Trying to figure out why your SAT score went down on a retake? Or are you just wondering how much an SAT score can drop if you retake the test? Find out the likelihood of an SAT score decrease, how much your SAT score could decrease by, and how to make sure your score goes up, not down. Also, learn how to compare a score from the Old SAT (which was scored out of 2400) with a current SAT score (which is out of 1600) to see if your score decreased in the transition. College Board released data specifically on juniors who retook the old version of the SAT as seniors – so if you’re younger this might not apply exactly to you, though you can expect the same general principles to hold. According to that data on SAT retakes: So while we don't have any data yet about the New SAT, it's important to keep this information from the old SAT in mind. Basically, the higher a student's scores were as a junior, the more likely it was that the student's subsequent scores would drop. The lower the initial scores, the more likely it was that the scores will go up. On average, juniors repeating the SAT as seniors improved their combined Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing scores by approximately 40 points. About 1 in 25 gained 100 or more points on Critical Reading or Mathematics, and about 1 in 90 lost 100 or more points. So the odds are if you retake the SAT, your score will increase – just over half of these students had a score increase. But this increase isn't huge, just 40 composite points. Plus, it’s also not unlikely that your score will either stay the same or drop (45% of retakes in College Board’s study). It’s unlikely you’ll lose more than 100 points on one section – meaning a 200 point decrease is about the max you should expect, and anything larger is cause for serious concern. According to this table from College Board, if you initially earned a section score of 680 or higher, you're the most likely to lose points on an SAT retake. The Writing section has the biggest average drop, of 15 points. The average drop in Critical Reading is 4 points, and there is actually an average gain in Math of 4 points. However, looking at the breakdown of score increases and decreases, students who scored 680 or higher the first time are the most likely to see SAT point decreases of 20 to 40 or even 50 to 70 points. So if your section scores are 680 or higher, since you’re in the category most likely to see a score decrease, you should be very careful when studying for your retake. If you took the Old SAT and the current SAT, it can be hard to interpret and compare your two scores. As a brief refresher, the Old SAT had three sections (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) each worth 800 points, for a total of 2400 possible points. The current SAT has two sections, Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Each section is worth 800 points for a total of 1600 possible points. (Get a complete guide to SAT scoring right here.) Let's take an example. Say you took the old SAT in January 2016 and got the following scores: Critical Reading: 640 You decide to retake the SAT. On the current SAT, you get the following scores: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW): 660 Just eyeballing it, it's clear that your Math performance went way up between the two tests. After all, 740 is much higher than 620! But comparing the other sections is a bit murkier. Your EBRW score of 660 is higher than your old SAT Critical Reading performance but lower than your old SAT Writing performance. So which test did you do best on? How does a 1940 out of 2400 compare to a 1400 out of 1600? Using our New SAT Score conversion chart, we can get an idea. Based on these estimates, a 1940 old SAT score would map to a 1360current SAT score. Meanwhile, a 1400 current SAT score would map to a 2060 old SAT score. So it turns out the new SAT score is stronger than the old one. If you're comparing an old SAT score with a current score, compare the individual section scores -- Math with Math and Critical Reading/Writing with Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. But also use the conversion chart to compare your final composite scores. To take another example, if you got a 2000 on the old SAT and a 1200 on the current SAT, your score would have actually gone down in the transition. (A 2000 composite maps to a 1430 current SAT score, while a 1200 maps to just an 1660 on the old SAT.) So make sure to use the conversion chart to compare your performance on the two tests! We’ll separate this discussion into smaller score drops (up to 100 points off your composite) and larger drops. Essentially, the bigger the score drop, the more serious the issue you have to address. We'll discuss what could have gone wrong on your retake, and how to make sure a subsequent SAT retake goes better. The first thing to consider, even though it may seem counterintuitive, is that maybe you did better than expected the first time you took the SAT. Maybe you had particularly good luck and guessed correctly on lots of questions, or you connected better with the Reading passages. So your lower SAT retake score, rather than being a sign that you got worse, could just be a correction to your surprisingly high first time score. However, it’s also possible you had decent luck the first time but bad luck on your retake. For example, if you earned 50 raw points on Math last time for a score of 700, but ran out of time and missed six more Math questions the second time, your raw score of 44 would get you a 650 – a 50-point drop. In other words, missing just six questions can translate to a 50-point section drop. Even small score changes can have a large effect on your final composite. This can easily happen if you face a tough Reading passage you don’t vibe with or a few tougher math questions. How unlucky you get is also affected by how long you studied for your retake – the less time you put in, the more likely it is you’ll make the same mistakes and additionally be open to bad luck. Or you may forget about mistakes you are prone to making. Also, how did you study? If you didn’t include enough strictly-timed test practice, you could have struggled with timing on your retake, which leads to point drops. Plus, if you spent all your time studying for your worst section, you may see score drops on the other one, leading to an overall composite drop. Putting in a bunch of time to improve a low Math score won't help your overall composite if your EBRW score is much lower the second time. Also, did your test center have problems? Not getting the proper amount of time on a few sections or dealing with noise or uncomfortable temperature can affect your score (learn how to report a test center here). Finally, the reason could have been more personal – maybe you slept less before your SAT retake or weren’t feeling well that day. Whatever the case, you should try and figure out what could have gone wrong for you if you’re thinking about retaking the SAT for a third time.
