does the sat essay count towards your score

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April 12, 2014

How Does the Essay Affect Your SAT Score?

Although the SAT essay is going to be optional before long (when the test changes in 2016), as of right now it’s a must. So, love it or hate it, your essay will influence your SAT score, and the admissions offices at the colleges you’ll apply to will see that score. So let’s answer one key question: how much does the SAT essay actually count for?

The Numbers

First, the essay is scored according to its own grading system. There will be two readers—real people, not a Scantron machine!—who read and judge your writing, each assigning a mark of zero to six. Zero is the worst (in case that wasn’t totally obvious), but it’s only used for the absolutely ungradable essays. If you write on a completely different topic than what’s assigned, for example, you will get a zero. That means no memorizing a fantastic essay ahead of time! You have to write on the topic they give you. You’d also get a zero if you wrote in another language, say, or simply put no clear thoughts on paper.

A six, on the other hand, is reserved for long, structured essays that are full of clear, concrete ideas, high-level vocabulary, and correct grammar. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s the gist.

After each reader goes through and marks your essay, the two scores will be added to give you a score of 0–12 (if you actually wrote anything remotely relevant, that’s 2–12).

Then that score, in turn, is added to the raw score from the Writing multiple-choice questions, since the essay is just a part of the Writing Section. The multiple-choice sections count for more points, altogether.

Then, once they have the raw total of your essay score and your multiple-choice score added up, they convert that score into the scaled, 200–800 score.

The Importance of the Essay

The scaled score is a little bit hard to explain—how it’s calculated, I mean—and it’s not worth really getting stuck talking about. All that matters is the zero to twelve score ends up affecting how many hundreds are in that scaled score. And I did say that the multiple-choice counts for more than the essay, but that doesn’t mean the essay isn’t important.

In truth, the SAT essay score counts for around 30% your total writing score—in the ballpark of 200 points, altogether. It’s not the only thing, but it’s a significant piece of the puzzle.

And what about those who say the essay doesn’t matter? Simply put, they’re usually wrong . Most schools were really skeptical of the Writing Section when this version of the SAT first debuted it back in 2005. And sure, some are still not totally signed on, but for the most part it does factor into your admissions. And 99% of the time, you’ll have no idea how much that lady who works in the admissions office cares about your Writing score—you’ll just have to trust that a high score is better than a low one.

And for that high score, you need to put some energy into preparing to write your essay!

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SAT Essay Scores Explained

On january 19th, 2021, college board announced that they will no longer administer the sat subject tests in the u.s. and that the essay would be retired. read our blog post  to understand what this means in the near term and what the college board has in store for students down the road., our articles on subject tests and the sat essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape..

Why are there no percentiles for the essay on an SAT score report?

No percentiles or norms are provided in student reports. Even colleges do not receive any summary statistics. Given Compass’ concerns about the inaccuracy of essay scoring and the notable failures of the ACT on that front, the de-emphasis of norms would seem to be a good thing. The problem is that 10% of colleges are sticking with the SAT Essay as an admission requirement . While those colleges will not receive score distribution reports from the College Board, it is not difficult for them to construct their own statistics—officially or unofficially—based on thousands of applicants. Colleges can determine a “good score,” but students cannot. This asymmetry of information is harmful to students, as they are left to speculate how well they have performed and how their scores will be interpreted. Through our analysis, Compass hopes to provide students and parents more context for evaluating SAT Essay scores.

How has scoring changed? Is it still part of a student’s Total Score?

On the old SAT, the essay was a required component of the Writing section and made up approximately one-third of a student’s 200–800 score. The essay score itself was simply the sum (2–12) of two readers’ 1–6 scores. Readers were expected to grade holistically and not to focus on individual components of the writing. The SAT essay came under a great deal of criticism for being too loosely structured. Factual accuracy was not required; it was not that difficult to make pre-fabricated material fit the prompt; many colleges found the 2–12 essay scores of little use; and the conflation of the essay and “Writing” was, in some cases, blocking the use of the SAT Writing score—which included grammar and usage—entirely.

With the 2016 overhaul of the SAT came an attempt to make the essay more academically defensible while also making it optional (as the ACT essay had long been). The essay score is not a part of the 400–1600 score. Instead, a student opting to take the SAT Essay receives 2–8 scores in three dimensions: reading, analysis, and writing. No equating or fancy lookup table is involved. The scores are simply the sum of two readers’ 1–4 ratings in each dimension. There is no official totaling or averaging of scores, although colleges may choose to do so.

Readers avoid extremes

What is almost universally true about grading of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. The default instinct is to nudge a score above or below a perceived cutoff or midpoint rather than to evenly distribute scores. When the only options are 1, 2, 3, or 4, the consequence is predictable—readers give out a lot of 2s and 3s and very few 1s and 4s. In fact, our analysis shows that 80% of all reader scores are 2s or 3s. This, in turn, means that most of the dimension scores (the sum of the two readers) range from 4 to 6. Analysis scores are outliers. A third of readers give essays a 1 in Analysis. Below is the distribution of reader scores across all dimensions.

What is a good SAT Essay score?

By combining multiple data sources—including extensive College Board scoring information—Compass has estimated the mean and mode (most common) essay scores for students at various score levels. We also found that the reading and writing dimensions were similar, while analysis scores lagged by a point across all sub-groups. These figures should not be viewed as cutoffs for “good” scores. The loose correlation of essay score to Total Score and the high standard deviation of essay scores means that students at all levels see wide variation of scores. The average essay-taking student scores a 1,080 on the SAT and receives just under a 5/4/5.

College Board recently released essay results for the class of 2017, so score distributions are now available. From these, percentiles can also be calculated. We provide these figures with mixed feelings. On the one hand, percentile scores on such an imperfect measure can be highly misleading. On the other hand, we feel that students should understand the full workings of essay scores.

The role of luck

What is frustrating to many students on the SAT and ACT is that they can score 98th percentile in most areas and then get a “middling” score on the essay. This result is actually quite predictable. Whereas math and verbal scores are the result of dozens of objective questions, the essay is a single question graded subjectively. To replace statistical concepts with a colloquial one—far more “luck” is involved than on the multiple-choice sections. What text is used in the essay stimulus? How well will the student respond to the style and subject matter? Which of the hundreds of readers were assigned to grade the student’s essay? What other essays has the reader recently scored?

