how to find highest combined essay score

How can I enter my new SAT essay score?

Jul 25, 2023 • knowledge, information.

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Students taking the latest version of the SAT have a lot of questions about the Essay section in particular. When the College Board redesigned the SAT in 2016, the Essay section was the aspect of the test that changed most substantially.

As a result, it is the section that is least understood. Keep reading to learn how we approach setting a good target score for this often enigmatic section of the SAT.

What Is the SAT Essay?

Students taking the optional Essay section are provided with a written argument and asked to analyze it. Check out the College Board’s example prompt with sample graded responses to get a sense of what the exam looks like.

Is the SAT Essay Required?

This is the only optional section of the SAT. It does not impact your overall score out of 1600. Instead, your Essay grade stands alone on your score report.

While the College Board does not require the SAT Essay, certain schools do.

Schools that Require the SAT Essay

All of the University of California schools
Benedictine University
City University London
Delaware State University
DeSales University
Dominican University of California
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Howard University
John Wesley University
Kentucky State University
Martin Luther College
Molloy College
Schreiner University
Soka University of America
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Texas A&M University—Galveston
United States Military Academy (West Point)
University of North Texas
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Western Carolina University

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Additionally, these schools do not require the SAT Essay but recommend it.

Schools that Recommend the SAT Essay

Abilene Christian University
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Allegheny College
Amherst College
Art Institute of Houston
Augsburg University
Austin College
Caldwell University
California State University, Northridge
Central Connecticut State University
Central Michigan University
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Coastal Carolina University
Colby College
College of Wooster
Colorado School of Mines
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Corban University
Cornerstone University
Dallas Christian College
Duke University
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Nazarene College
Easternn University
Endicott College
Five Towns College
Gallaudet University
George Washington University
Georgia Highlands College
Greenville University
Gwynedd Mercy University
High Point University
Hofstra University
Holy Family University
Husson University
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University Southeast
Indiana Wesleyan University
Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus
Juilliard School
Keiser University (West Palm Beach)
Lehigh University
Madonna University
Manhattan College
Marymount California University
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
McMurry University
Mercy College
Modern College of Design
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Morehouse College
Mount Saint Mary College
Mount St. Joseph University
National-Louis University
New Jersey City University
Nichols College
North Park University
Occidental College
Ohio University
Oregon State University
Purdue University Northwest
Randall University
Randolph-Macon College
Reading Area Community College
Rowan University
Rutgers University—Camden Campus
Rutgers University—Newark Campus
Saint Michael’s College
Seton Hill University
Shiloh University
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Silver Lake College of the Holy Family
Southern Illinois University of Carbondale
Southern Oregon University
Spring Hill College
Sul Ross State University
SUNY Farmingdale State College
SUNY University at Stony Brook
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M University
Texas State University
The King’s College
United States Air Force Academy
University of Evansville
University of La Verne
University of Mary Hardin—Baylor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Minnesota: Twin Cities
University of New England
University of Northwestern—St. Paul
University of the Virgin Islands
University of Toledo
University of Washington Bothell
VanderCook College of Music
Virginia Union University
Wabash College
Webb Institute
Webber International University
Wesleyan College
William Jewell College

Should You Take the SAT Essay Section?

We recommend taking the Essay section just in case you want to apply to one of the schools that requires or recommends it. If you’re absolutely sure you won’t apply to any of these schools, you can skip it. Just know that you can’t retake the SAT essay alone, so if you change your mind and want to apply to a school that requires the Essay section, you’ll have to retake the whole test.

How Is the SAT Essay Scored?

Your essay will be evaluated on three criteria—Reading, Analysis, and Writing.

The Reading grade is meant to gauge how well you understand the passage content. Did you absorb the information you just read? Especially when the details are not intuitive, your readers will be checking to see that you read closely and caught the nuance of the piece.

The Analysis score relates to how well you represented the argument that the writer made. Your goal in the Essay section should be to determine what the writer’s main argument is and describe how they present it.

Finally, your score in Writing reflects your own command over the English language. Your capacity to write clear, well-structured sentences that use a wide range of vocabulary will determine this grade.

Two readers each give the essay a score between 1 and 4, depending on how well each reader thinks you did in the three categories. Their grades are then summed to give you a three-part grade. The highest grade you can receive is 8, 8, 8, while the lowest possible score is 2, 2, 2. To give an example, one student may score a 5, 4, 4, which would mean that their readers submitted the following feedback:

What’s a Good, Average, and Bad SAT Essay Score?

In 2019, the mean score on the Reading and Writing for the SAT Essay was a 5. For the Analysis section, the mean score was a little lower at 3, simply because Analysis is a skill that high school students spend less time honing than Reading or Writing.

