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Understanding Your SAT and ACT Results
Decipher how well you did on the exam
Interpreting SAT and ACT results can be as difficult as taking the tests themselves. But you don't have to be a statistician to make sense of your score; understanding how it was calculated will help you put the numbers into perspective.The SAT
SAT results are available online and by phone within a month, and scores are mailed out about a week after that. Your Reasoning (college-entrance) Test results include separate scores for critical reading, math, and writing. Each section is reported on a 200–800 scale, with additional sub-scores of 2–12 for the essay and 20–80 for the multiple-choice writing section.
According to the College Board, in 2004 the average college-bound senior scored a 508 on the verbal section (now called critical reading) and 518 on math. It's possible to miss several questions and still get a “perfect” 800 on a section. Average-score information on the new SAT, including the writing section, will be available in March 2006.SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II: Subject Tests) are also reported on a 200–800 scale. Average scores vary from test to test, but they tend to be higher than for the Reasoning Test because the participants normally are students who excel in that particular subject.
The ACT
ACT scores are mailed out four to seven weeks after each exam, and they're available online two to three weeks after the test date. Unlike the SAT, your score is based solely on the number of questions you answer correctly; no points are deducted for incorrect or blank answers, so it pays to guess.
Each test score (English, math, reading, and science) ranges 1–36. Your composite score is the average of these four figures, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Your Percentile
Both your ACT and SAT score reports include your ranking for each subject area. For instance, a score of 25 on the ACT science test puts you in the 86th percentile, meaning that 86 percent of other test-takers scored at or below a 25.
For more help interpreting your SAT or ACT, score visit Kaplan's Web site.
Dalia Wheatt is from Cleveland, Ohio. She has worked as an editor, freelance writer, and Spanish teacher.
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