What is considered a good SAT score for college?

I'm prepping for the SAT and feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the numbers! I'd love to know what's generally seen as a 'good' SAT score when it comes to college admissions. Do certain schools have specific ranges they look for, or is it more about where you fall percentile-wise? I'm aiming for some mid-tier schools, but I'm not quite sure what to target. Any tips on setting a realistic score goal?

Generally, a 'good' SAT score depends on the schools you're targeting. Each college has different score ranges they typically admit students within. It's always a good idea to look at the middle 50% SAT score range of admitted students at the colleges you're interested in.

For example, if a school has a middle 50% SAT score range of 1200-1320, it means that 50% of the admitted students scored within this range. This doesn't mean that scoring lower excludes you from being admitted, but you would be below the average range for admitted students, which could make admission more difficult.

Consider your target schools and their SAT score ranges. If you're aiming for mid-tier schools, it's useful to compare the SAT score ranges of the schools you've selected. For instance, schools like University of Oregon and Loyola University Chicago, which might classify as mid-tier, have a middle 50% SAT score range of roughly 1100-1300 and 1130-1320 respectively.

As for percentile, scoring in the 75th percentile means you've scored higher than 75% of test takers, which might make you competitive for many mid-tier schools. To provide an idea of scores, an SAT score of about 1200 as of Spring 2024 SAT changes puts you in the top half of test takers, while a score around 1350 puts you in the top 10%, which is considered highly competitive.

In the end, while SAT scores are important, they're just one part of your overall application. Colleges consider many factors, such as your grades, your essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.