The SAT test is a standardized entrance exam that students take to use as part of their college application. Testing math, reading and writing, the aim of this important exam is to provide colleges with a figure that indicates the academic performance of the applicant, in combination with other factors such as school grades and an admissions essay.
You can take the SAT as many times as you like, allowing you to study and work to improve the sections that you don’t do as well in, to get a better overall score. However, there are costs associated with taking the test, and you’ll pay extra if you’re late booking or cancel close to the deadline.
Each student will get a score between 400 and 1600, and there’s no defined number that makes a ‘good’ score – it depends on the college you’re applying to. So just how important is this number for determining your future? Let’s find out.
Increasing your chances of college admission
The SAT is primarily designed to help you get into college – it’s not the only thing that can boost your application, but it’s a quick way for colleges to assess your suitability for their institution. However, most colleges don’t publish their minimum SAT score requirements, particularly in recent years, where there’s been criticism of the idea of SATs as a whole. This means that to be safe, you’ll need to try and get the best score you can, rather than working to meet any particular threshold.
The rise of test-optional colleges
Whilst the SAT used to be the backbone of college admissions, this has been changing for the last few years. Many schools are becoming ‘test optional’, meaning that applicants have a chance to submit a test score if they would like to, but it’s not an obligatory requirement. In the 2022-2023 academic application cycle, only 48% chose to do so, compared to 78% in 2019-2020.
One of the reasons for this was the COVID-19 pandemic, as many colleges dropped the SAT requirement in order to avoid forcing students into test centers. There’s also the issue of diversity to consider: since SAT tests aren’t cheap, especially if you take it several times, it can act as a barrier to applying for college.
As a result, things are changing, meaning that your SAT score isn’t necessarily as important as before, depending on the school you’re applying to. However, for elite institutions such as Harvard and Princeton, these tests are here to stay (for now).
What other factors are important?
Academics aren’t everything. As well as your test scores and school grades, your chosen college will look to see what you’re like outside of the classroom. Factors such as extracurricular clubs, sports, community service, jobs and internships all feature on college applications, demonstrating your interests outside of your mandatory classes.
A well-rounded application
Your SAT score isn’t the be-all and end-all, but it can play a role in making your application stand out from the rest. So, make sure you study hard and prepare well in order to get a score that gives the best possible representation of your academic ability.
