SAT Scoring - What's the Deal?

I've just started studying for the SATs and slightly freaked out. What exactly is the SAT scored out of? How does the scoring system work? The whole process seems a bit cryptic and I'm trying to get a grasp on it.

The SAT, as of spring 2024 when it became fully digital, consists of two sections: Reading/Writing and Math. Each section is scored on a scale from 200 to 800, making the highest possible total score a 1600.

Here's a bit about how it works: you'll begin with a raw score calculation, which is simply the number of questions answered correctly. For instance, if you answer 45 questions correctly on Reading and Writing and 40 correctly on Math, those are your raw scores for the respective sections.

Next, your raw score gets converted into a scaled score through a process known as equating. Equating adjusts for slight differences in difficulty between different versions of the test (like if you take the test at a different time than your friend).

The College Board publishes a table that shows how raw scores relate to scaled scores. While the exact conversion can vary slightly depending on the version of the SAT you get, an example may help clarify. Suppose a raw score of 45 in Reading and Writing converts to a scaled score of 710, and a raw score of 40 in Math converts to a 690. Your total SAT score would add those together, resulting in a 1400.

Remember, there's no penalty for wrong answers on the SAT, so be sure to answer every question. Good luck!