How Likely Is an SAT Score Drop?
Be Careful if You Start Out With a Higher Score (680+)
Did My Score Drop Between the Old and New SAT?
Math: 620
Writing: 680
Total Composite: 1940
Math: 740
Total Composite: 1400Why Would My Score Decrease?
Statistically Likely Drops (Up to 100 Points Down)
Large Drops (Between 100 and 200 Points Down)
If your composite drops by this much, you likely have a more serious problem you should identify.
It could be you’re using a new strategy that doesn’t work for you, especially if the point drop came mainly from one section. For example, did you try going straight to the questions on the Reading section rather than reading the passage first, or plugging in answers for Math instead of solving with algebra? A strategy that works for one student could cause another to waste time and lose points. (This is why we recommend doing a ton of practice problems as part of your SAT study regimen: so you can try out different strategies and find what works for you.)
If the point drops were spread out between the two sections, it could be your guessing strategy and/or timing were worse this time around. Or maybe your testing conditions were markedly worse this time – again, read about possible test center violations here. Or perhaps you were feeling particularly stressed, sick, or nervous on your retake. In short, something happened to affect your overall test performance.
You should work on identifying what you think went wrong before retaking the SAT again (if you decide to) if you saw a point drop this large.
Very Large Drops (200 Points or More)
From the data above, only 1 in 90 students will see a score decrease this dramatic. In other words, something is very seriously going wrong for you – whether it’s your test strategy, a bad test center, or maybe even a mis-scoring.
If your SAT score is in free fall, you have a serious problem...
If you saw the score drop on just one section – say your Math score fell from 660 to 460 – that’s a huge red flag. You may have tried out a new strategy on that section that was very ineffective. But it’s more likely that you might have messed up filling in your answers – maybe you got off by one line when bubbling in, for example. This could cause you to get a ton of questions wrong, resulting in an enormous score drop.
If the score drop was spread between sections – roughly a 100-point drop in each – that speaks to a test-wide problem. Maybe you struggled with timing, used an ineffective guessing strategy, or were feeling unwell on test day. Or maybe your test center was particularly bad this time around.
You need to figure out what went wrong so that if you do attempt to retake the SAT again, you can increase your odds of getting a better score.
Finally, consider College Board’s Score Verification program if you saw a huge score drop on an SAT retake but can’t figure out what could have caused it. You’ll have to pay extra for the service, but the amount will be refunded if College Board did in fact mis-score your test. So definitely consider this option if you think your test was mis-scored.
How to Prevent an SAT Score Decrease
We've discussed why an SAT score can drop on a retake. But how can you make sure that your SAT score goes up if you retake the test? Follow our advice below to make sure your retake is successful.
1. Focus on Your Weak Points
One benefit of retaking the SAT is that you can use your score report from the first time around to analyze your weak spots. You want to make sure you get the points you missed the first time around when you retake the SAT, so spend some time analyzing your first score report.
To take an example, if your Math score was a 650 the first time, and your goal is to get 700 or higher on your retake, look closely at your score report. The SAT score report not only gives your final composite score, it breaks down how many questions you got correct and incorrect and in what areas.
For example, you'll be able to see if you missed more Math questions in Heart of Algebra or Passport to Advanced Math. Based on that knowledge, work on filling the knowledge gaps that prevented you from getting a higher score. The more point gains you can make, the less likely your score will decrease on a retake.
