What is the SAT?
The SAT is one of the most widely used admissions exams for colleges and universities in the United States. The exam is administered seven times a year in the United States and six times a year for students living outside the United States.
The SAT measures students’ knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics based on what they should have learned in high school, and what they will need to succeed in college. The exam is typically taken by high school seniors and is meant to be a demonstrative of their critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills.
The SAT test is comprised of three sections; Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Each section is worth 800 possible points, for a combined total of 2400 possible points. The exam itself varies in format and includes multiple choice questions, Grid-Ins (math section only) and a short essay.
How is the SAT Scored?
The SAT is scored based on two separate calculations. First you have a “Raw Score”, which is the actual number of points earned. Then the Raw Score is converted to a “Scaled Score” by a statistical process called equating (think of a bell curve). Since there are over two million students taking the test annually (and there are different versions of the test), Raw Scores need to be converted into Scaled Scores in order to even out variances and ensure an even distribution.
The Raw Score is calculated as follows:
- For each correct answer you get one point (+1)
- For each wrong multiple choice answer you lose one-forth of a point (-1/4)
- No points are lost for wrong student produced response questions (Grid-Ins)
- For each question you omit or leave blank you don’t lose any points
The Scaled Score:
- The Raw Score from above is converted into a Scaled Score by equating, then each section is reported on a 200 to 800 point scale
- Equating ensures that different forms of the test and test taking ability of other students do not affect your score
- Equating also makes it possible to compare test takers who take different editions of the SAT over different time periods
Subscores (Writing Section)
You are probably wondering about the Writing Section, more specifically the Essay. Before we discuss the Essay, lets talk about the multiple choice questions on the Writing Section. The multiple-choice questions are calculated just like the other multiple choice questions on the Math and Critical Reading sections.
The Essay is reported on a 2 to 12 point scale. Each Essay is independently scored by two readers on a 1 to 6 point scale; neither reader knows the other’s score, and they do not know your name or school information. If their 1 to 6 scores differ by more than one point, a third reader scores the Essay. The multiple-choice Writing Section counts for approximately 70 percent of the total Raw Score, and the Essay counts for 30 percent. Once totaled, your Raw Score is converted into a Scaled Score between 200 and 800 points.
What do I need to know?
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