What qualifies as a high SAT score these days?

I took the SAT recently and I'm pretty happy with my score. But I keep hearing about high SAT scores and I'm not sure what that means exactly. Is my score considered high? What is typically considered a "high" SAT score?

A high SAT score generally refers to a score that's significantly above the national average. As of the last reported average in 2024, the nationwide average SAT score was about 1450 - 1550 out of 1600. However, "high" can vary depending on the colleges you're aiming for.

To give you some perspective:

- Ivy League and other highly selective institutions typically have middle 50% SAT ranges above 1450. For example, Harvard's recent middle 50% range was around 1460 to 1570.

- For top public universities, a high score might be anywhere in the 1300s or above. For example, University of Michigan's recent middle 50% range was around 1340 to 1530.

- For less selective institutions, a score in the high 1200s or 1300s can be considered high.

Remember, these score ranges represent the middle 50% of admitted students, meaning 25% scored below these ranges and 25% scored above. So you don’t necessarily need a "high" score to get in, and a high score doesn't guarantee admission since colleges consider other factors like your academic record, extracurricular activities, and personal essays.

Your definition of a "high" SAT score should be tailored to your own set of target colleges. Look for the middle 50% SAT score range for admitted students at those institutions to get a sense of what score you should be aiming for.