So what can you do to improve a low section score? Check out these section-by-section guides:
SAT Reading
- The Ultimate Study Guide for SAT Reading
- How to Stop Running Out of Time on SAT Reading
SAT Math
- The Best SAT Math Prep Books
- Browse Math Help by Topic: Statistics, Fractions, and More
SAT Writing
- The Complete Prep Guide for SAT Writing
- The Best SAT Writing Prep Books
2. Don’t Neglect Your Strong Areas
Even though it’s important to improve your weak points, don’t ignore the parts of the SAT you think you have in the bag. It’s not unlikely that your highest section score could drop if you don’t study for it.
Especially if you did fairly well on your first SAT (680 or higher on any section), it’s pretty likely you will see some score decreases the second time around. So you need to be practicing for the entire test to prevent your overall SAT composite from dropping.
To continue our example, even if you get your Math score up to 700, if your EBRW score drops by 50 points (which is a statistically likely drop), your composite won’t improve.
Or it could drop!
So how do you practice for the entire test? Make sure you’re familiar with SAT timing and SAT scoring so you know how much time you can spend per question, and the raw points you need on each section to reach your score goal. Also, make taking full, strictly-timed practice tests a regular part of your study routine. Which brings us to the third point...
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Don’t underestimate your second try at the SAT! Even though you’ve taken (and studied) for the test once before, you’ll need to keep working hard if you want to earn a higher score on your retake.
Getting lots of SAT practice in will reduce the score variation caused by harder/easier test questions or good/bad luck on test day.
Time yourself carefully whenever you take practice SAT sections (or full practice exams). Set target raw scores for each section and keep practicing until you hit them consistently.
Also, be ruthless about analyzing your mistakes. Don’t just grade practice problems quickly and then move on. Figure out why you got a question wrong and what you can do to make sure you never get it wrong again. (For more on analyzing your wrong answers, I highly recommend Allen Cheng's guide to getting a perfect SAT score.)
4. Don't Forget Logistics
Finally, you should make sure outside factors don’t mess with your SAT retake score. Even if you study effectively, a bad test center or lack of sleep could hurt your score.
Make sure you’re using the best test center for you. Also be sure that you’re getting enough sleep and following the guidelines to be ready the morning of the test. Last-minute cramming the night before the SAT won’t improve your score!
Finally, give yourself enough time before a retake – if you retake the SAT on the next possible test date, you might not give yourself enough time to practice and improve. Consider giving yourself between two to four months to study for your retake to ensure your score will go up.
What’s Next?
Check out SAT tips from our resident full-scorer. If you follow these guidelines, even if you’re not going for a 2400, your score will almost certainly increase.
Learn more about how the SAT is scored to know how many questions you need to get correct for a score increase. Also read more about SAT timing to make sure your pacing is fast enough.
Want some more motivation for studying for an SAT retake? Read about SAT scores for the Ivy League and scholarships you can earn for high SAT scores.
Do you have a hard time sticking to your SAT study plan? Learn how to beat procrastination once and for all!
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.
Check out our 5-day free trial today:
Halle Edwards
About the Author
Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.
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FAQs
Is it normal for SAT scores to go down? ›
The latest round of SAT results has been released, and you may have been disappointed to see your score decrease by a couple points. Although dropping points is obviously disappointing, you are not alone. It's not totally uncommon to see a score decrease on your second attempt.
Why did my SAT score suddenly drop? ›If your scores went down, it's likely it was one of these culprits: You didn't take your practice test in official test conditions, or the test conditions were different this time around. You didn't prep enough. You prepped WAY too much.
Do you lose points on the SAT if you don't answer some questions? ›Can I Leave Questions Blank on the ACT/SAT? On both tests, there is no penalty for guessing. Since points are not deducted for incorrect answers, students are encouraged to attempt every question.
How many points do you lose for a wrong answer on the SAT? ›The previous version of the SAT had what's known as a “guessing penalty,” meaning points were deducted for any incorrect answer. However, on the tests you'll take today you do not lose any points for wrong answers, so you should bubble in a response to every question.
Do colleges care if your SAT score drops? ›That's because a low score on the SAT isn't a complete barrier to admission to most schools. Furthermore, The College Board reports that more than half of students who took the test for 2020 and 2021 received scores that indicated they aren't fully prepared for college-level work, so you're not alone.
Why does my SAT score fluctuate so much? ›By the College Board's own numbers, a student's section score will fluctuate an average 20 to 30 points between testing sessions.
Why did I do worse on my second SAT? ›Statistically Likely Drops (Up to 100 Points Down)
So your lower SAT retake score, rather than being a sign that you got worse, could just be a correction to your surprisingly high first time score. However, it's also possible you had decent luck the first time but bad luck on your retake.