Even good writers run into the unpredictability involved and the fact that essay readers give so few high scores. A 5 means that the Readers A and B gave the essay a 2 and a 3, respectively. Which reader was “right?” If the essay had encountered two readers like Reader A, it would have received a 4. If the essay had been given two readers like Reader B, it would have received a 6. That swing makes a large difference if we judge scores exclusively by percentiles, but essay scores are simply too blurry to make such cut-and-dry distinctions. More than 80% of students receive one of three scores—4, 5, or 6 on the reading and writing dimensions and 3, 4, or 5 on analysis.

What do colleges expect?

It’s unlikely that many colleges will release a breakdown of essay scores for admitted students—especially since so few are requiring it. What we know from experience with the ACT , though, is that even at the most competitive schools in the country, the 25th–75th percentile scores of admitted students were 8–10 on the ACT’s old 2–12 score range. We expect that things will play out similarly for the SAT and that most students admitted to highly selective colleges will have domain scores in the 5–7 range (possibly closer to 4–6 for analysis). It’s even less likely for students to average a high score across all three areas than it is to obtain a single high mark. We estimate that only a fraction of a percent of students will average an 8—for example [8/8/8, 7/8/8, 8/7/8, or 8,8,7].

Update as of October 2017. The University of California system has published the 25th–75th percentile ranges for enrolled students. It has chosen to work with total scores. The highest ranges—including those at UCLA and Berkeley—are 17–20. Those scores are inline with our estimates above.

How will colleges use the domain scores?

Colleges have been given no guidance by College Board on how to use essay scores for admission. Will they sum the scores? Will they average them? Will they value certain areas over others? Chances are that if you are worrying too much about those questions, then you are likely losing sight of the bigger picture. We know of no cases where admission committees will make formulaic use of essay scores. The scores are a very small, very error-prone part of a student’s testing portfolio.

How low is too low?

Are 3s and 4s, then, low enough that an otherwise high-scoring student should retest? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. In general, it is a mistake to retest solely to improve an essay score unless a student is confident that the SAT Total Score can be maintained or improved. A student with a 1340 PSAT and 1280 SAT may feel that it is worthwhile to bring up low essay scores because she has previously shown that she can do better on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math, as well. A student with a 1400 PSAT and 1540 SAT should think long and hard before committing to a retest. Admission results from the class of 2017 may give us some added insight into the use of SAT Essay scores.

Will colleges continue to require the SAT Essay?

For the class of 2017, Compass has prepared a list of the SAT Essay and ACT Writing policies for 360 of the top colleges . Several of the largest and most prestigious public university systems—California, Michigan, and Texas, for example, still require the essay, and a number of highly competitive private colleges do the same—for example, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

The number of excellent colleges not requiring the SAT Essay, though, is long and getting longer. Compass expects even more colleges to drop the essay requirement for the classes of 2018 and 2019. Policies are typically finalized in late spring or during the summer.

Should I skip the essay entirely?

A common question regarding SAT scores is whether the whole mess can be avoided by skipping the essay. After all, if only about 10% of colleges are requiring the section, is it really that important? Despite serious misgivings about the test and the ways scores are interpreted, Compass still recommends that most students take the essay unless they are certain that they will not be applying to any of the colleges requiring or recommending it. Nationally, about 70% of students choose to take the essay on at least one SAT administration. When looking at higher scoring segments, that quickly rises to 85–90%. Almost all Compass students take the SAT Essay at least once to insure that they do not miss out on educational opportunities.

Should I prepare for the SAT Essay?

Most Compass students decide to do some preparation for the essay, because taking any part of a test “cold” can be an unpleasant experience, and students want to avoid feeling like a retake is necessary. In addition to practicing exercises and tests, most students can perform well enough on the SAT Essay after 1–2 hours of tutoring. Students taking a Compass practice SAT will also receive a scored essay. Students interested in essay writing tips for the SAT can refer to Compass blog posts on the difference between the ACT and SAT tasks  and the use of first person on the essays .

Will I be able to see my essay?

Yes. ACT makes it difficult to obtain a copy of your Writing essay, but College Board includes it as part of your online report.

Will colleges have access to my essay? Even if they don’t require it?

Yes, colleges are provided with student essays. We know of very few circumstances where SAT Essay reading is regularly conducted. Colleges that do not require the SAT Essay fall into the “consider” and “do not consider” camps. Schools do not always list this policy on their website or in their application materials, so it is hard to have a comprehensive list. We recommend contacting colleges for more information. In general, the essay will have little to no impact at colleges that do not require or recommend it.

Is the SAT Essay a reason to take the ACT instead?

Almost all colleges that require the SAT Essay require Writing for ACT-takers. The essays are very different on the two tests, but neither can be said to be universally “easier” or “harder.” Compass recommends that the primary sections of the tests determine your planning. Compass’ content experts have also written a piece on how to attack the ACT essay .

Key links in this post:

ACT and SAT essay requirements ACT Writing scores explained Comparing ACT and SAT essay tasks The use of first person in ACT and SAT essays Understanding the “audience and purpose” of the ACT essay Compass proctored practice testing for the ACT, SAT, and Subject Tests

About Art Sawyer

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and co-founded Compass Education Group in 2004 in order to bring the best ideas and tutors into students' homes and computers. Although he has attained perfect scores on all flavors of the SAT and ACT, he is routinely beaten in backgammon.

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Hi! I’m a high school junior who took the October and November SATs. I got a 1500 on October and then retook it to get a 1590 in November. I’m very happy with my score, but my essays are troubling me. I got a 6-4-6 in October and thought I would improve in November, but I got a 6-3-6. I really cannot improve my actual SAT score, but I don’t understand the essay. I’ve always been a good writer and have consistently been praised for it in English class and outside of class. Is this essay score indicative of my writing skill? And will this essay hurt my chances at Ivy League and other top tier schools? None of the schools I plan on applying to require it, but, since I have to submit it, will it hurt my chances? Thank you so much.

Maya, The essay is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Honestly, a 6-4-6 is a fine score and will not hurt your chances for admission. It’s something of an odd writing task, so I wouldn’t worry that it doesn’t match your writing skills elsewhere.