For a detailed breakdown of how 2019’s test takers performed, here are a few score distributions:

sat essay reading score distribution chart

Here’s a rough breakdown of the percentile scores based on the most recent College Board data. Here’s how this chart works: say you scored a 6 on the Reading section. According to the data, that means that you performed better than 70% of other essay writers.

SAT Essay Score Percentile Rankings

Source: College Board and CollegeVine data analysis

How Should You Understand and Improve Your SAT Essay Score?

Unless your SAT Essay score is rock-bottom, you should not feel the need to retest just to improve your Essay score. If you received a low score that you feel isn’t representative of your writing abilities, focus on crafting stellar college essays instead of retaking the SAT just for the Essay section.

If you were unhappy with your SAT Essay score AND your overall SAT score, however, then you should consider retaking the test with the Essay section.

Here are a few tips on how to improve your SAT Essay score:

1. Annotate the passage. Read carefully. Start by boxing the main argument of the passage, then put a star next to three or four places where the author employs a strategy to win the readers over. These may include:

Refuting a counter argument
Raising a question
Providing anecdotal evidence
Using statistics to support a claim
Citing historical examples
Employing rhetorical devices, such as metaphor

2. State the main point of the passage author. Make it clear that you understand what the author is trying to say by stating their thesis clearly in your essay response. No one reading your essay should have any doubt as to what you think the main point of the passage is.

Make the author’s thesis clear at the beginning of your response as well as in your concluding paragraph. Tie back to it often within your body paragraphs too.

3. Outline before you write. Spend 3-5 minutes organizing your thoughts. Build up 2-4 points about the argument’s structure. Think of yourself as a debate coach. Give feedback on the persuasion tactics the author used. Which ones were most effective? What could they have done to sway their audience even more?

Remembered the strategies you starred when you were annotating? These are the building blocks of the author’s argument, and your essay should provide analysis of how effectively these building blocks were used.

4. DO NOT include your personal opinion. The essay exists to assess whether you can analyze an argument. It has nothing to do with your personal views. If you find yourself defending or disagreeing with the passage, that is a good sign that you are missing a chance to analyze the argument’s structure.

5. Proofread your essay. Give yourself 2 minutes towards the end of the section to improve the language you used. Search for spelling and grammar mistakes, as well as weak word choice. Replace monosyllabic words like “good” and “is” with more dynamic vocabulary, such as “striking” or “constitutes.” This is a quick and easy way to boost your Writing score.

For more advice on how to study for the Essay section, check out our How to Get a Perfect Score on the SAT Essay and The Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Essay .

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

What’s a Good Essay Score?

On january 19th, 2021, college board announced that they will no longer administer the sat subject tests in the u.s. and that the essay would be retired. read our blog post to understand what this means in the near term and what the college board has in store for students down the road., our articles on subject tests and the sat essay will remain on our site for reference purposes as colleges and students transition to a revised testing landscape..

A nearly universal truth of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. For the SAT, readers favor 2s and 3s, so the most common combined scores are 4s, 5s, and 6s. For the ACT, readers most commonly settle on 3s and 4s, so overall student scores cluster at 6, 7, and 8. The one noticeable outlier is the SAT Analysis score, which tends to be a point below the other two SAT domain scores, with 4s more common than 5s.

Students who score well on the multiple choice sections of the SAT and ACT naturally expect to do well on the essay sections. Though there is an overall correlation (see tables below), the unreliability of essay scoring means that there is often a mismatch between expectations and reality. Even students scoring in the 33–36 range on the ACT are more likely to see 8s, 9s and 10s than 11s and 12s. Students scoring 1500–1600 on the SAT will receive more 5s and 6s than 7s and 8s.

Sources: College Board data class of 2017; ACT Research Explains New ACT Test Writing Scores; and Compass analysis

Colleges understand the limitations of the SAT Essay and ACT Writing Test. Even the most competitive colleges in the country have ACT Writing scores of 8–10 for the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled freshmen. In other words, at least 25 percent of students at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford did no better than almost half of all essay writers in the country.

How Low is Too Low?

It can be disconcerting to receive high scores overall along with a seemingly weak essay score. In general, Compass recommends that students only retake an exam if they feel confident that their other scores will improve. Students can use the tables above to find the typical essay score ranges that match up with their Composite or Total Scores. Students should not be concerned if they fall only a point below the corresponding ranges. However, if a student falls two or more points below the indicated range, feels confident in her ability to maintain or improve her scores in other areas, and is applying to competitive schools that require or recommend the essay, it may be worth retaking the exam. This is especially true if she has a plan for preparation and works with someone experienced in developing essay writing skills.

About Ash Kramer

With a career in test prep and higher education that began in the late 90s, Ash has held a variety of educational roles from tutor and writing instructor to administrator. She serves as the Chief Product Officer at Compass, where she is lucky to lead a brilliant team creating the very best digital learning materials.

