Is a 930 SAT Score Good Enough? Understanding Your Score and College Admissions
Receiving your SAT score can be a mix of emotions. If you've received a 930 on the SAT, you might be wondering what this means for your college aspirations. The answer to “What is a good SAT score?” isn’t always straightforward. Let's break down what a 930 SAT score signifies, how it compares to other students, and what colleges you might be competitive for.
Understanding the SAT Score
First, it’s important to note how the SAT is scored. The exam consists of a Math section and a Reading/Writing section. Each is graded between 200 and 800. These are then combined to create the SAT Combined score.
A score of 930 on the SAT is below the national average of approximately 1060. However, keep in mind that what's considered a "good" score can vary greatly based on the colleges you're interested in.
How Does Your Score Compare?
Want to just know how your SAT score compares to all other students? Then you’ll want to look at the distribution of SAT scores. Here’s a look at the last three years’ user group percentiles. The percentiles highlight the percentage of students who earned that score or below. So if you scored a 1430, you did just as well or better on the SAT than 95% of other students. As you can see from this table, the 50th percentile falls around 1010 to 1020 out of 1600 - the median score.
What Does a 930 Mean for College Admissions?
The truth is, it depends on your personal college goals and where you want to apply. On this page, you'll find statistics about your score and what colleges you're competitive for. Can you get into your top choice colleges? We've collected data from millions of students and thousands of colleges to figure out your chances at getting admitted with a 930 SAT score.
Read also: Decoding the PSAT: Your Sophomore Year
One way to define “good” is to see how your score compares to your peers and other students at the colleges you’re hoping to attend. Another way to define “good” is to consider your own goals. Are you hoping to score higher than other students or hoping to come in somewhere near average? Whatever a “good” SAT score means to you, there are some numbers that you can use as a benchmark to see if you’ve met your goals.
Many schools, particularly less selective or regionally-focused institutions, will still view a 930 as an adequate score. One way to determine how your score stacks up is by finding the middle 50% SAT score range for the colleges you're interested in. Most colleges publish this data and it essentially shows that 50% of enrolled students scored within that range. If your score falls within or close to this range, then it's likely your SAT score won't be a major hindrance to your admission.
For instance, if a school's middle 50% range is between 900 and 1100, your 930 would fall within that range, meaning your SAT score is in line with that of the majority of admitted students.
Colleges Within Reach with a 930 SAT Score
What schools can you get into with an SAT score of 930? We've picked out a set of schools that are within range.
These schools have average SAT scores that are close to a 930. If you apply to these schools, you'll have a decent chance of admission. College of St.
Read also: Your LSAT Score: What Does It Mean?
With a 930 SAT score, you're already strongly competitive for these schools. You're very likely to get admitted if you apply. Calumet College of St. Curious about what your profile is with a different score?
The Holistic Review Process
The SAT is still an important component to an application but remember, also, that colleges use a holistic review process when making admissions decisions. It's not only about standardized test scores but also factors like your high school coursework, grade point average (GPA), extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, personal essays, and sometimes, demonstrated interest.
If you’re near the middle of this range (median SAT), you can expect about an average chance of being admitted. However, your chances of admission will, of course, also be based on the rest of your application. Things like extracurricular activities, volunteer work, recommendation letters, GPA, the rigor of your class schedule, and more will play a role in whether or not you’re accepted.
The Benefits of a Higher Score
A good SAT score can impact your opportunities after high school. Many colleges and universities still require SAT (or ACT) scores for admissions, but most schools don’t publish a “required” SAT score. Generally, these figures are reported as a distribution of the 25th and 75th percentile of the SAT scores of admitted students. In other words, it gives you a way to determine, roughly, what an “average” score might look like for students at that college. College Raptor displays the 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT scores for admitted students on each school profile. As a student, you can see how your SAT score stacks up against other students at this college by seeing where you fall in this distribution.
Beyond just looking better on your college applications, higher test scores can mean that you qualify for more scholarships. Many colleges offer specific merit awards based on academic achievement. If you want to increase your chances of getting into your dream or target schools, it’s important to pay attention to these numbers and aim for them when it comes to your test date!
Read also: Beyond College: 1420 SAT Score
Improving Your Score: Is Retaking the SAT Right for You?
What if you improved your SAT score by 200 points? As a final side note, depending on the school submissions deadlines you're working with, retaking the SAT might be an option to consider if you're aiming for colleges with higher typical scores and you have the time and resources available to prepare. It's quite common for students to see improvement on their second or even third attempts. Again, this entirely depends on your personal circumstances and college goals.
If you are considering retaking the exam, here are some strategies to consider:
- Set goals. Determine your target score by researching the 25th and 75th percentiles of accepted students at your potential colleges.
- Take practice tests. Practice tests with time limits, breaks, and no cheating help you prepare for the real deal.
- Create a game plan. If you perform weakly on the math section, you’ll want to study the questions and principles you answered incorrectly.
- Use resources.
- Prepare for test day. Don’t crunch the night before.
- Take the test more than once. Sit for the exam at least once during your junior year, and continue taking it in the coming months to improve your score.
ACT Conversion
You’ve prepped for the ACT test, dedicated a Saturday to taking it, and received your score report. Now you're wondering how you would have scored on the SAT instead. You can use our tools to convert your ACT scores to SAT scores or convert your SAT scores to ACT scores. You can use the table to approximate your score or can look up the school of your choice here and check out their reported ACT/SAT Test Score data. If a college's admissions policy indicates that they accept scores from either test, you can be certain that the school does not favor one over the other. Check out SAT vs ACT for an overview of the differences between the exams or take our handy SAT or ACT QUIZ. An increasing number of students consider taking both exams. The best way to determine which test will best reflect your academic potential is to do a trial run of both exams. We offer free practice tests for both the SAT and ACT under the same testing conditions as the actual exams.
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