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SAT Essay Scoring: What You Need to Know

The SAT Essay is an optional component of the SAT, designed to test your ability to analyze and evaluate the author's argument in a provided passage. If you choose to take the SAT Essay, it's essential to understand how it is scored and what the scores mean. In this article, we'll explore the SAT Essay scoring system and provide insights into what you need to know.

 Understanding the SAT Essay Scoring System

The SAT Essay is scored separately from the rest of the SAT, with scores ranging from 2 to 8 in three categories: Reading, Analysis, and Writing. These three scores are then added together to produce a total score between 6 and 24. Here's a breakdown of the scoring system:

- Reading: 

This score assesses your ability to understand and use evidence from the passage. It is based on how well you comprehend and summarize the author's argument.

- Analysis: 

The analysis score evaluates your ability to analyze the author's use of evidence, reasoning, and persuasive techniques to build and support their argument. It measures your ability to recognize and explain the strategies used.

- Writing: 

This score examines your writing skills, including your use of effective language, organization, and clarity in presenting your own argument. It also assesses the control and mastery of language and writing conventions.

Each of the three scores (Reading, Analysis, and Writing) is given by two different graders, who each provide a score between 1 and 4. The scores from these two graders are then added together for each category, producing a score between 2 and 8. For example, if one grader gives you a score of 3 for Reading, and the other gives you a 4, your Reading score will be 7.

After receiving your scores in each category, they are added together to create your total Essay score, which can range from 6 to 24. For example, if your Reading score is 7, your Analysis score is 6, and your Writing score is 7, your total Essay score would be 20.

 Interpreting SAT Essay Scores

When interpreting your SAT Essay scores, it's important to understand that the scores are not just a reflection of your writing skills; they assess your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments. Here's how to interpret SAT Essay scores:

- Scores of 6 or below: 

A total score of 6 or below indicates that your Essay did not effectively analyze and evaluate the author's argument. You may have struggled with comprehension, analysis, or writing. Most top colleges prefer to see scores above 6.

- Scores of 7: 

A total score of 7 is considered a respectable score. It indicates a competent analysis of the author's argument and effective writing skills. This score demonstrates a solid understanding of the passage.

- Scores of 8: 

An Essay score of 8 or above is considered excellent. It signifies a strong ability to analyze and evaluate the author's argument, along with effective and well-structured writing. Scores in this range will make a positive impression on college admissions officers.

 Should You Take the SAT Essay?

Many colleges and universities no longer require the SAT Essay as part of their admissions process. Before deciding whether to take the SAT Essay, research the admission requirements of the schools you're interested in. If your chosen schools do not require the Essay, it may be a good idea to save time and money by opting out of it.

On the other hand, if your desired colleges do require the Essay, or if you're unsure, it's a good practice to take it, as it can enhance your application and showcase your writing and analytical skills.

 Conclusion

Understanding the SAT Essay scoring system is essential for anyone considering taking this optional portion of the SAT. Your Essay score reflects your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments, as well as your writing skills. Aim for a score of 7 or higher to make a positive impression on college admissions officers, but remember to check the requirements of your chosen schools to determine if the SAT Essay is necessary for your applications.

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Thinking about tackling the SAT Essay? Here's what you need to know: you'll be asked to read a text (typically a speech or editorial of some sort) and discuss how the author effectively builds an argument. This might be a familiar task if you’ve done it in school, but if not, don’t worry. The format is straightforward, and with some practice, you can learn how to write a great SAT essay.

What is the SAT essay?

The SAT essay is optional and costs an additional fee of $17.00. Currently, only 25 colleges and universities require the SAT essay. You can find a searchable list of school requirements for the essay here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should sign up for the essay. If you are not sure where you will apply, you should strongly consider signing up for the essay. Your essay score will appear on every score report you send to colleges, regardless of whether or not the school requires an essay. 

Here are 5 tips for writing a killer SAT essay, should you decide to add on that section:

1. Stay Objective

The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your opinion on a topic or a text. So be sure to maintain formal style and an objective tone. Tip: Avoid “I” and “you.

2. Keep It Tidy

Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil matters. Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.

3. (Indented) Paragraphs Are Your Friend

Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay. Your conclusion should restate the goal of the passage/argument and sum up the points you made.

Read More: SAT Tips and Strategies

4. For Example…

Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points.

5. Don't Worry About the Exact Terms for Things

Blanking on terminology? When describing how the author builds his or her argument, “appeal to the emotions” is fine instead of specifically referencing “pathos.” And “comparison of two things” can be used instead of referring to a metaphor. If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them!

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If you’re like many high school students, the hardest part of the SAT isn’t the hours of prep work that you put into it. Yes, that’s definitely hard, but at least you have some control over it. There’s some reassurance in being able to direct your time towards productive and, hopefully, satisfying results. What’s harder for many students like you is the time between your test and your score release. There’s nothing you can do to speed the process, so waiting patiently (or impatiently) is your only option.

If you’re awaiting SAT scores, or perhaps you’ve just received them, you might be wondering how your test is scored, what the scores mean, or even what to do if you believe your SAT score is incorrect. Read on for CollegeVine’s answers to all your SAT score questions.

How is the SAT scored?

Most of your SAT answers were multiple-choice bubbles that you meticulously filled in with a #2 pencil. Even the grid-in math questions involved those tiny little bubbles. So it’s probably no surprise that those bubbles play an integral part in scoring your exam. With millions of students taking SAT or PSAT-related exams each year, the ability to score each exam quickly and efficiently is beyond important. After all, imagine how long the wait would be if each test had to be scored by hand.

What is a raw score?

Multiple-choice and grid-in answers are scored by a computer that scans your answer sheet. This computer produces your raw score, which, simply speaking, is the number of questions answered correctly. Beginning in spring 2016, there is no penalty on the SAT for incorrect or unanswered questions, so your raw score simply accounts for the number of questions that you answered correctly.

A separate raw score is produced for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section and for the Math section. Each of these scores is then converted to a scaled score of 200 to 800. This conversion accounts for slight differences in difficulty among different versions of the test, so your resulting score is consistent across test forms.

How is the SAT essay scored?

If you took the optional essay section of the SAT, you will remember that this portion of the test was the one that did not involve those little bubbled-in answers. Instead, you produced a written product, which obviously must be scored quite differently from a computer-scanned answer sheet.

Each essay written for the SAT is scored by two separate and independent readers. The readers evaluate essays on three dimensions. These dimensions include reading, analysis, and writing.

