Scores
Using SAT Subject Test scores
SAT Subject Tests scores provide information about a student's mastery of specific subject areas. Students, counselors, and admission officers can use SAT Subject Test score reports to make informed academic choices and decisions.
Score reports include a breakdown of the student's scores and information about what those scores mean.
- Students can use the reports to select advanced courses, such as AP.
- Counselors can use these reports to guide students as they make decisions about taking high school courses, applying to college, and choosing a major.
- Admission officers and other educators use test scores to better understand and interpret students' readiness and qualifications.
Students can learn more about scores by visiting View and Send Your SAT Scores (this link takes you to the student area of this website).
Students who have active College Board online accounts will automatically get their SAT scores through My SAT Online Score Report, unless they request a paper score report. This change is part of the College Board's effort to save paper, reduce our carbon footprint, and eliminate wasteful shipping. Students who register by paper and who do not have an online account will still receive paper score reports unless they ask us not to mail them.
Official score reports are provided about five weeks after the test is administered. They are sent to the student's high school, if the student entered the correct high school code when registering.
Any college, university, or scholarship program listed on the Registration Form or the Correction Form attached to the Admission Ticket or listed during online registration will also receive the score report. Scores are delivered to the designated institutions by Internet, CD-ROM, and/or paper, as requested by the institution.
How scores are used by colleges and universities
In addition to the primary decision of accepting qualified applicants, outreach, recruiting, placement, and retention are integral aspects of admission work. The following list shows some of the ways SAT Subject Test scores might be used at different colleges and universities:
- Use scores to better understand other information about the applicant, such as grades and courses taken
- Include scores to determine basic qualifications in specific subjects
- Identify at-risk students who might benefit from special programs
- Recruit students who have scores similar to those accepted and enrolled
- Conduct research on SAT scores as predictor of success
- Include information about scores of all applicants, accepted students, or enrolled freshmen in promotional materials
Retaking SAT Subject Tests
SAT Subject Tests measure knowledge of a particular subject. If a student continues to study the subject and takes the test again, the score should reflect increased knowledge. If a student takes the test again without any additional preparation, the score may be higher or lower than it was on the previous test.