How to Calculate SAT Total Score

The SAT consists of three main sections and an essay. The main sections are Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. Each of the main sections has a scoring scale of 200-800, with the best over all score being 2400. Essays have a scale of 2-12. If you are preparing to take the SAT or you have completed the SAT you are may wonder where you will place on this scale. How does the number of correct and incorrect questions per section reach a number close to or at 800?

Things You'll Need

• SAT Raw Score Conversion Chart
• Correct answer number
• Incorrect answer number

Instructions

Calculate SAT total score

1. Take a sheet of paper and make three columns. You can also use an Excel spreadsheet. Make headers for each column, Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing.

2. Review your SAT answers and count in each section the total number of correct answers. List this under the appropriate heading.

3. Review your SAT answers again and count in each section the total number of incorrect answers. Unanswered questions are not considered incorrect answers. List the number of incorrect answers under the appropriate heading.

4. Find out which section is the experimental section and do not include those questions in either the correct answers or the incorrect answers. This section is not included in your score.

5. Give one point to every correct question answered. Unanswered questions are not listed under correct or incorrect. This is your raw score.

6. Subtract 1/4th point for every incorrect answer listed under the headings Critical Reading, and Writing. Subtract 1/4th point for every incorrect answer listed under the Mathematic's section except those questions in the grid in section. The grid in questions require the student to produce the answer, meaning there is no multiple choice for these questions. There is no penalty for incorrect grid in questions.

7. Calculate your raw score by adding the total number of correct answers and subtract the total points for incorrect answers for each section. Remember if the question was not answered it does not count as correct or incorrect.

8. Locate your per-section raw score on the SAT conversion chart. Add each section together and you have the main SAT score. You will have to wait for the essay to be reviewed and points to be assigned. These points are included in the total for the writing section.

Tips & Warnings

• Do your best on the essay; it is part of your overall score.

• If you don't know an answer do not guess because no penalties are assessed for questions that are left unanswered.

References

• SAT Essay Scoring information
• Score information
• Raw score conversion chart