For the reading dimension, scorers assess your understanding of the passage, including central ideas and important details. For the analysis dimension, scorers evaluate your understanding of how the author builds an argument and how you support and develop your ideas with evidence from the text. Finally, for the writing dimension, essay readers score your ability to craft a focused, organized, and precise essay with appropriate style and tone.

Each essay reader will award between one and four points for each dimension. These scores are then added together to create a score ranging from two to eight for each dimension. If the scores awarded for any dimension differ by more than one point, a scoring director will score the essay. This automatic validation helps to ensure the universal accuracy of the essay scoring process. For more information about the SAT Essay scoring process, including a rubric of scoring guidelines for each dimension, review the College Board’s SAT Essay Scoring .

When will I receive my SAT score?

The release date for SAT scores varies depending on when you took the test. Tests administered in the fall are usually scored and released in about three to four weeks. Tests administered in the spring tend to take a little longer, probably due to the large volume of students taking them. These are scored and released in about five to six weeks. For an exact calendar of score release dates organized by test date, check out the College Board’s table of When to Expect Scores .

How will I receive my SAT score?

Sat scores online.

The easiest way to receive your SAT score is through the College Board website. If you registered for the test online, you have already created an online College Board account. Log in to your account on the score release day to view your results.

SAT Scores By Paper Score Report

If you do not have an online College Board account, or you registered through the mail and did not include your College Board account on your registration, you will receive a copy of your scores in the mail. This will be mailed around the same day that scores are released online.

SAT Scores By Phone

You may also receive your SAT scores by telephone beginning on the date of the score release, but there is a fee attached to this service and you will need to provide a credit card number when you call. To receive scores by phone use the following phone numbers:

Domestic: 866-756-7346

International: 212-713-7789

TTY: 888-857-2477 (U.S.), 609-882-4118 (international)

What do my SAT scores mean?

When you receive your scores, you’re probably expecting a number between 400 and 1600. You will get this, and a whole lot more, on your official SAT score report. So what do all these different numbers mean?

SAT Total Scores

This is the number you’re probably most familiar with when it comes to SAT scores. It is a single number between 400 and 1600 and represents your total score. This total score is calculated by adding your score from the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section (200-800) with your total score from the Math section (200-800). You will also receive a percentile accompanying your total score. This number shows you how your score compares to the scores received by other students taking the SAT.

SAT Section Scores

These are the individual section scores between 200 and 800 for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and the Math section. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section score is a combination of the Reading Test score and the Writing and Language Test score. The Math section score is a combination of the Math Test – Calculator score and the Math Test – No Calculator score.

SAT Essay Scores

The SAT Essay scores will include three scored dimensions. The dimensions scored are Reading, Analysis, and Writing. Each dimension is scored on a scale from two to eight points. The score report will show the prompt you responded to, your essay itself, and a link to the Essay Scoring Guide .

Other Score Components

Although the total scores, section scores, and essay scores are the most important numbers on your score report, they are not the only numbers.

You will also receive test scores ranging from 10-40 for the content in each of the tests: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math.

You will see cross-test scores ranging from 10-40 as well. These scores show your performance across the three tests in the domains of Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science.

Finally, you’ll see subscores ranging from 1-15, which reflect your performance in the following skill areas:

• Command of Evidence
• Words in Context
• Expression of Ideas
• Standard English Conventions
• Heart of Algebra
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis
• Passport to Advanced Math

Although these scores aren’t necessarily important to colleges or universities, they can be used as feedback to guide your studying for any future SAT exams you might choose to take.

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

Is my SAT score good enough for schools?

There is no standard SAT score required for college admissions. The exact range of SAT scores admitted to each college varies widely depending on how competitive the school’s admissions are and the various other factors considered on every application, such as grades and extracurricular activities. To get an idea of the SAT scores expected at the college or university of your choice, look them up online. A simple online search query with the college name and the term “average SAT score” should yield the results for which you’re looking.

Although there is no minimum SAT score required for general college admissions, the College Board does set benchmarks that assess your college readiness. These benchmarks are designed to:

• Identify students who are on track for success in college and career readiness.
• Identify students who may need extra support while there is still time for improvement.
• Find students who may be ready for more challenging course work.

The benchmarks are not intended to assign academic tracks, discourage students from pursuing college, or keep students from participating in challenging courses. Instead, these benchmarks are designed by the College Board to predict a 75% likelihood of achieving at least a C in a set of first-semester college courses.

The benchmarks are set separately for each section. The current Evidence-Based Reading and Writing benchmark score is 480. The current Math benchmark score is 530. Your score report will include your performance compared to the benchmark scores. This comparison is categorized by color with the following designations:

• Green: Your section score meets or exceeds the benchmark.
• Yellow: Your section score is within one year’s academic growth of the benchmark.
• Red: Your section score is below the benchmark by more than one year’s academic growth.

How do I send my SAT scores to schools?

Sending sat scores before test day.

Every time you register for the SAT, you can order four free score reports to colleges and scholarship programs at no cost to you. This is a good choice because it’s the only free option available, and many colleges will view your early submission as a demonstration of your interest.

Although some students might hesitate to send scores before you know them, if this is likely the last time that you’re taking the test or your test date falls close to the application deadline, you should definitely consider taking advantage of the free score reports. For more information about sending test scores before you’ve received them, read CollegeVine’s Should I Send My Test Scores To Colleges Before I Know Them?

Sending SAT Scores After Test Day

There are two scenarios for sending scores after test day. If you leave the test on cloud nine and you are certain that you aced it, you can still take advantage of the four free score reports up to nine days after the test. Simply log in to your College Board account online and send your scores.

If you wait longer, or would rather postpone sending any scores until you’ve seen them yourself, you’ll still be able to send scores easily through your online College Board account, but you’ll have to pay to do so. These score reports are $12 each ( fee waivers are available if needed). A rush report is an additional $31.

What should I do if I think my SAT was scored incorrectly?

There are a couple levels of review available if you think your SAT was scored incorrectly.

Student Answer Service (SAS)

First, if you just have an inkling that something is off but aren’t totally sure, you can request a Student Answer Verification. This service includes an overview of the difficulty of each question answered correctly, incorrectly, or omitted and of the type of test questions.