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SAT Essay Score...

SAT Essay Scores: All about SAT Essay Score Range

SAT Essay is the one which requires students to read a foundation text and then analyse how the novelist uses several techniques to build their argument. Each SAT Essay entails one passage between 650 and 750 words that students will read and then reply to. Students have 50 minutes to analyse the text and frame their responses. The SAT Essay comprises three main parts:

Reading Prompt
Reading Selection
Essay Instruction

In 2021, College Board made SAT an optional section. It does not affect your overall score of 1600. Instead, your Essay grade stands unaccompanied on your score report. So, to know more about SAT essay score range & much more information on the same. We have curated a guide below about SAT essay scores and their importance with other general information.

SAT Essay Score Ranges: Highest, Good, and Average SAT Scores

Two scorers will assess your essay response. Each grader will allocate SAT essay score range of 1-4 in three categories: Reading, Analysis, and Writing. The highest grade you can achieve is 8 in all 3 sections, and the lowest score can be 2 for each of the three sections of the SAT Essay Paper.

· Highest SAT Essay Score

The essay SAT score is an optional part of SAT with a self-regulating scoring system, i.e., means essay score is not involved in the total maximum SAT score of 1600. An evaluator will give you between 1 and 4 points for each section. In totality, each dimension is being scored out of 8 likely points. The 3 separate scores out of 8 points mean that the highest possible SAT essay full score is 8-8-8, or 24 total points.

· Good SAT Essay Score

Any SAT score above the 50th SAT essay score percentiles, or median, is measured as a good result since it designates that you have done good out of the majority of students. A 50th percentile score, on the other side, will not be sufficient at most admired universities. Depending on how competitive the student pool is, the standard for a high SAT score rises meaningly. This is why it’s usually a good idea to aim for a 1200 or above score.

· Average SAT Essay Score

There are diverse ways and parameters for calculating the average SAT Essay Scores. However, an average SAT Essay score is 14 out of 24 points for all three sections. The average SAT essay score range is 5 out of 8 for the Reading section, 3 out of 8 for the Analysis Section, and 5 out of 8 for Writing.

Suggested: Everything about SAT Exam Pattern

Why is SAT Essay Score Important?

SAT essay, however, is a completely different exercise: it's a 50-minute rhetorical analysis essay at the end of a three-hour test. According to the College Board's SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, 68% of students chose to take the essay. The SAT essay requires you to analyse a convincing argument. Topics for the passage can vary significantly but will always be about an argument written for an extensive audience.

The SAT essay gives you a track to polish it. You can show off your creativity, critical thinking skills, and writing. You can also highlight the colleges where you're enthusiastic about going the extra mile.

Suggested: What Is Considered A Good SAT Score to Study Abroad?

How to Prepare for SAT Essay?

Success on the SAT score with Essay depends on preparation as well as implementation. Here are a few tips that an undergraduate student can go through to prepare well for the SAT essay score.

1. Study Sample Passages and SAT Essay Prompts

To understand the concept of the SAT essay, go through study sample passages to get high scores in each of the scoring sections, and take time to analyse example SAT essay prompts. As you go through each of the example passages and consistent responses, study how and why the author used to sign, reasoning, and stylistic or persuasive elements.

2. Understand the SAT Essay Scoring System

Two readers will score your Essay distinctly and allocate a score of 1 to 4 for each of the 3 sections that include reading, analysis, and writing. Your analysis score will imitate how well your essay analyses how the author went about urging the audience. Also, SAT essay score reports offer these three distinct scores, each on a 2 to 8 scale.

3. Begin with an Outline

An outline helps you plan your writing by giving you a clear logic of direction when transitioning from one point to the next. Planning out your method for an introduction, body, and conclusion when the content is fresh in your mind will safeguard that you don't reach the end of your answer with blocks in your argument.

4. Make Time for Edits

After making all the approaches and figuring out how to write SAT essay, aim to take out some time in the end for review. In doing so, you may catch misunderstood information or find other ways to extra build on the points you made in your response.

Suggested: SAT Preparation Books to Ace Your Score

The choice is eventually yours to take SAT essay or not, but there are pros to taking the SAT with Essay even if a college or university you're interested in doesn't require it. A clear profit would be that it opens up your possible college choices, regardless of what you've decided on presently. Besides, if you want to know about SAT Score and other information, connect with our Yocket Counsellors and get 15 min free consultation to clear your queries efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions about SAT Essay Score

What is a good score on SAT essay?

A good SAT essay score would be three 8's; that's a 4 from both graders in all three categories.

Which colleges abroad require SAT Essay?

There are some colleges abroad where SAT essay is required: 1) Benedictine University 2) City University London 3) Delaware State University 4) University of North Texas 5) Dominican University of California 6) DeSales University 7) Western Carolina University 8) Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Is the SAT Essay mandatory?

