Is a 1340 a good SAT Score?

Hey guys! I recently scored a 1340 on my SAT. While I studied pretty hard, I'm not sure if that's considered a good score. How does a 1340 look for college admissions, particularly for competitive schools?

Your 1340 SAT score is certainly a solid score! A score of 1340 puts you roughly in the 90th percentile of all test takers, which means you scored higher than about 90% of students. That's a strong accomplishment considering the large and diverse group of students who take the SAT.

However, if we narrow down the field and look at more competitive schools, the context changes a bit. A score of 1340 is likely to be below average at highly selective institutions. For instance, the middle 50% of admitted students at Ivy League schools typically score above 1400.

That being said, the SAT is only one part of your application. Colleges will also consider your high school curriculum rigor, grades, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. Even at top colleges, there may be some flexibility if you have compelling strengths in other areas of your application.

For an accurate gauge on whether your SAT score is competitive for specific schools, you should look up the average admitted SAT scores for your target schools. Every university has different standards and expectations. A 1340 might be above average at one university and below average at another.

But if you're aiming high and you have the time and resources, retaking the SAT for a higher score could be beneficial. Many students find they can improve their scores through additional study or test prep. If, however, you're satisfied with your score or don't have the time to commit to more studying, know that students do sometimes gain admission to top-tier schools with scores similar to yours.

If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at a particular school, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including not just test scores but also GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1,600 colleges across the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator

This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, whether by raising your SAT score slightly or some other step, like earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. It can give you a more concrete sense of where your energy would be most productively spent - on SAT prep, or some other key aspect of the college admissions process.

Overall, admission to college is a multifaceted process, and SAT scores are just one piece of the puzzle. You should balance your time between improving your SAT score and strengthening other parts of your application. Good luck!