Additionally, if you retake the tests, you can choose which scores you send. And even if you sent all of your scores, many colleges will only consider your highest. So even if you were to get a lower score the second time, it would not matter.
Can SAT scores be rushed? ›If you need your SAT scores sent faster than regular delivery, you can order rush reporting for an additional fee.
Is C usually the correct answer? ›Myth 2: C is the best guess letter and is right more often than any other letter. C or H are right (and wrong) as often as any other answer choice. The only guess letter you don't want to use when you are completely guessing is E or K because they only show up on the math test.
Is C the most common answer on SAT? ›
Every answer choice on the SAT will have a statistically even distribution of 1 in 4 for each answer choice letter, A, B, C, or D. In other words? There is no most common answer on the SAT. Ultimately, guessing C (or any letter!) will give you the correct answer only a statistical 25% of the time.
Is C the most common answer? ›Let's be clear: it's not true that C is the “most common answer” on a given test. It's straight-up not, and guessing based on that is tantamount to relying on thaumaturgy to improve your SAT score. It's a poor excuse for strategy and preparedness.
How many questions can you miss on the SAT and still get a 1600? ›You can find official SAT practice tests and their scoring tables at the College Board. As you can see with the above SAT scoring chart, it's possible to get some questions wrong and still earn the max SAT score. Generally speaking, you can miss 1-2 questions on each section and still get a perfect 1600.
How many questions can you miss on the SAT to get a 1200? ›For Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 9 questions on the writing portion and 12 questions on the reading portion. For Math, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 17 questions between the calculator and no-calculator sections.
How many questions can I miss on the SAT to get a 1500? ›To get 1500 SAT, you need to get at least 48 right out of 52 in the Reading section. 41 right out of 44 in the Language section and 55 right out of 58 in the Maths section.
What is the lowest SAT score a college will accept? ›Less selective public institutions, as well as many small liberal arts colleges, regularly accept applicants in the 950-1050 range. Public universities in your state might also accept residents with scores on the lower end of the scale depending on their policies and your other qualifications.
What is the lowest SAT score accepted? ›The SAT is among the most important placement exams many high school students take. It could determine whether or not they get into their desired college or university, affecting their entire future, or it may affect the scholarships they get. The minimum score on the SAT is 400, and the highest you can get is 1600.
What is the lowest SAT score ever accepted to Harvard? ›Harvard SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.
Most students score higher on SAT retakes, which makes it worthwhile to take the test more than once. According to the College Board, 2 out of 3 students who retake the test raise their scores the second time.
What is a realistic increase in SAT score? ›In the official SAT statistics published by ETS, the average combined improvement of test-takers is 60 to 70 points. That makes a 150-point improvement pretty darn good. A 300-point improvement is excellent.
How much is the SAT usually curved? ›
Is the SAT Curved? Contrary to what you may believe, there is no SAT curve. This means your SAT score will never be affected by how other test takers perform on the test.
Do colleges care how many times you take SAT? ›Can colleges see if a student takes the SAT more than once? The short answer is no—nothing automatically shows colleges how often a student took the SAT. Most colleges let students who take the SAT multiple times select which of their test scores, by date, they send to colleges.
Can taking the SAT twice hurt you? ›Does It Hurt You To Take the SAT Multiple Times? It does not hurt to take the SAT multiple times. Colleges cannot see how many times you have taken the SAT. However, writing the SAT is a stressful and time-consuming endeavor, so it's important to know how many times are right for you.
Should I retake ACT with a 29? ›There's no pressing need to retake the ACT with a score of 29, unless your ideal school would like to see a higher score. The only schools that require a score higher than 29 are typically very competitive, making them difficult to gain admittance to, even for qualified students.
How many times does the average person take the SAT? ›Most people end up taking the SAT two or three times. Some people take it a fourth time, but generally, twice or three times works.
Is a 1600 SAT better than a 1570? ›In the eyes of an admissions committee, a 1560, 1570, 1580, 1590 and 1600 are the same thing. They indicate an excellent student who can perform well on the SAT.
Do colleges look at your first SAT score? ›Score Choice is under your control; you can decide whether or not to send your scores from each test date to colleges. If you choose to send scores from just one test date, those are the only scores that a college will look at in judging your application.
What is usually the easiest SAT day? ›Fact: There's no such thing as “the easiest SAT test date.” While it's true that some versions of the SAT are easier than others, it's false that some test dates are predictably easier than others. For one thing, there's no way of knowing which form of the SAT will be administered on any given test date.
