SAT Historical Percentiles for 2006 and 2007

If you took the SAT in 2006 or 2007, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 1700 on the SAT in 2006 the same percentile score as a 1700 in 2007? Do percentile scores change over time? 2006 was a big year in SAT history; it was the first full year of the Writing section and the maximum score changed from a 1600 to a 2400. Next year, the SAT will be going back to the 1600 maximum score.

In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT composite scores from 2006 and 2007.

What Are Percentile Scores?

Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, you did better than 99% of test-takers. If you got a 40th percentile score, you did better than 40% of the people who took the test.

The College Board determines SAT percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other college-bound high school seniors from that year.

Do Percentile Scores Change?

Typically, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay roughly the same from year to year. For example, a 2100 was the 97th percentile in 2007 and 2006. However, percentile scores can change very slightly. In 2007, a 1940 was the 91st percentile, but in 2006, it was the 90th percentile. 

Even if you're comparing percentile scores over a longer period of time, percentile scores will stay the same or only change minimally. In 2006, an 1800 was the 80th percentile, and in 2014, it was the 81st.

The College Board tries to use its scoring system to ensure that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same skill level and percentile scores regardless of when the test was taken. An 1800 in 2006 should be equivalent to an 1800 in 2015.

How Should You Use This Data? Why Is It Important?

Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or bad score. If you did better than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a college, you’re being compared with the other applicants to that school. Most schools publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission, your target score should be the school’s 75th percentile score.

Keep in mind that if you took the SAT in 2006 or 2007, for colleges, you may not need your SAT score, or you may have to take the SAT again since SAT score are usually only valid for 5 years. For every college you apply to, check the college’s admission requirements. You can usually find this information on its website.

Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. A small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. ;A 1500 is roughly the 50th percentile, but a 1750 is the 77th or 78th. Raising your score by 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top quarter of test takers.

With enough studying and practice, you can raise your score from average to excellent.

Composite Score Percentiles From 2007 and 2006

Gamerscore Blog/flickr

Section Score Percentiles

Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain percentile scores for each individual section for 2006 and 2007. However, because there are only very minimal changes to percentile scores from year to year, here are the section score percentiles from 2009 for your reference.

What's Next?

If you're interested in comparing percentile scores from more recent years, check out the SAT historical percentiles from 2011-2014.

Also, make sure you understand your SAT scores, and learn what SAT scores measure.