In June 2021, the College Board chose to discontinue the SAT essay. Now, only students in a few states and school regions still have access to and must complete the SAT essay. This obligation applies to some students in the SAT School Day program.

Is 22 a good SAT essay score?

If you can achieve above 22 out of 24, it is the highest SAT score.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what do sat subscores mean expert guide.

On first glance, your SAT score report may look completely confusing. Altogether, you’ll get a total of 15 distinct scores, or 18 if you take the essay section! While the scores are numerous, they're also helpful. They put your results under the microscope and give you detailed feedback about your performance.

This guide will demystify all these test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores so you can make the most out of your SAT score report. Let’s start with a glossary to help you keep track of all the different score types.

SAT Score Types: A Glossary

These are all the scores that you'll get on your SAT score report. You'll also find out what percentiles your scores represent , or how you did compared to other test-takers in your grade.

Total score: your two section scores added together.
Section scores: your Math score and your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score from 200 - 800.
Test scores: your Reading, Writing and Language, and Math scores; range from 10 to 40.
SAT essay scores: three scores for Reading, Analysis, and Writing, each between 2 and 8.
Cross-test scores: a score for Analysis in History/Social Studies and a score for Analysis in Science, both between 10 and 40.
Subscores: four subscores for skill areas in Reading and Writing and three for skill areas in Math; range between 1 and 15.

As you can see, there are several score types with various scales. But how do these score types add up to 15 (or 18 with the essay) scores? Check out the chart below for the full breakdown.

SAT Score Ranges: Full Breakdown

The most important scores for college and the ones with which you’re probably most familiar are your section and total scores. A perfect total score is 1600, and an average SAT score falls somewhere around 1000. Regarding sections, perfect section scores are 800, and average section scores fall around 500.

While the new SAT scale should be relatively familiar to most students, the cross-test scores and subscores are a bit unusual. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly these scores measure and why they’re important to understand.

Like a weird hybrid pluot (plum + apricot), cross-test scores select from across sections to bring you an entirely new species of score.

What Are SAT Cross-Test Scores?

Cross-test scores represent your performance on questions across all three sections, Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. College Board categorizes questions into certain skill areas. The two skill areas that you need to know about to understand cross-test scores are called Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science.

You might be surprised to learn that there are questions in Reading, Writing and Language, and Math that are considered to measure your Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science skills. These skill areas aren’t limited to one section, but rather pop up across the entire SAT.

In reading, Analysis in History/Social or Analysis in Science questions tend to be those based on History/Social Studies or Science passages , respectively. The same goes for the questions in Writing and Language. As for Math, these questions tend to be word problems or data interpretation questions based on graphics.

Here are a few example problems to show you which questions College Board categories as Analysis in History/Social Studies or Science.

These sample questions from Reading are all considered to test your Analysis in History/Social Studies skills.

This example from Writing and Language is categorized as Analysis in Science.

This example from Math is considered to be an Analysis in History/Social Studies question.

You can find more examples by taking a look at the scoring guides to College Board’s free official SAT practice tests . Not only do they help you score your sections, but they also mark the questions that fall into these two skills categories. That way you can calculate your own cross-test scores as you grade your SAT practice tests. I’ll explain how to do this in more detail below, but first, let’s take a look at the other new score type on the SAT, subscores.

SAT subscores are like a photo taken with a macro lens; they reveal your performance in close, sharp detail.

What Are SAT Subscores?

SAT subscores, like cross-test scores, measure your performance on questions that fall into certain skill areas. Unlike cross-test scores, subscores don’t mix and match questions between all three sections. You’ll get subscores for questions in Math and subscores for questions in Evidence-based Reading and Writing.

You’ll get seven SAT subscores. In Math, your subscores will measure these skill areas: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. In Evidence-based Reading and Writing, your subscores will measure Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Words in Context, and Command of Evidence.

Of course, you’re not expected to know automatically which questions fall into which skill areas. Let’s take a moment to define each. You can also check out our more detailed guides with sample questions for each section and skill area.

What Are the Seven Subscore Skill Areas?

First, we’ll consider the three skill areas in Math, followed by the four skill areas in Evidence-based Reading and Writing .

#1: Heart of Algebra . These math questions ask you to solve linear equation and linear inequalities, interpret linear functions, and solve linear equation, inequality, or function word problems.

#2: Problem Solving and Data Analysis . These math questions ask you to calculate rates, ratios, and percentages, interpret scatterplots and tables, and draw conclusions from collections of data.

#3: Passport to Advanced Math . These questions ask you to solve quadratic equations, interpret nonlinear expressions, interpret nonlinear equation graphs, solve operations with polynomials, and solve quadratic and exponential word problems.

