Is there a trend in SAT score ranges for students from different high schools?

I've heard that some high schools have higher average SAT scores than others. Do colleges consider this when looking at our applications? Like, if my high school has a lower average, would that affect how my SAT score is viewed?

Yes, it's observed that average SAT scores can vary quite a bit from one high school to another. This might be due to factors such as socioeconomic demographics, the quality of the school's educational resources, or the emphasis placed on college prep. Admissions officers are indeed aware of these variations and may take the context of your high school into consideration when evaluating your scores.

This is part of a broader approach called 'school profiling' where colleges look at your high school's profile (including average test scores, course offerings, etc.) to better understand your academic achievements in context. However, exactly how this information affects the assessment of your SAT score can differ from one college to another.

While there's no direct formula, a strong SAT score is a strong SAT score. If you're above the 75th percentile of the college’s admitted student SAT scores, you're generally in good shape regardless of your high school averages. On the flip side, even if your high school has lower averages, a high SAT score will likely be a significant positive for you as it would indicate that you've excelled beyond your environment's typical outcomes.