When Do SAT Subject Test Scores Come Out?

After you take the SAT Subject Tests, you probably want to find out your results right away. You'll have to be a little patient, though, as you might need to wait between two and six weeks to get your SAT Subject Test scores.

We've compiled the exact score delivery dates below. We also offer tips on how to track down your scores and what to do after you get them. Read on to find out just when you'll get your SAT Subject Test scores.

UPDATE: SAT Subject Tests No Longer Offered

In January 2021, the College Board announced that, effective immediately, no further SAT Subject Tests would be offered in the United States. SAT Subject Tests ended internationally in June 2021. It is now no longer possible to take any SAT Subject Tests.

Many students were understandably confused about why this announcement happened midyear and what this means for college applications going forward. Read more about the details of what the end of SAT Subject Tests means for you and your college apps here.

SAT Subject Test Score Release Dates 2020-2021

After some delays in score delivery in recent years, the College Board now promises online score delivery within two weeks for most SAT and SAT Subject Test dates. Additionally, any colleges you designate as score recipients should get your SAT scores within 10 days after you get your own score report.

As you can see, delivery dates (to both students and their selected schools) can range from two weeks to more than five weeks (for June score deliveries).

Source: The College Board.

For all other test dates, the College Board delivers paper score reports at the same time SAT Subject Test scores become available online; however, they're not explicit about when exactly colleges will get SAT Subject Test scores, only promising that colleges should get them within 10 days after students get their own score reports.

At least you know exactly when you can get your scores online, though. Read on for a step-by-step explanation of how to access your SAT Subject Test scores on the dates above.

How to Get Your SAT Subject Test Scores

Internet score delivery for SAT Subject Tests should take place around 8 am Eastern Time (5 am Pacific Time). According to students, the scores sometimes appear a few hours earlier.

To get your scores, log on to your College Board account and go to "My Test Scores." Once there, you'll see your scores from any and all SAT Subject Tests you've taken.

You'll need your username and password to be able to log in and view your scores. If you don't remember one or both of these, go through the steps to recover this info with the email associated with your account. If you need to recover your username and/or password, try to do so before score release day. It wouldn't be any fun to go through this rigmarole as your scores wait in your account, just out of reach!

According to the dates above, your paper score report should be delivered to you around the same time they come out online. You can also get your Subject Test scores over the phone by calling 866-756-7346 (domestic) or 212-713-7789 (international). This service costs $15 per call, so you'll need to have a credit card on hand.

Now that you know when to expect your SAT Subject Test scores and how to access them, is there anything else to keep in mind about the Subject Tests?

How to Schedule Your SAT Subject Tests

Since you now know when you'll get your SAT Subject Test scores, you should design your testing schedule with these dates in mind, especially when it comes to college application deadlines.

At present, the College Board does not commit to having scores to colleges by specific dates, only stating when they'll start to deliver them. Therefore, I suggest giving yourself at least a week of leeway between your score release date and your application deadline.

It's possible that colleges will be more lenient because of past score release delays, but I wouldn't risk it or risk getting stressed out about it. You want to leave enough time for colleges to get your scores. You might also leave extra time to retake a Subject Test or two if you end up being disappointed with your scores.

Remember that all the SAT Subject Tests are multiple choice and your answer sheets are scored by a machine. Make sure to keep them neat and not make any stray marks or doodles, as the machine won't be able to tell the difference between a real answer and a stray mark.

As long as you schedule your SAT Subject Tests with enough time for colleges to receive your score reports, you'll be all set—you just have to wait out the weeks until you get your scores!

What to Do After You Get Your SAT Subject Test Scores

You've gotten your SAT Subject Test scores. Now what? Do you focus on SAT/ACT prep? Apply to college? Or just totally forget about your scores? Here's a step-by-step guide on what to do after you see your SAT Subject Test scores.

Step 1: Determine How Good Your Scores Are

First, it's important to check that your Subject Test scores are up to par (or even better than) the average Subject Test scores at the schools you're applying to. This lets you see whether you're on track to being a competitive applicant or whether you need to work a little harder on presenting yourself as an ideal candidate to schools.

To find the average SAT Subject Test score for a college, search for "[School Name] SAT Subject Test scores" or "[School Name] average SAT Subject Test scores" on Google. Look for links to the school's official website and click the one that's most relevant. A good score will be one that's equal to or higher than the school's average.

Unfortunately, not all schools list average SAT Subject Scores. If you're having trouble finding your school's average or recommended SAT Subject Test scores, try comparing your scores with official Subject Test averages and percentiles. This will tell you how many test takers you scored higher than on a Subject Test.

Step 2: Decide Whether to Submit Your Scores to Schools

Now that you have an idea of how well you did on your Subject Tests, it's time to decide whether you want to submit your scores to schools. (Note that if you elected to use the College Board's four free score reports when you registered for the tests, your scores will be automatically sent to the schools you chose before you can know what your scores actually are.)

If a school requires Subject Test scores and you're only going to take the tests once, go ahead and submit your scores, even if they weren't as high as you hoped they'd be. You don't really have much of a choice here since not submitting them means your application will be disqualified!

On the other hand, if Subject Test scores are completely optional, only submit your scores if they're higher than the averages at the school. If you got a low score, it's better to not submit it since all it'll do is bring down the quality of your application. (By contrast, if you submit no scores, this won't have any effect on your application.)

If your school strongly recommends SAT Subject Test scores, it's best to send them in. That said, if you scored poorly on a test, you can choose to not send in that score and instead opt to retake the test at a later point (if you can do so before your college applications are due, that is). Check out our guide for a list of all SAT Subject Test dates.

Step 3: Start Working on Your College Applications

If you decided to submit your Subject Test scores to your schools, congrats! Now, it's time to start buckling down on your college applications. You'll want to present yourself in the best possible light, so make sure to write a great personal statement, submit strong letters of recommendation, and get involved in extracurricular activities you're interested in.

If you decided to retake a Subject Test, you'll want to balance your time wisely by studying for the test and getting a jumpstart on your college applications. I suggest making a study schedule so you can pace yourself and space out the things you'll need to prepare for your college applications.

What's Next?

Have you chosen the dates you'll take your SAT Subject Tests on? Check out our article for the best dates to take the tests, and get tips on how to balance them with the general SAT or ACT.

Are you also taking the SAT? Make sure you know all the steps to getting and sending your SAT scores, and figure out how high of an SAT score you should aim for. If you're taking the ACT, learn how to get and send your ACT scores and what ACT score you should aim for.

Want to get a perfect SAT or ACT score? Read our guides to learn how you can score a perfect 1600 on the SAT or a full 36 on the ACT.