#4: Expression of Ideas . These (typically Writing) questions ask you to make word choice or structural changes to improve a passage’s organization or impact.

#5: Standard English Conventions : These (typically Writing) questions ask about grammar, usage, sentence structure, and punctuation.

#6: Words in Context . In Reading, these questions ask you to interpret the meaning of a word or phrase or determine how word choice shapes meaning, style, and tone. In Writing, they ask you to add or change a word to improve meaning.

#7: Command of Evidence . These questions are varied. In Reading, they may ask you to state your evidence for your answer to a previous question or to identify how an author uses evidence to support her claims. In Writing, these questions typically ask you to improve the way a passage develops information and ideas. In both sections, they might ask about the relationship between a passage and its accompanying informational graphic.

All of these subscores, along with the cross-test scores and other score types discussed, will show up on your SAT score report. However, they’re not for your eyes only. Your prospective colleges that you’ve indicated as score recipients will also get to see all your scores. These score types are new this year, so how are colleges going to use them as they evaluate you as an applicant?

Just how crucial are your cross-test scores and subscores for college? As it stands now, not very.

How Do Colleges Use Your SAT Cross-Test Scores and Subscores?

According to College Board , your detailed score report is great at “highlighting your strengths and showing colleges that you’ve been building the skills and knowledge you need for college and career.” They’re meant to show that you have skills like Analysis in Science and Command of Evidence to do well in college courses and life in general after high school.

At this point, though, it doesn’t appear that your cross-test or subscores are particularly important for colleges. Many colleges are still catching up to the changes in the new SAT and figuring out which test they’ll accept for Class of 2017 and Class of 2018 students. For now, your section and total scores remain the most important metric for applying to college and determining whether your SAT scores make you a competitive applicant .

Even though these cross-test scores and subscores don’t seem particularly important for college yet, they can still play a very influential role in your SAT prep.

Ready to go beyond just reading about the SAT? Then you'll love the free five-day trial for our SAT Complete Prep program . Designed and written by PrepScholar SAT experts , our SAT program customizes to your skill level in over 40 subskills so that you can focus your studying on what will get you the biggest score gains.

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How Are SAT Cross-Test Scores and Subscores Useful?

It may be tempting to look past these cross-test scores and subscores as unimportant, but they can actually be quite useful as feedback for your SAT prep. If you’re retaking the SAT, then you can use these scores to figure out your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. If you haven’t taken the SAT yet, then you can calculate these scores on your SAT practice tests to get the same information.

For instance, you may be looking to raise your EBRW score . Your subscores may show that you’re solid on Expression of Ideas questions, but need to study grammar and usage rules to do better on Standard English Conventions questions. On Math , you may be strong on questions in Heart of Algebra and Passport to Advanced Math questions, but need to focus your prep on Problem Solving and Data Analysis problems. Your cross-test scores and subscores point out the question types and skill areas that you should study to maximize your improvement for next time.

As mentioned above, you don’t have to wait until you take the official SAT to get this kind of feedback. You can take the time to calculate your cross-test scores and subscores on your own from SAT practice tests.

Figuring out your cross-test scores and subscores can be time-consuming, but it's well worth it if you're prepping for the SAT.

How to Calculate Your Cross-Test Scores and Subscores from Practice Tests

To score your practice tests, you can consult their accompanying scoring guide. As it turns out, the guide also labels the questions that fall into the various skill areas pertinent to cross-test scores and subscores, like Analysis in Science, Words in Context, and Heart of Algebra. For instance, this example is taken from the scoring guide to College Board's SAT Practice Test 1 and tells you which questions fall into the Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science skills categories:

First, you use your practice test's scoring guide to identify the relevant questions in a skill area. Then you calculate your raw score by simply adding one point for every correct answer. If you’re calculating your raw score for Words in Context questions, for example, then you would locate these questions with the help of the scoring guide and answer key and add one point for every one you answered correctly.

Then you can consult official conversion tables to convert your raw scores into scale scores. As you read above, your cross-test scores get converted into a scale from 10 to 40. Your subscores get converted to a scale between 1 and 15. Below are the cross-test score and subscore conversion tables provided by College Board .

SAT Cross-Test Score Conversion Table (10 - 40)

SAT Subscore Conversion Table (10 - 15)

For an even more detailed list of step by step instructions for calculating your cross-test scores and subscores, you should consult our comprehensive guide on SAT scoring . While this process may feel a bit tedious and time-consuming, it can really be worth it. These scores can give you invaluable insight into your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker and help you prep smarter for your next test.

Your SAT score report may look like a bunch of confusing numbers at first, but hopefully, now you understand what all those scores mean. Your total scores will fall between 400 and 1600. Your section scores for Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing range between 200 and 800.

