Scholastic Aptitude Test popularly known as SAT, is an entrance test for the universities and colleges of the United States. SAT has now been redesigned as the SAT Reasoning Test which focuses on a candidate’s skills, knowledge, and understanding. This blog will take you through the top American colleges and their respective SAT cut-offs for easier understanding.
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SAT Exam Highlights
Generally, those who take the exam are high school students contemplating higher education. Here are some SAT exam highlights:
- The eligibility criteria for SAT Exam 2022 is that the test takers must have finished their high school or 12th class. There is no minimum or maximum age criteria for the test, but most students who apply for the exam are in the age group of 17 to 19.
- SAT is conducted offline every year in India in October, November, December, January, May and June.
- The SAT is a 3 hour- written exam.
- It includes a math test, a reading test, a writing test, and a language test.
- The scores range from 400 to 1600.
- The SAT fees are $52 to $68, with non-US regional fees $49.
- There are no restrictions on the number of times you give the test.
- SAT score reports are usually available online within 2 weeks after the exam.
- Types of SAT Exam:
SAT 1 Exam: It includes Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Language aptitude, and an essay section. SAT 2 or SAT Subject Exam: In this, students are required to prove their proficiency in various subjects. There are 20 optional subjects, including chemistry, mathematics, biology (Ecology/Molecular), literature, modern Hebrew, etc.
SAT Exam Date 2022
The SAT test dates for 2022-2023 sessions for students of India are:
- March 12, 2022
- May 7, 2022
- June 4, 2022
- August 27, 2022
- October 1, 2022
- November 5, 2022
- December 3, 2022
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SAT Scores
SAT scores are a little bit tricky to understand. The exam paper consists of three sections, Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. These sections are first scored with their raw scores. Then these raw scores are examined and calculated on the basis of answers given by the students. Also, they have an optional essay section. All questions are of one mark each, and there are no negative markings. The raw scores are converted into scaled scores to calculate SAT scores. The SAT score of 1200 to 1210, which is 75 percentile, is considered a good score. The percentile rank is meant to compare scores across all the candidates. It indicates the percentage of candidates who scored at or below the best candidate’s score. A high SAT score means the candidate can thrive in the tough competitive environment of the college. Universities like Harvard and MIT ask for a 1500 SAT score.
SAT Cut-off 2022
Although the College Board has not set any SAT cut-off, to take admissions to top universities, one has to score within a specific range. When you apply for any university or college, you must check their required SAT score. Also, there are other factors that affect the admission process, including transcripts with an academic background or good GPA, skills, extracurricular activities, letter of recommendation, and the score on English language proficiency tests, such as ACT scores, TOEFL, or IELTS. Applicants can check out the College Board prediction for SAT score cut off at a particular university. The minimum passing marks for SAT exam is 400. The maximum marks a candidate can achieve is 1600, with 800 in each section- math, evidence-based reading and writing(EBRW). The category-wise SAT exam cutoff for top colleges and universities is
- Composite score (without essay): Above 1400
- Math: Above 530
- Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section: Above 500
Candidates with a range of 1200 to 1350 that fall in the range of 75 to 90 percentile can be considered suitable for admission requirements to maximum universities. A score of 1500 is regarded as 99 percentile, which implies excellent performance.
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Top US Universities and their SAT Exam Cutoff 2022
To get admission to a highly competitive college, one needs to get a 75 percentile score. Here is a list of average SAT cut off scores with 25-75 percentile scores of top universities and colleges in the USA:
| University Name | QS World Ranking, 2022 | 25th to 75th Percentile SAT score | Avg SAT Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | 1 | 1460-1580 | 1510 |
| Stanford University | 2 | 1440-1570 | 1505 |
| MIT | 3 | 1500-1570 | 1540 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 4 | 1310-1530 | 1420 |
| John Hopkins University | 10 | 1470-1570 | 1520 |
| Yale University | 14 | 1460-1570 | 1515 |
| Princeton University | 22 | 1460-1570 | 1510 |
| University of Chicago | 26 | 1500-1570 | 1530 |
| University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign | 32 | 1450-1550 | 1500 |
| California Institute of Technology | 45 | 1530-1560 | 1545 |
Conclusion
Earlier, SAT exam was known as Scholastic Aptitude Test or Scholastic Assessment Test. But today, it is known as SAT reasoning test. The test is regulated and managed by the College Board to check the skills, abilities, and knowledge of the test-givers for admission into the colleges and universities. The test is valid for college admissions in USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Singapore. There are two types of SAT tests. SAT 1 has three subjects- Reading, Writing, and Maths with an optional essay section. While SAT 2 has 20 subjects and tells about the student’s proficiency in the selected subject. To get admission to famous colleges like the University of Cambridge, MIT, Yale, and Princeton, one needs to score an SAT score above 1500.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of an SAT score is considered a good score?
A good SAT score varies for different colleges and universities. Once you have decided on the particular universities or colleges, you want to apply to, check for their desirable score range. You should study accordingly.
Another factor that affects an SAT score is the national average. If your score is close to the national average, you will have more options to choose from. It is best to study for a target score of above 1400 to get admission to your dream colleges.
What are test-optional or test blind colleges?
Test optional colleges allow students to decide whether they want to submit their SAT scores or not. They will consider the score if you submit them. While test-blind colleges do not consider the score even if you submit them.
How to send SAT scores for college or university admissions?
Every candidate gets free copies of the SAT scorecard. They can send these copies to the colleges or universities they wish to apply to within nine days. After nine days, they will be chargeable. Also, if you want to send copies to more than four colleges, then you can ask for chargeable copies.
The score can be used to apply for a scholarship. Also, when you prepare for the SAT, you enhance your knowledge which helps to clear other competitive exams like the ACT, TOEFL, etc.
Can we take admission in bachelor’s courses without taking the SAT exam?
There are universities and colleges with SAT tests optional for admissions. Here is a list of universities that do not require SAT anymore for Indian students:
California Institute of Technology: Test Blind for 2022
Adelphi University: Test optional for 2022
Arizona University: Test optional permanently
Boston University: Test optional for 2022
Brown University: Test optional for 2022
American University: Test optional permanently
Cornell University: Test optional for 2022
George Washington: Test optional permanently
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