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Why take the SAT?

Colleges want to admit students who will have successful college experiences and go on to have successful careers. Colleges use the SAT in admissions because it’s developed according to rigorous specifications, with input from numerous experts, to assess what matters most for college and career readiness and success. However, we can still get you accepted into affordable Colleges and Universities without the SAT due to our parnership with many of these schools.

How Is the SAT Organized?

The SAT has four tests, with the Essay being optional. The three tests that everyone will take are (1) the Reading Test, (2) the Writing and Language Test, and (3) the Math Test. The timing and number of questions are as follows:

The Essay is optional, but some high schools and colleges require it. Depending on your high school and your college choices, you may already know whether or not you’ll take the Essay. If you have any uncertainty — for instance, if you can imagine that you might transfer from a school that doesn't’t require it to one that does — consider taking the SAT with Essay

How Is the SAT Scored?

When you take the SAT, you don’t get just one score. The SAT reports a total score, but there are also section scores, test scores, cross-test scores, and sub-scores. This wide array of scores provides insight into your achievement and your readiness for college and career. You earn points on the SAT by answering questions correctly. No points are deducted for wrong answers, so go ahead and give your best answer to every question — there’s no advantage to leaving any blank.

Total Score and Section Scores

The total score is the number most commonly associated with the SAT. The total score ranges from 400 to 1600. This score is the sum of the scores on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section (which includes the Reading and Writing and Language Tests) and the Math section. Of the 154 questions in the entire SAT (not counting the Essay), 96 questions are on the Reading and the Writing and Language Tests and 58 questions are on the Math Test. Section scores for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and for Math are reported on a scale from 200 to 800. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section score is derived in equal measure from the scores on the Reading and the Writing and Language Tests. The Math section score is derived from the score on the Math Test.

Test Scores

Test scores are reported on a scale of 10 to 40 for each of the three required tests: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math.

Cross-test scores — one for Analysis in History/Social Studies and one for Analysis in Science — are reported on a scale of 10 to 40 and are based on selected questions in the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Tests that reflect the application of reading, writing, language, and math skills in history/social studies and science contexts.

Sub-scores: Sub-scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 15. They provide more detailed information about how you’re doing in specific areas of literacy and math. Two sub-scores are reported for Writing and Language: Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions. The Expression of Ideas sub-score is based on questions focusing on topic development, organization, and rhetorically effective use of language. The Standard English Conventions sub-score is based on questions focusing on sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.

The Math Test reports three sub-scores: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Heart of Algebra focuses on linear equations, systems of linear equations, and functions. Problem Solving and Data Analysis focuses on quantitative reasoning, the interpretation and synthesis of data, and problem solving in rich and varied contexts. Passport to Advanced Math focuses on topics important for progressing to more advanced mathematics, such as understanding the structure of expressions, reasoning with more complex equations, and interpreting and building functions. The final two sub-scores — Words in Context and Command of Evidence — are based on questions in both the Reading and the Writing and Language Tests.

Words in Context questions address word and phrase meanings in context as well as rhetorical word choice. Command of Evidence questions ask you to interpret and use evidence found in a wide range of passages and informational graphics, such as graphs, tables, and charts.

Essay Scores
The scores for the optional SAT Essay are reported separately and aren’t factored into any other scores. The Essay yields three scores, one each on three dimensions:

Reading: How well you demonstrate your understanding of the included passage

Analysis: How well you analyze the passage and carry out the task of explaining how the author of the passage builds an argument to persuade an audience

Writing: How skillfully you craft your response Two raters read each response and assign a score of 1 to 4 to each of the three dimensions.

Taking the SAT opens the door to a world of possibilities. Your journey to a bright future starts here.