SAT scores question

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USNFilms

5-Year Member
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Jan 26, 2010
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hey everyone I took the SATs for the first time on January 28 and I've recently gotten my scores back and am kind of confused.

Writing = 650
CR = 660
Math = 760

Total = 2070

It's the math score that confuses me. Out of 54 questions on the Math section I only got one wrong, giving me 53/54. I understand that all questions are worth the same points. However, I hear of people getting scores like 790 and 780 in the math section. How is it possible for them to get these scores? If I only got one wrong and I got a 760 then that means there is no way someone can get a score between 760 and 800 because by getting all of them correct you get an 800!!!??!?!

I've looked for explanations but nothing has been really clear/useful. Can you guys provide me with some insight?
Thanks
 
Could have something to do with because you answered and missed the problem, you get a point taken away. If you don't answer it, no points deducted, but no points added.

Something like that ?
 
USNF--I'm assuming that you answered all 54 questions, because you would also be dinged for questions you did not answer.

While I can't specifically answer your question, my guess is that problems in certain sections of the Math portion of the SAT are scored differently from problems in other sections. 800 points divided by 54 answers does not result in an even amount of points per question.

As I said, this is just a guess. Hopefully someone with more specific knowledge will answer your question here. But nonetheless-a 760 is a very good score for a first time around. :-)
 
USNF--I misspoke. You are not dinged for omitted answers, just wrong ones. Here's a link that might help: http://www.studypoint.com/ed/sat-scoring/

The scoring is a combination of raw score converted to a scaled score. I think you can also get detailed scoring information directly from CollegeBoard (though there may be a fee for that). I hope that helps.

But again--you have every reason to be very proud of your score. Best of luck in your application process!!
 
futuremid said:
Could have something to do with because you answered and missed the problem, you get a point taken away. If you don't answer it, no points deducted, but no points added.

Something like that ?
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Possibly, however, you only lose one quarter of a point for missing a question and every other question I answered correctly. I just don't understand how my score can be this low for only missing one question. A lot of people have told me that people still get 800's despite getting just one question wrong. they may or may not be correct, however.

FutureOfficerMom said:
USNF--I'm assuming that you answered all 54 questions, because you would also be dinged for questions you did not answer.

While I can't specifically answer your question, my guess is that problems in certain sections of the Math portion of the SAT are scored differently from problems in other sections. 800 points divided by 54 answers does not result in an even amount of points per question.

As I said, this is just a guess. Hopefully someone with more specific knowledge will answer your question here. But nonetheless-a 760 is a very good score for a first time around. :-)
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Yes I did answer all 54 questions. And I believe your conclusion that the SAT math section is scored differently may be correct but who knows. The Collegeboard website is rather vague. They only offer score ranges for certain raw scores.
 
The SAT is a unique beast, but I'll tell you what I've been taught from different teachers and people with experience with the SAT. You start off with a 200. If you answer a question correctly it's worth 1 point (GENERALLY meaning +10 on your score) and if you get a question wrong you lose .25 points. Not answering won't affect your score. The thing is I say "generally" because the SAT is actually scaled a small amount since it is a completely different test every time you take it, and by scaling it to the overall results they (CollegeBoard) hopes to give a more accurate representation of your ability. So in some cases they may find that the math section was very difficult and that very few got 54/54. In those cases they would the scale would reflect that, and it could be possible that you get an 800 without answering a question or something in the 780-790 range if you get one wrong. Other times they may find that a large percentage of people scored highly on the section so getting that one problem wrong or not answering it could ding you a few extra points. It's confusing and it sucks, but I wouldn't worry. If this is your first time taking it, those are really competitive scores, and if you decide to take it again they will only get better. Hopefully this helps, and good luck.
 
newhampshirecandidate said:
The SAT is a unique beast, but I'll tell you what I've been taught from different teachers and people with experience with the SAT. You start off with a 200. If you answer a question correctly it's worth 1 point (GENERALLY meaning +10 on your score) and if you get a question wrong you lose .25 points. Not answering won't affect your score. The thing is I say "generally" because the SAT is actually scaled a small amount since it is a completely different test every time you take it, and by scaling it to the overall results they (CollegeBoard) hopes to give a more accurate representation of your ability. So in some cases they may find that the math section was very difficult and that very few got 54/54. In those cases they would the scale would reflect that, and it could be possible that you get an 800 without answering a question or something in the 780-790 range if you get one wrong. Other times they may find that a large percentage of people scored highly on the section so getting that one problem wrong or not answering it could ding you a few extra points. It's confusing and it sucks, but I wouldn't worry. If this is your first time taking it, those are really competitive scores, and if you decide to take it again they will only get better. Hopefully this helps, and good luck.
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Thanks so much! this makes a lot of sense and is much clearer than what is stated on the collegeboard website. and thanks, i'm taking the SATs again in two days so hopefully I can improve!
 
