Does a 1420 on SAT look respectable to colleges?

Hey everyone, it's a stressful time of course, trying to figure out where I stand after my SAT scores. Pulled a 1420 - not too shabby, eh? I'm thinking of going for some really competitive schools, does anyone have any insight on how a 1420 SAT score is looked upon in the admissions process?

1420 is indeed a respectable score, which puts you above the 90th percentile of all test takers, meaning you scored higher than approximately 90% of students.

However, for some of the most selective schools (e.g., Ivy League), the 25th percentile score often starts around 1460-1480. Remember, this doesn't mean that you can't get into these schools with a 1420 - it just means that you're below the average score for admitted students.

You should also be aware that many colleges have adopted test-optional policies. This means you can choose whether or not to send your scores. However, at the most selective schools, you generally want to showcase your strengths in as many ways as possible, so you're smart to be thinking about how your 1420 stacks up. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/

A good strategy would be to research the median or middle 50% SAT scores for admitted students at the schools you're interested in. If your SAT score falls within or near that range, then your score is competitive for that school. You can usually find this information on a school's website, or through third parties like CollegeVine.

Lastly, it's crucial not to overlook the other elements of your application. Given the holistic review approach used by many of these colleges, factors like strong academics, standout essays, a well-developed interest or "spike" that sets them apart from even other talented applicants, and meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities can help differentiate your application, sometimes even more than test scores.

If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at a particular school, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including not just test scores, but also GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1,600 colleges around the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator

This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, whether by raising your SAT score slightly or some other step, like earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. Good luck!