SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

SAT Test Dates for 2023-2024

If you are in your junior year, you’ve probably been told a dozen times that this is the most important year of high school. One reason is because this is the year you will take the SAT – maybe once, or maybe a few times. And as you know, standardized test scores are an important component of your college application.

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Average SAT Scores Over Time: 1972–2023

SAT scores for the past few years have shown a marked decline, particularly since 2006, which can be attributed to various causes. In this article, we provide you with some charts showing the average SAT trends from 1972 to 2023 as well as the variation in SAT scores by ethnicity.

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How Long Does It Take to Get SAT Scores Back?

Don't you wish you could find out how you scored on the SAT right after you finish taking the test? Or maybe you'd like to forget all about it and pretend it never happened (better luck next time)!

Either way, your wait time for your SAT scores will be the same: roughly 13 days. This article fills you in on all the details of SAT score reporting and offers some advice for what to do once you get your scores.

Note: Score release schedules for the digital SAT (which is the only option available in 2024) may be unusually subject to change. Read this article to get an expert explanation of the new digital SAT and score release schedule.

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SAT Percentiles and Score Rankings (Updated 2023)

Have you taken the SAT recently and need help deciding whether you should retake the test? Or maybe you haven’t taken the SAT yet but want to develop a target score.

One of the best ways to understand your SAT scores is to understand your SAT score percentiles. You can learn to maximize your study time, find the biggest score gains, and impress your dream school by understanding percentile rankings. Read on for a guide to maximizing your SAT score—and your college admissions chances—by using SAT score percentiles.

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What's the Minimum SAT Score for College?

Preparing for college applications can feel confusing, overwhelming, and demanding. If you're nervous about the SAT (or college admissions in general), you might be worried about how low of a test score you can afford to get to still have a shot at college. You might even be wondering how low of a score on the SAT is even possible.

In this article, we'll discuss the lowest possible SAT score and why it's unlikely to happen to you. We'll also offer advice on determining the lowest SAT score you can get to still have a reasonable chance at a given school, and what that means in terms of choosing which schools to apply for and what score to aim for. Finally, we'll go over some things you can do if your score seems too low for any of the colleges you want to attend.

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Printable SAT Practice Tests PDFs: 22 FREE Official Tests

In this article, I'll tell you where to find all official, printable SAT practice tests and answer keys. This comprehensive guide gives you access to more SAT practice tests than any other online guide. In addition, you'll learn key strategies that'll help you make big improvements on SAT practice tests you can print out.

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Average SAT Scores by State (Most Recent)

More than a million students across the country take the SAT each year. So what do SAT scores by state look like? How do you stack up against other test takers in your state? Finally, what are some interesting state facts—for example, which state has the highest SAT score? The lowest SAT score? The highest rate of participation?

It's the battle of the states, SAT edition. Find out your state's average SAT scores and other fun facts in this article!

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What's the Highest Possible SAT Score?

Curious about what perfection looks like on the SAT, or about how many people get perfect scores every year? In this post, we'll show you what the highest possible score on the SAT is and how many raw points you need to rack up in each section to earn that score.

We'll also include tips and links to other more detailed articles for those aiming for that rare—but not impossible!—maximum SAT score.

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Important: Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges

No matter how stellar your transcript, no matter how mastered your extracurricular activities, no matter how lyrical your essay—no application is complete without your SAT scores.

So how do you make sure your SAT scores are sent properly, at the right time, and with only the scores you are most proud of? Read on for our best advice on the decisions you'll be faced with and what to do in case something goes wrong.

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Future Years' SAT Test Dates, Schedules, and Deadlines

Future SAT test dates are only confirmed less than a year in advance, but we at PrepScholar have done the hard work of looking at past test date patterns to predict future SAT test dates and registration deadlines.

For 2023 and early 2024, the official timetable is set in stone. But even though they're more uncertain, we can predict future years like 2025, 2026, and 2027 with decent confidence. These predictions have been updated in September 2023 to reflect the latest possible data.

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What's a Bad SAT Score? Nationally and by College

 

Have you taken the SAT recently? Are you wondering whether your score is bad? Or maybe you just want to know the score to beat before you take the SAT for the first time?

In this article, we'll explain what a bad SAT score is, both in terms of the national averages and the colleges you might be interested in.

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The Educator's Guide to the Digital SAT

The SAT suite of exams is officially switching from a paper-and-pencil format to a new, digital format in 2024. That means big changes are in store for educators and students. 

In this article, we’ll answer your questions about the digital SAT so you’ll know what to expect from the new format. We’ll cover:

  • A complete timeline for when the new digital SAT and PSAT will be implemented in schools
  • How the digital SAT and PSAT will be different in terms of content and format
  • How the digital exams will be scored, and how it’ll be different from the paper versions
  • Materials students will need to take the digital SAT and PSAT

Let’s get started!

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When Is the December SAT? Should You Take It?

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The December SAT is your final chance to take the SAT of the year, and for many colleges, it's the final SAT they accept before application deadlines. But is it the best SAT date for you?

There are important pros and cons to the December SAT, and we'll go over each of them in this guide. We'll also explain key December SAT dates, such as what day the test is on, when you need to register by, and when you (and the schools you apply to) will receive your scores.

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SAT Test Dates: Full Guide to Choosing (2023, 2024)

The SAT is offered seven times a year, but which SAT test dates will work best for you and your schedule? What essential factors should you consider before creating an SAT schedule? What are the best SAT dates for juniors? For seniors?

In this comprehensive guide, we offer you the most current info on SAT test dates (domestic and international) for 2023-2024. We also give you our top tips for choosing the best SAT test dates for you as well as tons of resources to help you navigate the complicated web of SAT/ACT test dates.

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When Is the November SAT? Should You Take It?

During November, you're thinking about Thanksgiving, the upcoming holidays, and....the SAT? Maybe! One of the SAT's seven annual test dates is offered in November, and it may be the exam date you choose.

However, before you sign up for the November SAT, you need to make sure it's the right test date for you. In this guide, we go over all the key November SAT test dates, such as when you need to register by and when you'll receive your scores, and we also go over every key pro and con you should consider before deciding to take the SAT in November.

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