How to Calculate Your SAT Score
The SAT's scoring system makes no sense at first glance. Plug in your raw scores and see where you actually land on the 400–1600 scale. Takes about ten seconds.
Steps
Enter your raw section scores
Just finished a practice SAT? Count your correct answers per section. Reading and Writing: 96 questions total. Math: 58. Enter each raw score separately.
Apply the scoring curve
The calculator maps your raw scores to scaled scores using College Board's conversion tables. Each section gets 200 to 800. The curve shifts a bit between test editions, but our tables match the most recent official practice tests.
View your composite score
Your total SAT score is both sections added together — 400 to 1600. You also get your percentile rank, so you can see where you stand compared to everyone else.
Identify areas for improvement
Compare your section scores. Math at 650 but Reading at 520? Now you know where to focus. Bumping a weaker section by 50 points is usually way easier than squeezing more out of an already-strong one.
Understanding SAT Score Conversions
Why does the SAT even need a raw-to-scaled conversion? Because not every test edition is equally hard. A raw 50 correct on one test might equal 710. On a slightly easier test? Maybe 690. College Board calls it "equating" — basically statistical normalization so scores are comparable across test dates. That's why the curve changes. It's not random. For practice, the official College Board scoring tables from the most recent test give you the closest estimate. And heads up: third-party practice tests from Kaplan, Princeton Review, etc. often use their own curves. Those scores might not match your actual test day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope. No guessing penalty since 2016. Your raw score is just the number of correct answers. So never leave anything blank. A random guess still has a 25% shot.
Depends entirely on where you're applying. Ivy League? Typically 1450+. Competitive state schools? 1200–1350. A lot of schools are test-optional now, but a strong score still helps your application. Look up the middle 50% range for admitted students at your target schools.