Your cross-test scores and subscores dig deeper into your performance, revealing how well you did on specific skill areas and question types. Cross-test scores, as their name indicates, sample questions across all three subjects. Subscores shed light on questions from Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing.

While these specific scores don’t seem to be particularly important for colleges yet, they will appear on your SAT score reports and be visible to admissions officers. For now, they’re most useful as feedback for your skills as a test-taker and areas for growth.

Whether you’re looking at your official SAT score report or grading your own practice tests, you should take the time to interpret these scores. The insight they reveal into your strengths and weaknesses can be invaluable feedback as you sharpen your skills for the SAT.

What’s Next?

At this point, all students will be taking the redesigned SAT. If you're one of them, check out our comprehensive guide on how to study for the new SAT . You can also find lots of helpful strategies and study tip by section here .

Just as cross-test scores and subscores can help you study in the most effective way, so too can taking the time to analyze your mistakes. Check out this guide to learn why studying your mistakes is the secret to boosting your scores and how to do it in the most effective way .

Are you wondering how many hours of prep time you need to achieve your target scores? This 6 step guide helps you figure out exactly how long you need to study for the SAT to meet your goals.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

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What is a Good SAT Essay Score in 2022: Combined out of 24

SAT Essay Tips

An SAT essay is a type of an essay that one writes while making an application to a new college or school. This essay gauges your reading, analysis, and writing skills as part of your admission process.

In addition, this type of essay has a unique scoring system.

A good SAT essay score should be 6 and above for the essay part of the test. However, a good SAT score for the combined test should be 18 out of 24. Most universities prefer a balanced score for each of the three parts. Therefore, they prefer a score of at least 6 for each part to give a total of 18.

How to Score well in SAT Essays

If you want to improve your SAT score, observe the following:

1. Give a Clear Thesis

The essay should make an argument that a reader can identify easily.

Luckily, SAT offers you the main idea so the author does not have to hunt for a new one.

The thesis is great to give direction on how you will be making your arguments.

2. Create an Outline

Create a sketch of the points and structure of the things that you want to cover in the entire essay. This approach enables you to avoid skipping the key ideas that you want to cover in a topic.

An outline is good for you to ensure that there are no gaps in the arguments.

3. Understand the Scoring System

The scoring system is necessary to indicate how one understood the passage. The area of scoring revolves around three items namely; reading, analysis, and writing which appear in the essay score. We rate them on a scale of between two to eight.

The reading score indicates how well the author understood the essay. The writing score exposes the cohesiveness of your essay. Finally, the analysis part indicates the author’s analytical ability to persuade the audience.

4. Have an Introduction and Conclusion

The introduction part enables the reader to know what you want to talk about and it sets the essay structure. You can use this introduction part to set the quality and the tone of the entire essay.

In case you run short of time, you can stick with an introduction and skip the conclusion part. Typically, an introduction should include a thesis statement for you to build your argument.

5. Effective Word Choice

You should have a good command of language to make you remain effective in delivery.

You should avoid making grammatical mistakes. Furthermore, do not be repetitive.

Avoid first-person statements because you are writing an equivalent to a school paper. It is not an opinion piece.

Opt to use different words when describing the same idea. It is an opportunity to show off your vocabulary.

6. Stick on relevant Details

Your essay will be effective if you stick to just a few points. Avoid mentioning every minute detail by picking the most important item only to make your arguments. However, ensure that your facts are accurate. Convince that author by citing relevant examples

7. Answer the Prompt

Apart from summarizing your essay passage, ensure your arguments in the whole context answers the prompt. Develop ideas that connect your claim and evidence. The standard way is you use at least four or five paragraphs to keep it organized.

You should review some of the examples concerning the essay prompts for you to understand what the grader expects for one to get a higher score. Understand the writing styles in terms of writing styles and persuasive elements.

8. Learn from Experts

You can build your reading and analytical skills by studying passages from reputable writers in the same field. That is the only way you can hone your skills.

Getting the right skills offers you an edge when you are tackling your sat essay.

9. Prepare with Practice Essay

The only way you can perfect your skill is to practice frequently. You can get the samples and practice with them to replicate a situation as it would be in the real exam.

Doing so helps you to gauge your strengths and improve on your areas of weakness.

While doing practice, it would be sensible to work with a friend or a tutor to get instant feedback.

It can be a perfect experience to improve your learning skills.

People Also Read: How to Find Answers to Homework Worksheets Online

How Long is the SAT with or without an Essay?

The entire SAT test takes quite some time to finish depending on whether there is an essay or not.

Commonly, if you are taking an SAT with an essay, it takes four hours with breaks. The essay section takes about 50 minutes and you will work on it at the end of the tests. The entire break time is fifteen minutes.

However, without an essay, an SAT takes 3 hours and 15 minutes with breaks inclusive. The break time takes fifteen minutes. You will dedicate the three solid hours to testing without an essay.

