What's the national average for SAT scores?

As I prepare for the SAT, I want to know what the national average is for SAT scores so I can aim higher. Does anyone know what the current average is?

The national average SAT score varies over the years, but is usually between 1000-1100. This average is calculated based on the combined scores from the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) section and the Math section, with students generally doing slightly better on the ERW section than the Math section.

However, it's essential to remember that aiming for anything around the national average might not be enough for more selective colleges. Depending on the colleges you're interested in, you might want to target a higher score to increase your chances of being admitted. I recommend researching the SAT score ranges of admitted students for the specific schools you're considering, which can often be found on the school's website under their admissions statistics, or on reputable college search websites like CollegeVine.

Additionally, admissions officers don’t evaluate your SAT score in a vacuum—they also consider your grades, course rigor, extracurriculars, and so on. If you want to get a sense of how your overall profile stacks up, check out CollegeVine’s free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application to give you personalized odds of acceptance at hundreds of colleges: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator. You can also adjust various factors, such as your SAT score, to see just how well you would have to do to give yourself a significant boost.

Good luck with your SAT preparation!