Can someone break down the significance of SAT scores?

I'm prepping for the SAT and just wondering, what do colleges see when they look at your SAT score? Do they compare it to fellow applicants, or is it more about personal improvement? And how big a role does it play in admissions decisions?

Colleges typically use your SAT score as one piece of your comprehensive application. This score serves as an indicator of your potential to succeed academically at a college level by assessing your reading, writing, and math skills. But remember, it's just one element in a larger picture.

SAT scores are used mostly for comparison purposes. By standardizing this aspect, colleges can fairly evaluate applicants from different backgrounds, school systems, and states. For instance, if your SAT score is in the 90th percentile, it means you scored better than 90% of test-takers. This consistency is helpful for admissions officers in their comparison.

If you’re shooting for selective schools, your score is very much important. As of the 2024-2025 application cycle, highly selective schools like Harvard, Brown, and Yale have discontinued their test-optional policies and require all applicants to submit an SAT or ACT score. A strong SAT score can help you stand out among thousands of other applicants.

But remember, your SAT score isn't the be-all and end-all of your college application. Holistically, admissions offices consider factors like your GPA, course rigor, extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendation letters, and more.

Improvement on the SAT over time could be viewed as a positive thing because it shows hard work and persistence. However, colleges usually only consider your highest score. For example, if you scored 1200 on your first attempt and 1400 on your second, they'll focus on the 1400.

Lastly, how much your SAT score matters can vary by college. Some schools might consider test scores to be a very important factor in their admissions decisions, while others might place more emphasis on other aspects of your application.

As you venture forward with your SAT prep, remember that a good SAT score is one that gets you into the colleges of your choice. So, aim for a score that's in line with or above the middle 50% SAT score range of admitted students at your desired colleges. Good luck!