People Also Read: Technical Plagiarism: definition, examples and How to Avoid

Tips How to Write a Good SAT Essay

1. adhere to rules.

Ensure that you follow the given rules. Avoid scoring a zero for failing to stick to the rules on the provided essay paper. For example, never change the question. Read the passage thoroughly to understand it well.

Make sure you understand the prompt before you get the temptation of writing your essay as soon as you go through it. The blunder can come if you write the essay fast and later realize that you did not answer the prompt as provided. As such, you should not underestimate the necessity of reading it well.

2. Divide your Time well

Typically, you have fifty minutes to write your essay.

Before you begin, divide it well and allocate each part fruitfully. For example, you can take five minutes to brainstorm key ideas about the essay.

You can use the rest of the time to create a great introduction. Make your first impression by creating a fact-filled one.

Use some few minutes by coming up with good paragraphs backed by examples.

3. Take a position

Your essay argument will be about a particular issue. The audience will judge your essay based on the complexity and depth of your argument. At this point, you should take a stand on that particular issue of your argument.

You must be thorough with both sides of the issue that you are making your points about. For example, pick one side and explain why you believe that side is right.

4. Remain Consistent with the Subject

It can be tempting to alter the question to something that is almost similar. If your answer fails to address the provided question, you are likely to get a zero mark. Even if you change the question slightly, there is a risk that the reader may not like your answer.

5. Talk to Your Reader

The person who will be giving you a score is not a machine. When you are writing your essay, try to be interactive as if you are talking to your friend. Let your tone be formal and friendly. Even better, you can stick with simple language that makes you express yourself well without difficulty.

Use paragraphs to express your points well. Let each paragraph carry a particular idea. Also, focus on both quality and quantity. You will only get a full score if your response is full. An incomplete response will limit your score.

6. Proofread and edit

As you complete writing, take the last few minutes to read your passage and see if you can spot any errors.

Such could be typos and other grammatical mistakes. If you misinterpreted some information through the poor sentences section, you can edit that section until you deliver.

Edit any visible errors and read them carefully to ensure that you captured what you intended to say.

This method will assist you to ensure that you get a near-perfect document.

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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ACT Test Scores: Writing

Taking the ACT with writing will provide you and the schools to which you have ACT report scores with additional scores. You will receive a total of five scores for this test: a single subject-level writing score reported on a range of 2-12, and four domain scores, also 2-12, that are based on an analytic scoring rubric. The subject-level score will be the rounded average of the four domain scores. The four domain scores are: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Conventions . An image of your essay will be available to your high school and the colleges to which you have ACT report your scores from that test date.

Taking the writing test does not affect your subject area scores or your Composite score. However, without a writing test score, no English Language Arts (ELA) score will be reported.

Your essay will be evaluated based on the evidence that it provides of your ability to:

clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective
develop and support your ideas with reasoning and examples
organize your ideas clearly and logically
communicate your ideas effectively in standard written English

Two trained readers will score your essay on a scale of 1-6 in each of the four writing domains. Each domain score represents the sum of the two readers' scores. If the readers' ratings disagree by more than one point, a third reader will evaluate the essay and resolve the discrepancy.

Sample Essays

You might be a little unsure of what to expect from a writing prompt and what kinds of responses score the highest. We took the guesswork out of it and created one sample prompt and six possible responses, ranging from weak to strong, that give you an idea of how to achieve your best score.

Remember that your scores for the four individual domains - ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use and conventions - will be communicated on a scale of 2–12. These domain scores are derived by adding together the individual scores, on a 1–6 scale, from each of two readers.

Scoring Rubric Overview

Scoring your writing test

This analytic scoring rubric presents the standards by which your essay will be evaluated. The following rubric overview will help you to better understand the dimensions of writing that this assessment evaluates.

This task asks you to generate an essay that establishes your own perspective on a given issue and analyzes the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective. In evaluating your response, trained readers will use an analytic rubric that breaks the central elements of written argument into four domains: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use and Conventions. As you review these domains, think about the role each plays in a written argument that accomplishes its purpose.

Ideas and Analysis —Scores in this domain reflect the ability to generate productive ideas and engage critically with multiple perspectives on the given issue. Competent writers understand the issue they are invited to address, the purpose for writing, and the audience. They generate ideas that are relevant to the situation.

Development and Support —Scores in this domain reflect the ability to discuss ideas, offer rationale, and bolster an argument. Competent writers explain and explore their ideas, discuss implications, and illustrate through examples. They help the reader understand their thinking about the issue.

Organization —Scores in this domain reflect the ability to organize ideas with clarity and purpose. Organizational choices are integral to effective writing. Competent writers arrange their essay in a way that clearly shows the relationship between ideas, and they guide the reader through their discussion.