How quickly can I improve my SAT score? ›If you schedule out a few hours each week where you will focus on studying, a couple months can be enough to improve your scores. The chart above recommends around 80 hours of studying for a 200 point improvement. If you have three months to study, that comes out to about five hours a week.
Does the SAT get harder every question? ›It's pretty easy to figure out the difficulty level of questions on the Math Test - sections here generally increase in difficulty as they go on. The first few questions are the easiest, and the last few are the hardest.
Should you guess B or C? ›
Most people (and tutors) tell students that, if they have no idea on a question, to just guess answer choice “C” — the middle answer on most multiple choice tests.
Is it better to guess the same letter? ›In truth, you have a higher likelihood of getting questions right by guessing the same letter every time than by skipping around. But why? The reason is twofold. For one, using a guessing letter saves you time and ensures a random guess.
What is the most common answer on a test? ›Remember, the expected likelihood of each option being correct is 25%. And on tests with five choices (say, A, B, C, D, and E), E was the most commonly correct answer (23%). C was the least (17%).
Should I guess B or C on the SAT? ›SAT Writing Guessing Tips
You should always cross out answers you know are wrong. For example, if you see word choices in your A, B, C, and D options that seem appropriate except for one, it's probably incorrect.
Reading comprehension is often considered the most difficult section of the SAT for students to improve their scores. The prevailing belief is that students must improve their reading speed and proficiency in order to raise their score; as a result, it is expected to be a long, gradual process.
What makes C so special? ›CA are highly knowledgeable in every aspect. CA's are not limited to Audit and Accounts only. They handle the taxation matters as well, provide the Financial consultancy and also handles the cost accounting matters. Whereas all such things could not be possible for a person pursuing CS only.
What letter to pick in multiple choice? ›It's best to pick one letter and guess with the same letter throughout the test. It statistically improves the chances of guessing more right. Remember, “When in doubt, pick C!” It doesn't have to be C. It just has to be the same letter every time.
Why is it best to guess C? ›The idea that C is the best answer to choose when guess-answering a question on a multiple choice test rests on the premise that ACT answer choices are not truly randomized. In other words, the implication is that answer choice C is correct more often than any other answer choice.
What happens if you take the SAT and get a lower score? ›And even if you sent all of your scores, many colleges will only consider your highest. So even if you were to get a lower score the second time, it would not matter. Most colleges have the average ACT or SAT score of admitted students up on their websites.
Can a low SAT score hurt you? ›High standardized test scores can't hurt you, but low scores often can. Stellar standardized test scores can take the sting out of a low grade-point average if there was a slide in academic performance that can be linked to extenuating circumstances.
Is the actual SAT harder than the practice tests? ›
Some students claim that the questions were harder on the official SAT or at the same level as their practice ones. So to put it simply, it is neither harder nor easier. It all depends on how prepared you are for the official test and how well you do while taking a test.
Can a high GPA make up for low SAT? ›For one, admissions officers look at more than just SAT scores when considering applicants. If you have an impressive GPA, deep involvement in extracurricular activities or volunteer work, and stellar recommendation letters, your SAT score will not be weighed as heavily when they are reviewing your application.
What is a failing SAT score? ›There is just no passing or failing score on the SAT. However, colleges and universities often have specific SAT score requirements for applicants without unique talents. For example, certain colleges may require that applicants have a total score of at least 1200 to be considered for admission.
Can you get into Ivy League with low SAT? ›If you're scoring lower than the 25th percentile on either the SAT or ACT, you'll have a really tough time getting accepted to an Ivy League school. Unfortunately, you just won't measure up to all the other highly qualified applicants who have extremely impressive SAT/ACT scores. Clearly, these are very high standards.
What is the hardest thing on the SAT? ›Some find the math portion much harder than the writing or reading portions, and vice versa. The hardest part to improve upon is probably the Critical Reading section, only because it involves more deeply ingrained, long-term bad habits that need to be broken before you can excel.
Which SAT practice is hardest? ›In online forums, students also tend to identify Test #3 as the hardest of the official practice tests, so there truly seems to be a clear consensus. It's important to remember though that a hard practice test can actually be a great resource!
Is the SAT getting easier or harder? ›In many ways, the new SAT is much easier than the older version. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't study and be prepared! While the format may be better for some students, the questions are still designed to test your ability and skills in each particular subject.