Deciphering Scaled SAT Scores

Okay, so I just got my SAT scores back and honestly, I'm a little lost. How is a scaled score for the SAT determined? Does it change from test to test? Any insights would be appreciated.

The scaled score on the SAT is determined through a process known as equating, which is designed to ensure the scores are comparable across different versions of the test. Equating considers minor variations in difficulty from test to test. This means a specific raw score (the total number of questions you got right) on one version of the SAT might translate to a different scaled score on another administration of the test, depending on the difficulty level of each test.

The scaled score is the one reported when you receive your score report. For the SAT, this will be a number between 200 and 800 for each section (Reading and Writing, and Math), with a maximum total score of 1600.

Reading and Writing Sections: To calculate the Reading and Writing scaled score, your raw scores (i.e. the total number of questions answered correctly) in the Reading and Writing sections are converted into a scaled score separately, and then they're added together and multiplied by 10.

Math Section: On the Math section, your raw score will be converted directly to a scaled score.

Understanding this scoring system can help put your scores in context. However, it's essential to remember that though knowing your raw score and how it translates to a scaled score provides you with a number, it doesn't necessarily tell you how well you did compared to other test-takers or if your score is competitive for the colleges you're applying to. For that, you'd want to check the average SAT scores at the colleges on your list. So you'll want to focus not just on understanding the scoring but also on setting realistic score goals based on your college aspirations.