Language Use and Conventions —Scores in this domain reflect the ability to use written language to convey arguments with clarity. Competent writers make use of the conventions of grammar, syntax, word usage, and mechanics. They are also aware of their audience and adjust the style and tone of their writing to communicate effectively.

Scoring Rubric

Learn more about how the writing test is scored.

View the Writing Test Scoring Rubric (PDF)

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I need help with the Common App Testing Section Answered

I took my first ACT with Writing on March 2nd, 2021, and got a composite score of 33 with an 8 in writing.

I took another ACT without Writing on July 17, 2021, and got a composite score of 34 (E: 35, M: 36 R:31, S:36)

I took my 5th ACT, one without Writing, on September 11, 2021, and got a composite score of 35 (E: 35, M: 35, R: 36, S:33).

- Since I have taken writing, do I say I have taken the writing?

- Is my writing score 8, or is it 24?

- If so, then how many past scores do (should) I wish to report? 1, 2, or 3?

- The Common App asks me for my highest section scores. But how will I tell them what my section scores were on my 35 ACT attempt? Or is that after I get admitted?

- By telling Common App my highest section scores, am I also basically giving them my super score?

Earn karma by helping others:

Hi @shreyanp , this is exactly how you fill out the Common App with your ACT test scores.

After you do this. Go to ACT.org, login in, and send your 36 Composite Superscore to all the colleges you are applying to, not all 4 test score options. This will reduce your test reporting costs by 67-75%, otherwise, you have to send 3 to 4 test scores to each college.

Number of past ACT scores you wish to report (Put 3)

Have you taken the ACT Plus Writing test? (YES)

Number of future ACT sittings you expect (0)

Highest composite score (36)

Composite date (September 11, 2021)

Date uses "month day, year" format (e.g. August 1, 2002)

Highest English score (35)

English date (July 17, 2021)

Highest math score (36)

Math date (September 11, 2021)

Highest reading score (36)

Reading date (September 11, 2021)

Highest science score (36)

Science date (July 17, 2021)

Highest writing score (8)

Writing date (March 2, 2021)

Good luck with the rest of your application and hopefully all this hard work will pay off for you when you get your decisions back.

As the other respondent already answered, if a college doesn't superscore the ACT, then send in your 9/11 test. The 8 writing score really doesn't matter. It's not required and not a great score anyway as you know.

Hey @shreyanp ! @CameronBameron and @brownbrudda123 answered your question really well, and I actually have nothing else to add! Congratulations on the great ACT scores!

For highest composite score, wouldn't I do 35, since I only have a 36 when superscored? also, my highest math score is a 35, not a 36, but I think I understand what you were saying for that part.

Hi there Shreyan!

To answer your questions:

The best thing to do while reporting your scores is to log in to the official ACT website (myact.org) and from there the site will tell you your super score. I say that since you have taken writing, you will want to report your score because there is no harm in doing so.

Your writing score will be an 8 because that is your highest writing score. You cant report a 24 underneath the writing section because the scale itself is from 1-12.

I recommend that you only submit one past score, and that score being your super score.

If you want to submit your highest test scores, then I would not worry about telling them about your other individual section scores on your 35 ACT attempt. You received a 36 on your Math and Science during July, so I would just report those because it helps your college profile immensely.

Yes, your highest section scores out of each test you took are your super scores.

Your ACT super score should look like this:

36 Overall(Really Nice Work!)

English: 35(September 11, 2021)

Math: 36(July 17,2021)

Reading: 36(September 11,2021)

Science 36(July 17, 2021)

Writing: 8(March 2, 2021)

Hope this helps!

But what about colleges that don't accept superscore? Would I keep this the same for them? Currently, I have 35 being my highest composite score.

For colleges that do not accept superscore, then yes. You can submit your highest composite score to those colleges. Edit: You don't have to submit your writing score in this scenario

@shreyanp If I recall correctly, the common app will ask how many scores you wish to report, in which case you would click 2 (July and September). It will also ask for your superscore (36) as well as your highest composite (35), so that way both of them are in there. You can also send both the 34 and the 35 from the ACT website to colleges, and regardless of whether or not they superscore they will consider the highest scores in each category.

But since I am showing my writing score, wouldn't I say I am reporting 3 scores? Or is that not what it means?

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Common App - Highest Combined English/Writing or Writing Subject Score

For the Common App “Highest Combined English/Writing or Writing Subject Score” section do I put my writing score (which is on a 1-12 scale), English score (1-36 scale), or ELA score (1-36 scale).

Common app apparently still has not got the message that ACT changed its grading category last year to switch to the ELA score from the previous Combined English/writing score, but the ELA score is the best one to put there.

Also, if you already did otherwise, don’t worry about it. The scores the college will actually rely on to determine admission are the ones your ordered sent by ACT.org

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