system can be confusing at first, but let me break it down for you. The SAT consists of two main sections: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math. Each section is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, and the total combined score ranges from 400 to 1600. There's no predetermined number of points assigned to each question. Instead, the College Board uses a process called equating to determine the overall section scores.

Equating accounts for slight differences in difficulty between test versions, ensuring that a student isn't penalized for taking a slightly more challenging test on a different test date. In other words, the raw scores are converted into scaled scores to make them comparable across tests. Here's how the process works for each section:

1. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW): This section has two parts: Reading and Writing and Language. The Reading section has 52 questions, and the Writing and Language section has 44 questions, for a total of 96 questions. You get 1 raw point for each correct answer and 0 points for incorrect or skipped answers. The sum of your raw points in both parts is your raw ERW score. This raw score is then converted to a scaled score using the equating process.

2. Math: The Math section consists of two parts: with calculator and without calculator. There are a total of 58 questions (45 multiple-choice questions and 13 grid-ins). Similar to the ERW section, you get 1 raw point for each correct multiple-choice answer and 0 points for incorrect or skipped answers. For grid-ins, you get 1 point for the correct answer and no penalty for incorrect answers. Your raw Math score is the sum of your raw points, which is then converted to a scaled score using the equating process.

The good news is that there's no penalty for guessing on the SAT; if you don't know the answer to a question, it's still worth taking a guess, as you won't lose points for incorrect answers.

Once you have your scaled scores for both ERW and Math, they are combined for your total score, ranging from 400 to 1600. This is the final score that you'll see on your score report.

Good luck with your SAT prep! Remember to practice time management and familiarize yourself with the test format to perform your best on test day.