Average SAT Scores
Getting into college takes a lot of effort. There’s high school graduation or GED certification, money, parental blessing in many cases, and more money. There’s also the high-stress admissions tests.
Most college hopefuls take either the SAT or the ACT tests and the choice of school or the school’s location often dictate which test is best. Colleges on the east and west coasts of the country generally require the SAT test while the Midwest and South colleges prefer the ACT. Some schools require one or the other so the savvy student will check with the college of his or her dreams before taking any tests to make sure the appropriate one is taken. And it’s possible to take them both, just in case.
College admissions counselors and administrators compare average test scores around the country in order to set the standard for the particular learning institution they represent. Schools with limited enrollment opportunities or high standards may set the average SAT scores accepted higher than others in the same geographic area.
Average SAT scores are compared so that the perspective school’s admissions officers can gain some supplementary information about the student because coursework from high schools attended can vary dramatically based on geography and local economies. And it’s an effective way to compare home-schooled students to those who received their high school diplomas from public, private, and distance learning schools.
What’s generally thought of as the SAT test score is actually a calculated number that is quite like average SAT scores from various tests. The overall test itself is actually several components that are taken separately.
To determine average SAT scores, male and female students’ scores are often cited separately. Some interesting averages from tests taken in 2006 are:
- Reading score for male students – 505
- Reading score for female students – 502
- Mathematical score for males – 536
- Mathematical score for females – 502
- Writing score for males – 491
- Writing score for females – 502
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