Essentially, the Student Answer Service is a more specific overview of your performance for you to look over. It is not reviewed by anyone else, but is provided for your own personal use to better understand what went wrong (or right!). If your SAS report reveals that you got every difficult question wrong, it’s likely that your exam was graded correctly, and you may not have realized how hard those questions actually were at the time of the exam.

This answer verification service is not designed to be used as a test prep or practice tool. You may request this service when you register for the test or up to five months after your test date. The fee for this service is $13.50. See the SAT Answer Verification Services Order Form for 2016-17 for more information.

Question and Answer Service (QAS)

You may also choose to receive a Question and Answer Verification Service on select exam administrations. This service is available for all May administrations of the test, and for other select administrations within Canada and the U.S. For a calendar of availability for this service, see the SAT Answer Verification Services Order Form for 2016-17 .

The Question and Answer Service includes a booklet copy of the test you took with a table of correct answers and scoring information. You will also receive a report that lists the type and level of difficulty of each question, along with what your answer was, and whether it was correct, incorrect, or omitted. Again, this service does not include a review by anyone else, but is provided for your own personal use to better understand where you failed to gain points. This service costs $18.00.

Score Verification

If you still don’t think your test was scored correctly, you may request a score verification. This is a good idea if your score is very different from what you expected and you believe you may have made an obvious mistake in marking your answers, or if your essay appears blank or completely illegible when you view it in your online score report. In this case, you may have written your essay in ink (which does not scan properly), and it would not have been assessed appropriately.

You may request a multiple-choice hand score verification and/or an essay score verification. Each service costs $55 (or $27.50 for fee-waiver users). Your score verification fee will be refunded if your score changes because of an irregularity in the College Board’s scanning and/or scoring processes. If your score does not change, if it changes due to an obvious error you made in marking your answer sheet, or if you wrote your essay in pen, or otherwise failed to follow directions for marking your answers and completing test information, your fee will not be refunded.

Keep in mind when requesting score verification that your new score will be final, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than your original score. Also, you should know that the verification of essay scores does not include rereading the essay or an appeal of the essay score. It simply reviews the essay visually to ensure that it was legible to the original readers who scored it.

For more about score verification services, check out the College Board’s Important Information for Using the SAT® Score Verification Service .

To learn more about the SAT, check out these CollegeVine posts:

• ACT vs SAT/SAT Subject Tests
• Are PSAT Scores Related to SAT Scores?
• What Should I Bring to My SAT?
• A Guide to the New SAT

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

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SAT Essay Score: Does It Affect Your SAT score, How Many Points is it and What is a Good Score?

How Much Is the Essay Worth for a SAT Score?

On the old version of the SAT, the essay was required. Now, it’s optional. However, if you think that means you can skip it, you might want to think again.

Some colleges still require you to submit a standardized test essay, like the one on the SAT, but other colleges don’t. If you want to keep your options open for where you can apply to college, sign up for the essay portion of the SAT and make sure you do well. Even if they say they don’t require the essay, some elite schools may still take your SAT essay score into account on your application.

Has There Always Been an Essay on the SAT?

When the College Board created a new version of the SAT in 2016, they changed a lot of things. The SAT writing score now counts for less of your overall SAT score because the two main sections of the test are now the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and the Math section. Your SAT writing score comes from the multiple-choice part of the exam, while your SAT essay score is derived from a new part of the exam. That is the SAT Essay section, which stands on its own and does not affect your score in either of the multiple-choice sections .

You will have 50 minutes to complete the new version of the SAT Essay section. During that time, you will have to read and analyze a text and then you will compose an argumentative essay that examines and explains the effectiveness of the rhetoric in the passage you just read.

For this portion of the SAT, you will be scored on the SAT Essay rubric to earn a score out of 24 points. This score is separate from your 1,600-point score from the rest of the test . This section is also optional and costs an extra $11.50 in addition to the standard test fees.

Do Colleges Want Your SAT Essay Score?

All colleges want your SAT writing score, but that isn’t the same as the essay score. Some colleges want you to complete the essay, others recommend it and still others neither recommend nor require it. All in all, it depends on the college. When in doubt, contact the admissions office of your prospective college for more information.

A few elite colleges continue to require the SAT essay in its current form. Some of these colleges are in the Ivy League, notably Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton and Yale. So, if you’re planning on applying to Ivy League colleges, make sure you take the SAT Essay section seriously.

Even if you’re planning on applying to state schools, you still may want to take the SAT Essay section. Both the University of Michigan system and the University of California system require SAT Essay scores from applicants who apply to any of their schools. On the other hand, some state schools like the University of Illinois only recommend that you take the essay, while other state schools have no stance on the section and most likely won’t take your score into account during the admissions process.

Why Do Some Schools Want the Essay?

We already know that some schools want the essay and others don’t, but why is there such a divide? The schools that do want the essay have several reasons for requiring it. The first is that they want students to understand that writing is an integral part of college coursework, and students who don’t have proficient writing chops will find themselves struggling with their college classes.

It also helps that the new version of the SAT essay lines up well with colleges’ expectations for clear writing and independent thinking skills. The new essay asks students to read and comprehend an argument and then synthesize one of their own based on the effectiveness of the passage’s rhetoric. The new SAT essay not only shows colleges that applicants can write, but it also shows them that applicants can think critically and recognize effective writing techniques as well.

The third reason some colleges may want the SAT essay is because they want as much information on each applicant as they can get. Sometimes, college applications provide an incomplete picture of the students who are applying. The essay gives colleges additional data that can help in choosing between two nearly identical applications, with the student who writes the best, of course, rising to the top.

Why Don’t Some Schools Want the Essay?

One of the main reasons many schools don’t require the essay is that it provides information they already have. Most college application requirements include the submission of a personal essay written by the student applying. This writing sample helps college admissions officers get to know the applicants on a personal level, sure, but it also gives students a chance to let their writing talents shine. So, giving admissions officers more data on writing is unnecessary.

Another reason some colleges don’t want the SAT essay is because they don’t require the writing portion on the ACT . Requiring the SAT essay might give an unfair advantage to students taking the SAT instead of the ACT, or it could also disadvantage students who do poorly on the SAT essay if it was required but the ACT essay was not.

Additionally, some experts believe that standardized test essays are not a good measure of future college success . This means that while the essay section does provide additional data, some colleges aren’t sure if that data is valid. Still, other schools are wary of the additional cost of the SAT essay, thinking that having to pay more money may represent a burden to underprivileged students.

