Hey, I'm pretty curious about the distribution of SAT scores. I’ve heard a lot about how there's a curve or something, but I’m not sure what that means. Could anyone clarify what that looks like exactly? Is there a certain score that a lot of students usually get?
Sure, I can certainly shed some light on that! The SAT uses what's called an "equating process," which isn't exactly a curve, but it ensures that scores are comparable across different test dates.
The mean score for students on the SAT's 1600 scale is usually around 1060. The 25th percentile score (meaning 25% of students score below this number) tends to be around 900, while the 75th percentile score (meaning 75% of students score under this number) is around 1210. This data can change subtly from year to year, but it stays relatively consistent.
Remember that while achieving a high SAT score is important, it's not the only factor that colleges consider during the admission process. Other aspects like your GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and other elements are also taken into account. Best of luck in your prep!
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