Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams
Candidates aspiring to study abroad after high school know the vitality of submitting their SAT scores. The second most crucial task is setting a goal SAT score for which the aspirants should be knowledgeable about the highest SAT scores. SAT is developed and fully owned by a College Board. The SAT is a Paper- Pencil based test with a duration of three hours and contains an optional essay of 50 minutes along with an SAT score range of 400 – 1600, where 1600 is the highest SAT score possible.
SAT Score: Overview
Here you will get an overview of the content of the SAT exam along with the breakdown of the SAT scores to better understand the scoring system:
SAT Evidence-Based Reading And Writing contains 200-800 points and SAT Math contains 200-800 points – 800 is the SAT top score ever in each of these sections.
On the other side, the highest score on SAT subject test is also 800 and the score range of SAT subject test is 200-800.
Also, check out: SAT Total Score
What is the Highest SAT score?
Candidates often enquire “What is a high score for SAT?” The highest SAT score is anywhere near the upper end of the score ranges. To understand the highest SAT score range, we need to study the SAT syllabus in detail which includes the sub-scores, test scores, cross-tests as well as essays.
| Section | Score range |
|---|---|
| Total or Composite Score | 400 – 1600 |
| Section Scores for Evidence-based writing and reading and math | 200 – 800 (each) |
| Sub-scores for Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math | |
| Sub-score for command of evidence | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for words in context | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for expression of ideas | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for standard English conventions | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for Math | |
| Sub-score for Heart of Algebra | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for problem-solving and data analysis | 1 – 15 |
| Sub-score for a passport to advanced math | 1 – 15 |
| Cross-test Scores | |
| Cross-test score for analysis in history/social studies | 10 – 40 |
| Cross-test score for analysis in science | 10 – 40 |
| Essay score (if the candidate has taken it) | 2 - 8 |
- Subscores: Sub-scores are performance testers based on the main sections (Evidence-based reading/writing and Math);
- Essay score- The optional essay score is divided into three sections- Essay Reading, Essay Writing, and Essay Analysis. The three sections have SAT score ranges from 2- 8 points.
- Cross Tests: These are additional performance testers consisting of science and social studies;
- Student’s Percentile- It is the score based on the performance of the SAT exam as compared to another test.
- The average SAT score is 1,000.
News: In 2019, a Florida high-school junior Jacob Harrison recorded the SAT highest score ever of 1600 which exceeded his target score of 1550.
Colleges and High Schools with Highest SAT Scores
In 2019, around 2.2 million candidates took the exam achieving an average SAT score of 1049. To learn the details about the highest score for SAT for the renowned colleges, check out the list below:
| Name of the Universities | Highest SAT Score | Rankings (QS) |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | 1450 | 48 |
| Columbia University | 1450 | 18 |
| Vanderbilt University | 1450 | 200 |
| Harvard University | 1460 | 1 |
| Johns Hopkins University (MD) | 1470 | 24 |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 1470 | 108 |
| Harvey Mudd College (CA) | 1490 | - |
| University of Chicago | 1490 | 12 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 1500 | 1 |
| California Institute of Technology | 1530 | 4 |
Did you know?
Bill Gates scored a 1590 SAT score out of 1600, which is one of the best SAT score.
Who has the highest SAT score ever?
From Colorado, Hari scored 1600 in SAT and this is the highest SAT score ever recorded – not just that he also secured a perfect score of 36 in ACT as well.
So, from university to university SAT score requirements vary and the higher a university ranks the higher its SAT score requirement will be. In terms of highest SAT scores by state, US seems to have the highest score in SAT exam requirements as most of the globally top universities are in US.
What's Perfect SAT score?
A perfect SAT score is 1600. The minimum SAT score is 400. And the average SAT score for the class of 2018 was 1068.
SAT Percentiles for Total Scores (2019):
The SAT score report is available online after two or three weeks of the test. The percentile score states the percentage of candidates the test-taker scored better than. The SAT score report includes two percentile scores - One is the “Nationally Representative Sample” and the other is the “SAT User Percentile”. The details are discussed in the below table:
| Score range: 400-1600 | SAT User | Nationally Representative Sample |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | 99+ | 99+ |
| 1550 | 99+ | 99+ |
| 1500 | 98 | 99 |
| 1450 | 96 | 99 |
| 1400 | 94 | 97 |
| 1350 | 91 | 94 |
| 1300 | 86 | 91 |
| 1250 | 81 | 86 |
| 1200 | 74 | 81 |
| 1150 | 67 | 74 |
| 1100 | 58 | 67 |
| 1050 | 49 | 58 |
| 1000 | 40 | 48 |
| 950 | 31 | 38 |
| 900 | 23 | 29 |
| 850 | 16 | 21 |
| 800 | 10 | 14 |
| 750 | 5 | 8 |
| 700 | 2 | 4 |
| 650 | 1 | 1 |
| 640- 400 | <1 | <1 |
Is 1270 a Good SAT Score?
In terms of the difficulty level of SAT, 1270 is a good score but a SAT score of 1270 may not secure a place in the globally top universities.
How to Get the Highest Score on the SAT?
The highest score on the SAT is 1600. According to the College Board, only 5% manage to score above 1400. To get a top SAT score, students have to follow the below points:
- In SAT reading, students can miss only one or two questions out of 52 questions;
- In the SAT Math section, students need to answer all the 58 questions correctly;
- In SAT writing, students cannot miss any of the questions.
The following SAT preparation tips will help a candidate to get a perfect or highest score in SAT:
- Use proper SAT study materials;
- Dedicate time in practicing for SAT;
- Develop strategies to overcome weak areas;
- Create a consistent SAT study schedule;
- Test and refine strategies based on practice;
- For further improvement, continue to analyze one’s weaknesses and the test structure.
The above details will provide the candidates with a proper understanding of the highest score on the SAT.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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