Understanding the SAT Essay Rubric

To know how high you have to score, and to understand how to succeed on this portion of the test, you’ll have to take a closer look at the SAT essay rubric. On the rubric, your score comes in three parts: reading, analysis and writing . You can earn from one to four points on each part, which are then multiplied by two for your score. You can earn up to eight points in each part for an overall score of up to 24 points .

Earning Points for Reading

To earn the full eight points for reading on the SAT essay, your essay has to demonstrate:

• That you understand the passage
• That you can clearly communicate the passage’s main idea as well as its details and how they relate to the main idea
• That you can interpret the ideas of the passage without errors
• That you can both paraphrase and quote textual evidence with skill and ease

Earning Points for Analysis

To earn the full eight points for analysis on the SAT essay, your essay has to communicate:

• Insightful analysis of the passage’s key features
• A thorough evaluation of the author’s choices, especially in regard to rhetoric
• Thoroughly reasoned claims that are supported by evidence from the text
• A focus on the most relevant parts of the text instead of delving into extraneous features or tangents

Finally, the writing itself should be free of errors, precise and effective and should demonstrate a sophisticated command of standard English.

Related Articles

What Are the Five Parts of an Argumentative Essay?

How to Write a Thesis & Introduction for a Critical Reflection Essay

How to Write an Introduction to an Analytical Essay

Examples of Expository Essays in Middle School

What Do You Have to Make on the GED to Pass?

How to Write Conclusions for Expository Papers

How to Use Writepoint Grammar Corrections

How Many Essays Does the GED Have?

• PrepScholar: Does the SAT Essay Matter? Expert Guide
• CollegeBoard: SAT Essay Scoring
• Kaplan: New SAT Essay Scoring Rubric
• Khan Academy: The SAT Essay: Overview

Rebecca Renner is a teacher and college professor from Florida. She loves teaching about literature, and she writes about books for Book Riot, Real Simple, Electric Literature and more.

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SAT Essay Score...

SAT Essay Scores: All about SAT Essay Score Range

SAT Essay is the one which requires students to read a foundation text and then analyse how the novelist uses several techniques to build their argument. Each SAT Essay entails one passage between 650 and 750 words that students will read and then reply to. Students have 50 minutes to analyse the text and frame their responses. The SAT Essay comprises three main parts:

•       Reading Prompt
•       Reading Selection
•       Essay Instruction

In 2021, College Board made SAT an optional section. It does not affect your overall score of 1600. Instead, your Essay grade stands unaccompanied on your score report. So, to know more about SAT essay score range & much more information on the same. We have curated a guide below about SAT essay scores and their importance with other general information.

SAT Essay Score Ranges: Highest, Good, and Average SAT Scores

Two scorers will assess your essay response. Each grader will allocate SAT essay score range of 1-4 in three categories: Reading, Analysis, and Writing. The highest grade you can achieve is 8 in all 3 sections, and the lowest score can be 2 for each of the three sections of the SAT Essay Paper.

·       Highest SAT Essay Score

The essay SAT score is an optional part of SAT with a self-regulating scoring system, i.e., means essay score is not involved in the total maximum SAT score of 1600. An evaluator will give you between 1 and 4 points for each section. In totality, each dimension is being scored out of 8 likely points. The 3 separate scores out of 8 points mean that the highest possible SAT essay full score is 8-8-8, or 24 total points.

·       Good SAT Essay Score

Any SAT score above the 50th SAT essay score percentiles, or median, is measured as a good result since it designates that you have done good out of the majority of students. A 50th percentile score, on the other side, will not be sufficient at most admired universities. Depending on how competitive the student pool is, the standard for a high SAT score rises meaningly. This is why it’s usually a good idea to aim for a 1200 or above score.

·       Average SAT Essay Score

There are diverse ways and parameters for calculating the average SAT Essay Scores. However, an average SAT Essay score is 14 out of 24 points for all three sections. The average SAT essay score range is 5 out of 8 for the Reading section, 3 out of 8 for the Analysis Section, and 5 out of 8 for Writing.

Everything about SAT Exam Pattern

Why is SAT Essay Score Important?

SAT essay, however, is a completely different exercise: it's a 50-minute rhetorical analysis essay at the end of a three-hour test. According to the College Board's SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, 68% of students chose to take the essay. The SAT essay requires you to analyse a convincing argument. Topics for the passage can vary significantly but will always be about an argument written for an extensive audience.

 The SAT essay gives you a track to polish it. You can show off your creativity, critical thinking skills, and writing. You can also highlight the colleges where you're enthusiastic about going the extra mile.

What Is Considered A Good SAT Score to Study Abroad?

How to Prepare for SAT Essay?

Success on the SAT score with Essay depends on preparation as well as implementation. Here are a few tips that an undergraduate student can go through to prepare well for the SAT essay score.

1.       Study Sample Passages and SAT Essay Prompts

To understand the concept of the SAT essay, go through study sample passages to get high scores in each of the scoring sections, and take time to analyse example SAT essay prompts. As you go through each of the example passages and consistent responses, study how and why the author used to sign, reasoning, and stylistic or persuasive elements.

2.       Understand the SAT Essay Scoring System

Two readers will score your Essay distinctly and allocate a score of 1 to 4 for each of the 3 sections that include reading, analysis, and writing. Your analysis score will imitate how well your essay analyses how the author went about urging the audience. Also, SAT essay score reports offer these three distinct scores, each on a 2 to 8 scale.

3.       Begin with an Outline

An outline helps you plan your writing by giving you a clear logic of direction when transitioning from one point to the next. Planning out your method for an introduction, body, and conclusion when the content is fresh in your mind will safeguard that you don't reach the end of your answer with blocks in your argument.

4.       Make Time for Edits

After making all the approaches and figuring out how to write SAT essay, aim to take out some time in the end for review. In doing so, you may catch misunderstood information or find other ways to extra build on the points you made in your response.

SAT Preparation Books to Ace Your Score

The choice is eventually yours to take SAT essay or not, but there are pros to taking the SAT with Essay even if a college or university you're interested in doesn't require it. A clear profit would be that it opens up your possible college choices, regardless of what you've decided on presently. Besides, if you want to know about SAT Score and other information, connect with our Yocket Counsellors and get 15 min free consultation to clear your queries efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions about SAT Essay Score

What is a good score on SAT essay?

