How to Check Your SAT Score

Co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD

Last Updated: November 21, 2022 References

Waiting for your SAT score can be stressful. Most SAT scores are released between three to six weeks after the test date. Most people can check them online through the College Board’s website, but you may also receive a paper copy. To check your SAT scores, check online or wait for your scores in the mail. When you receive your scores, find your total score, individual reading score, and math score.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Accessing Your SAT Scores

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Access your scores online. Most people access their SAT scores online through the College Board website. You have to have an account with the College Board, which you can get for free. You will get an email alerting you when your SAT scores are available to view.^{[1]
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- To create an account, click on the "sign up" link on the main page of the College Board website. Then, tell them you are a student. You will have to provide basic information, such as your full name, date of birth, name of school, and email address. You will also have to choose a unique username and password.
2
Request a paper score. If you register for the SAT by mail, you will receive a paper copy of your score if you do not have a College Board account. If you register for the SAT online, you must let them know if you want a paper score in addition to an online report.^{[2]
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Receive your score by phone. You may also get the SAT scores by calling customer service. You will call the College Board customer service and give them your test registration number and your birth date. The registration number can be found on your SAT test admission ticket.^{[3]
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- You will have to pay a fee to access your scores by phone. That means you have to give your credit card information to the customer service representative.
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Wait up to month. It can take up to a month for the SAT scores to become available. When you sign up for a test date, prepare to wait for up to 30 days to receive your score. For example, for a March 11 test, the test may become available around April 13.^{[4]
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- The College Board typically lists when you can expect your scores on the SAT section of the website. (If you already have a College Board account, you may also receive an email from College Board when your scores are released.)
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Identify reasons for later available scores. In some instances, the scores may be delayed about a week. You will get a message on the day scores are available telling you to check again later. This occurs if you took a makeup test or if the answer sheet was missing information. It can also happen if information on the answer sheet is different than your registration information, or if your answer sheet was received late.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Checking Your Total Score

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Sign in to the website. Go to the College Board website and sign in using your username and password. The website should say something like “test scores are in.” When you sign in, the most recent score will be listed first.^{[6]
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Click the “Get Your Scores” link. When you log into the site, the main page will let you know that the SAT scores are available. There will be a link that reads “Get Your Scores”. Click on that link to be taken to your scores.^{[7]
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- If the scores were released recently, there will be an alert at the top of the page and a link saying "View your scores". You can use this link as well.
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View your scores. The most recent SAT score will be at the top. The screen will show you the date you took the test, the total score, and then your broken down reading and writing and math scores.^{[8]
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- The total score is the score you got from adding the two separate sections of the SAT.
- The reading and writing score is just your score for that section. The math score is just the score for that section.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Evaluating Other Relevant Information

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Check your college readiness. When you click on “view details,” you can look at different specific reports based on your SAT score. The first thing you can see is your college readiness based on your individual subject scores. The score will be on a line divided into red, yellow, and green sections. Your score will reflect your college readiness.^{[9]
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- The green area means you have met or exceeded the benchmark and are on track for college readiness. The test will show you the minimum score to meet the benchmark.
- Red or yellow means you have not hit the benchmark.
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Assess your score. When you check your score, you can immediately determine if it is a bad, good, or excellent score. Your SAT score includes a national percentile ranking. This lets you know how many test takers you scored better than. The average 50th percentile score is 1060, so somewhere around that score is an average good score.^{[10]
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- Anything above 1060 moves you from average towards excellent. For example, a score of 1190 puts you in the 73rd percentile, and a score of 1290 puts you in the 86th percentile.
- Some colleges have minimum SAT score requirements, which you can also use to determine whether your score is good enough or not.
3
Determine your superscore. Some colleges allow you to use a superscore. A superscore is the combination of your highest reading and math scores from different tests. For example, if you took the SAT on three different test dates, you can choose the two highest scores to make your total score.^{[11]
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- To determine your superscore, look at all of your SAT test results on the college board website. Then, choose the highest reading score and the highest math score. Add them together. That is your superscore.
- Most colleges will look at a superscore, but some will not. Before you take the SAT multiple times to try for a superscore, make sure the colleges you are applying to allow this.

Community Q&A

Question

If I don't want to take the SAT, what can I do?

Community Answer

Take the ACT, some students find this exam easier. To get into most colleges you will need to take either exam but you can research colleges that do not require the SAT.