OP --

I assume you mean you heard about 780, 790 etc. on other test sittings, not the one from Jan. 28. If from Jan 28, then you didn't miss only one. BTW, how do you know you got one wrong... did you purchase extra the service where they send you your test with right and wrong answers?

If from other test sitting dates, then the scaling (curving) comes into play. If the test from Jan. 28 , despite all attempts to make every test sitting equally difficult, resulted in many more 54 or 53 correct than usual, then curve is pulled down, and 53/54 becomes a 760 instead of 770, 780, etc.
 
dunninla said:
OP --

I assume you mean you heard about 780, 790 etc. on other test sittings, not the one from Jan. 28. If from Jan 28, then you didn't miss only one. BTW, how do you know you got one wrong... did you purchase extra the service where they send you your test with right and wrong answers?

If from other test sitting dates, then the scaling (curving) comes into play. If the test from Jan. 28 , despite all attempts to make every test sitting equally difficult, resulted in many more 54 or 53 correct than usual, then curve is pulled down, and 53/54 becomes a 760 instead of 770, 780, etc.
Click to expand...

The other scores (780 and 790) were from a different test so the curving must have come into play.
 
I was writing my first reply when FutureOfficerMom mentioned raw scores, so to clarify, the +1 point and -.25 are to the raw score which is what the scale's based on, and that determines how many points a correct question is worth. Also keep in mind USNFilms, the Academy takes your best Math and Verbal scores overall, so even if you score lower in Math this time around and break 700 for your Verbal, it will help immensely. Being in the 1400s makes your SAT scores very competitive.
 
Here's my reasoning. You probably got a multiple choice math question wrong. Therefore, you lose 1/4 a point for getting a wrong answer, and miss the point you could have gotten for answering it right. So, you really missed 1.25 points on that wrong answer. Had you skipped the question, you would have only gotten -1 point. OR had the question been a fill in the blank question, there are about 8 or so if i remember correctly, and you got it wrong, you get -1 point. Therefore, you must have gotten multiple choice question wrong. Great score though!
 
This demonstrates precisely why it is important to study the grading process of the exam as well at the material to be tested; ie, sometimes it makes sense to totally omit a question as opposed to taking a shot in the dark at answering that question. You have gotten a great score; one that will stand you in good stead on most slates, so your next task is to determine whether you will stand on it or re-take the exam. BTW, how are your ACT scores? It's always something, isn't it? Best wishes to you.
 
The curve for the SAT changes for every sitting, so the scale changes for every sitting as well. You could get the exact same number of questions wrong in one section for two different sittings, and end up with different scores.

The Math section is usually particularly steep. One question missed could easily bring the score down to 740-760. Too many people in the nation score flawlessly on that section.
 
My son also missed 1 question and got a 760 on math. If you're interested, over on collegeconfidential.com there is an entire thread devoted to the SAT. The conclusion from that discussion was, as one of the previous posters said, this was an easy math section which pulled the curve down. If you got 0 wrong, then 800; 1 wrong was 760. I doesn't matter if it was one of the easy math questions, or a hard one, that you missed.
 
1964BGO said:
This demonstrates precisely why it is important to study the grading process of the exam as well at the material to be tested; ie, sometimes it makes sense to totally omit a question as opposed to taking a shot in the dark at answering that question. You have gotten a great score; one that will stand you in good stead on most slates, so your next task is to determine whether you will stand on it or re-take the exam. BTW, how are your ACT scores? It's always something, isn't it? Best wishes to you.
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Thanks for your response, I've looked into it last night and found out more about the collegeboard's scaling process, and I just took the SAT's again today so hopefully I'll get higher scores.

I haven't taken the ACT's yet but I'm registered for them this April
 
I found the ACT much easier than the SAT, although the Science section was odd. I think its mislabeled, it had more to do with reading graphs and things of that nature than it did science. And taking the SAT multiple times with a base score of 2070 will help you in the end. My score went up 130 points from the first time I took it, mainly just because I was more familiar with the test. Best of luck!
 
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