A good SAT essay score would be three 8's; that's a 4 from both graders in all three categories.

Which colleges abroad require SAT Essay?

There are some colleges abroad where SAT essay is required: 1) Benedictine University 2) City University London 3) Delaware State University 4) University of North Texas 5) Dominican University of California 6) DeSales University 7) Western Carolina University 8) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Is the SAT Essay mandatory?

In June 2021, the College Board chose to discontinue the SAT essay. Now, only students in a few states and school regions still have access to and must complete the SAT essay. This obligation applies to some students in the SAT School Day program.

Is 22 a good SAT essay score?

If you can achieve above 22 out of 24, it is the highest SAT score.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is the sat experimental section.

SAT General Info

In many regards, College Board has made the SAT a lot more transparent. As of March 2016, the majority of the test has a very clear and consistent format - with one exception. In recent months, some students encountered an unexpected 20-minute experimental section at the end of their tests.

This guide will explain everything we know so far about this experimental section and how it differs from the experimental section on tests past. Read on to learn about this extra material and what it means for your test prep. 

What's the SAT Experimental Section?

For many months leading up the new SAT, students and SAT experts thought the redesigned test had eliminated the experimental section. College Board made no mention of it, and the  free practice tests  it released featured no trace of extra questions.

Then, on February 4th, just a month before the new SAT was set to debut, a College Board official  said in a conference for test center coordinators in Boston that some students would get an experimental section. College Board didn't elaborate much further on what this meant.

When counselors received their  Advising and Admission Handbook , they saw these instructions:

"The SAT given in a standard testing room (to students with no testing accommodations) consists of four components — five if the optional 50-minute Essay is taken — with each component timed separately. The timed portion of the SAT with Essay (excluding breaks) is three hours and 50 minutes. To allow for pretesting, some students taking the SAT with no Essay will take a fifth, 20-minute section. Any section of the SAT may contain both operational and pretest items. " *

*Emphasis mine.

Operational items, by the way, are questions that count toward scores. Pretest items are not scored and don't factor in. Despite their declared commitment to transparency, College Board has been pretty opaque about the experimental section and whether or not it counts toward students' final scores !

When the new SAT was administered in March and May, some students got an extra 20-minute section at the end. All the students that got the experimental section had chosen not to take the essay. All students who opted for the essay section did not have the extra experimental section. It could have been Writing, Reading, or Math.

It's possible that this experimental section is unscored and meant to test out future material. It may be that College Board is being vague on this point to make sure that students still take this section seriously. If students knew it was unscored, then they might not try as hard - or even skip it completely - and then College Board wouldn't be able to test out material for future tests.

At the same time, no one seems to know yet whether or not this section indeed has "operational items." At this point, if you get an extra 20-minute section during your test, you should treat it no differently than you do the rest of the SAT.

Before getting into additional tips on how the experimental section affects your test prep, let's compare it to the experimental section on the old SAT. What was that experimental section like, and what's the purpose of experimental sections on the SAT in the first place?

What Was the Experimental Section on the Old SAT?

The experimental section on the old SAT was much more easily understood than the one on the new SAT. College Board was transparent about the fact that there was an experimental section on every SAT. All students got this extra section. It was unidentified, so they couldn't know which section it was.

The experimental, or variable, section was an extra 25-minutes that could have appeared as any subject - Math , Writing , or Critical Reading . It remained unscored , and test-takers couldn’t predict which section was the experimental one. College Board kept it unidentified so that students would take it as seriously as any other section.

In theory, the experimental section was indistinguishable from other sections of the SAT. In reality, though, and especially on test administrations immediately preceding the redesigned test, students noticed some strange questions unlike anything they’d prepared for on practice tests. Some of these unusual questions, as it turned out, resembled material that has since appeared on the redesigned SAT .

So even though past students didn't know which section was experimental, they did know to expect one. On the new SAT, many students were surprised to be met with an extra 20-minute section. So why does College Board include these extra sections on the SAT? What exactly is their purpose?

Why Are There Experimental Sections on the SAT?

In the past, the SAT experimental section was given for three main reasons: to test out future material, to ensure fairness and gauge difficulty level, and to detect any evidence of cheating. Presumably, the experimental section on the new SAT has similar purposes.

Let's look at each function in a bit more detail. 

To Test Out Future Material

College Board, or rather its contracted test developer, Educational Testing Service (ETS), used the experimental section for years to try out new questions and material for future tests. In the past, ETS mainly used this section for developing near identical tests. More recently, though, the experimental sections included especially novel question types as ETS worked toward the revamped SAT. If you took the "old" SAT in 2014 or 2015, you may have felt like an SAT guinea pig. 

The fact that College Board's been unclear about the experimental section on the new SAT suggests that it's still being used to test out future material. They want students to take it seriously, so they can get an accurate sense of the quality of their questions.

At the same time, College Board has suggested that any section on the SAT, including this extra 20-minute one, could have a combination of "operational" and "pretest" items. Therefore, we can't know for sure yet whether or not every question on the extra 20-minute section really is unscored, even though only a fraction of students are taking it.

To Ensure Fairness and Gauge Difficulty Level

In years past, ETS used the data from the experimental section to determine whether questions were fair and comparable to past tests. They also analyzed the results across gender, race, socioeconomic status, and other social categories to ensure that the questions were equally accessible to students across demographics.

Of course, many would argue that SAT scores have always correlated with levels of family income and parental education and will continue to do so. This correlation keeps the SAT and its validity a matter of controversy.  It also underlies the statements given by many colleges about why they've recently adopted  test optional or test flexible admissions policies.

Beyond working toward fairness, ETS also used results from the experimental section to gain insight into the levels of questions. If 80% of students got a question correct, for instance, then ETS could categorize it in the "easy" level. This understanding helped test designers select and arrange questions on new tests.

Presumably, College Board is analyzing data from the 20-minute experimental section of the SAT in a similar way. One notable difference, however, is that only students who opted out of the essay section were given this extra section. 

To Find Evidence of Cheating 

Finally, in rare cases, ETS used the experimental section to detect cheating. There have been a few cases where students gained access to questions and answers before test day. If a student performed amazingly on all sections except the experimental one, then ETS could audit the test to investigate for any unfair advantage.

