How's an 1160 SAT score? Is it good enough?

Hey y'all, I just received my SAT scores and I got an 1160. Can someone help me understand the percentile of this score? Also, what are my chances of being admitted to a good college with this score? Thanks!

Hey there! An 1160 SAT score puts you around the 64th percentile, which means you scored higher than approximately 64% of test-takers. While this is a solid score, it's essential to keep in mind that "good enough" depends on the colleges you're aiming for.

If you're interested in highly selective schools (like Ivy League institutions or other top-ranked universities), an 1160 SAT score would be considered below their typical admitted applicant profiles. For these institutions, admitted students typically have SAT scores in the top percentiles, right around 1600.

However, if you're targeting mid-tier universities or state schools, your chances of admission could be decent with an 1160 SAT score. To determine whether your SAT score is competitive for a specific school, it's helpful to look at the middle 50% SAT range of accepted students. If your score falls within or above this range, it should be considered good enough for that particular college. You can usually find middle 50% information directly on a school's website, or through third parties like CollegeVine.

Remember that your SAT score is just one component of your college application. Other factors include your high school GPA, course rigor, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. Having a strong overall application, in addition to a competitive SAT score, will improve your chances of being admitted to your desired colleges, especially if they are on the selective side.

Lastly, it's important to research each college's testing policy, since some schools have adopted test-optional or even test-blind admissions practices. In these cases, your SAT score may carry less weight (or none at all) in their admissions decisions. For detailed information on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional

Good luck with your college applications!