What is SAT?

The SAT test is a standardized test for College admissions in the United States that measures student’s readiness for college. It was created more than 80 years ago with the aim to help colleges and universities to easier identify students who could succeed at their respective institutions.

Today more than three million students take the SAT test each year around the world and nearly every college in America uses the test scores as a common and objective way to evaluate a student’s intellectual ability.

With approximately 3 million test takers each year the SAT-test is the most widely used standardized test for college admissions and it is internationally recognized to best give independent and objective measurement of a student’s college readiness.

There are two different assessments test; the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests.

The SAT test consists of three parts; critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills.

The SAT Subject Tests measure student’s knowledge in specific subjects such as in Chemistry, Biology, History, Mathematics, Languages, etc. Although most universities do not require students to take the SAT Subject Tests, all Ivy-League universities require all applying students to take three SAT Subject tests.

Possible scores on the SAT test range from 600-2400 and students receive their scores both in raw scores as well as in percentiles. The accompanying table shows what percentile different raw scores corresponds to:

Following table illustrates the average SAT scores of admitted students to Ivy-League Universities to the class of 2016;

Thus, the SAT test aids to narrow down attractive candidates from 3 millions to approx 35 000 applicants.