Any students who had access to the test beforehand would have known which section was experimental (and probably freak out a little on the inside). But of course, the majority of students would never cheat on this important test, and they also would have been  hard pressed to figure out which section was experimental.

Let's consider that last issue in some more detail. Did takers of the old SAT know which section was experimental? How obvious is it to takers of the SAT now? 

Can Test-Takers Know Which Section Is Experimental?

The answer to this question varies depending on whether students took the old SAT or are taking the redesigned SAT of today. As such, let's consider them separately, starting with takers of the SAT today (ie, in March of 2016 and after).

Taking the New SAT

Takers of the new SAT could tell which section was experimental. The new SAT has a straightforward format. It starts with a 65-minute Reading section , followed by a 35-minute Writing section . Then you get a 25-minute Math No Calculator and a 55-minute Math with Calculator. Thus the unexpected 20-minute section of unpredictable subject matter was clearly the experimental one.

Students who registered for the SAT with Essay went onto the 50-minute essay as their last section. Students who opted out of the essay likely thought they were all done, but many then had to take an extra 20-minute section. As this section was not represented in College Board's breakdown of the test and practice tests, it appeared to be the experimental one. 

Takers of the old SAT had it a little differently, as you'll see below.

Taking the Old SAT 

Takers of the old SAT, unlike many who took the new SAT, knew to expect an experimental section. However, they couldn't easily figure out which one it was. They knew that the experimental section was 25-minutes, but the old SAT also had five other 25-minute sections. 

At the end of their test, students could deduct which subject their experimental section covered, Math, Critical Reading, or Writing, by figuring out where they had extra material. However, they had no sure way of knowing which Math, Critical Reading, or Writing section was experimental.

There was one exception to this rule. While most experimental sections blended in indistinguishably from the rest of the test, a few on 2014 and 2015 tests stood out for their unusual question types.

A few students noted that they got "evidence-based" questions on Reading, which asked for the evidence to their answer to a previous question. These question types were unprecedented on the old SAT, but they later showed up in abundance on the redesigned test, as you've seen if you've taken or prepped for it at all. 

Now that you have a sense of the experimental sections on the old and new SAT, let's figure out how this extra section affects your test prep , if at all. What can you do to prepare for an extra 20-minute section of unpredictable content? 

Should the experimental section affect how you train for the SAT?

How Does the Experimental Section Affect Your Prep?

Just knowing about the experimental section is one important way to prepare for the test. If you're taking the SAT without the essay section , then don't be too surprised if you get a 20-minute section in Math, Reading, or Writing as a fifth section, after the Math with Calculator.

If you're taking the SAT with Essay, then so far it seems that you don't have to worry about the experimental section. Unfortunately, College Board hasn't been too explicit about this section, who gets it, or what it means. We'll try our best to give you advance warning if they end up adding an extra section to the SAT with Essay version of the test, too!

Besides learning about the experimental section, there are a few additional tips to consider when prepping for the SAT. 

Take All Questions Seriously

Let's say you've signed up for the SAT without the essay and made it through your first three hours of testing. Then you get an extra 20-minute section in Math, Reading, or Writing.

It might feel all too easy to blow off this section and just start filling in random bubbles. This would be a mistake , though.

College Board has said that all sections, including this 20-minute one, contain operational and pretest items. There's no way of saying for sure that your performance on these questions won't be counted toward your final scores at all.

As you saw above, College Board also used the experimental section in past years to determine the validity of scores. If you did great on other sections but bombed the experimental section, then this inconsistency raised red flags. We don't know yet whether the 20-minute section is used for these same purposes, but dismissing it as insignificant doesn't seem worth the risk! 

While you may start to feel fatigued at the end of such a long test, try your best to finish up strong. That brings us to the next tip - prepare for a longer test.

Prepare for a Longer Test 

If you're taking the SAT without the essay, then you might benefit from prepping with longer tests. Taking timed practice tests is an important part of your prep, as it allows you to hone your time management skills and get better at staying alert over a long period of testing. 

Since the experimental section adds 20 minutes, you could simulate the experience by adding extra questions to your own practice tests. There aren't actually any 20-minute sections on the official SAT practice tests - the one that comes closest is the 25-minute Math No Calculator section - so you might have to create this extra section from scratch by collecting extra practice questions.

Since the 65-minute Reading section usually has 52 questions, you could collect 16 or so to answer. For Writing, you might answer about 25 questions. Math No Calculator could stay about the same, perhaps taking away two or three questions. For the Math with Calculator, you could design a section with about 13 or 14 questions. 

Don't worry about getting the proportion of time to questions exactly right. The important point is that you add 20 minutes or so of additional testing time with SAT practice questions  to train your focus over a longer period of time.

Of course, it's unclear whether all students who are taking the SAT without the essay will get an experimental section. This unpredictability leads us to our final point - stay adaptable! 

Stay Adaptable 

For the most part, you can know exactly what to expect on SAT test day, from testing procedures to the structure of the test to the types of questions you'll encounter. The main source of unpredictability is this 20-minute experimental section, which may feature additional Reading, Writing, or Math questions. 

Since College Board has historically used the experimental section to test out future material, it may add unusual question types that you're not prepared for. If you encounter something weird, try not to let it mess with your head . Just do your best and roll with the punches. 

While you can't know for sure and should take every section seriously, many items on this section might be "pretest," or unscored, anyway. At least, that's what you can tell yourself so you can keep your cool and stay confident!

Again, you can largely know what to expect on test day . As long as you practice for answering questions and managing your time, you can expect to achieve similar scores as you have on practice tests. By prepping with a plan, you can feel confident about the test, with or without an extra experimental section!

What's Next?

Are you curious about other changes to the SAT this year? Check out the ten major changes you need to know about the redesigned SAT .

Once you've familiarized yourself with the changes, you're ready to start studying! This expert guide discusses the best ways to study for the SAT .

Are you looking to home in on a particular section? Check out our ultimate study guides for the Reading section , Writing section , and Math sections of the SAT, along with our step-by-step instructions for writing the essay !

Ready to go beyond just reading about the SAT? Then you'll love the free five-day trial for our SAT Complete Prep program . Designed and written by PrepScholar SAT experts , our SAT program customizes to your skill level in over 40 subskills so that you can focus your studying on what will get you the biggest score gains.

Click on the button below to try it out!

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

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