Understanding the SAT Score Release Date and What to Do After

Every year, millions of students across the United States take the SAT - or Scholastic Aptitude Test - a major milestone on the road to college. Waiting for test results can be agonizing, but is especially so for the SAT. The SAT measures reading, writing, and math skills, and a high score can strengthen college applications and open the door to scholarship opportunities. However, the competition is fierce. Knowing your scores as soon as possible can help you plan your next steps (e.g. should you retake the exam, or are your scores ready to be sent off?). This article aims to demystify the SAT score release timeline and provide insights to ease the tension of this moment in your academic journey.

When to Expect Your Scores

The College Board typically releases SAT scores 2-4 weeks after test day. While they officially state that scores will be available within 2-4 weeks after test day, data shows that the vast majority of students receive their scores around the 2-week mark. Typically, SAT scores are released online 14 days after a given test date. In our experience, most students receive their scores closer to the 2-week mark. If you took the test in school during the week, you’ll likely receive your score 3-4 weeks later. However, if you took your SAT during one of the SAT School Days, you can expect your scores a little later - between 3 and 4 weeks after your test date. Similarly, if you take the SAT during the summer, prepare to wait a little longer than normal.

To provide clarity, below is a comprehensive table showing test dates and expected score release dates for 2025:

Test Day	Expected Score Release
March 8, 2025	March 21, 2025
May 3, 2025	May 16, 2025
June 7, 2025	June 20, 2025
August 23, 2025	September 5, 2025
September 13, 2025	September 26, 2025
October 4, 2025	October 17, 2025
November 8, 2025	November 21, 2025
December 6, 2025	December 19, 2025
March 14, 2026	Not announced yet
May 2, 2026	Not announced yet
June 6, 2026	Not announced yet

The release date of your scores depends on when you took the test and when your test was submitted, not on your scores, grade or location. If you've taken an exam ahead on or before April 11, your test scores are already available.

Potential Delays

Score release dates can occasionally be delayed due to:

Technical issues during test administration
Random security reviews
Testing irregularities at specific test centers

In rare cases, scores may be cancelled entirely if the College Board suspects misconduct (such as cheating). If this occurs:

Your scores will not be released to you or any colleges
You will be notified of the score cancellation
The test fee is typically not refunded

Accessing Your Scores

You now know the general logic for when SAT scores are released (no matter what day you’re taking it), but how can you access your scores? Once the scores are ready, you can access them through your College Board account. Simply, to access one’s SAT scores, one should go onto College Board’s Student Score Reports page. Enter your account info, and you should be able to access them from there. As the College Board requires students to have a College Board account to register for the SAT, you likely already have one (if you’ve taken the exam before). And, if you’re running into any other sort of problem while accessing your scores, we would definitely recommend checking out the College Board’s very own getting your SAT scores guide.

Last year, SAT weekend scores were released in stages to manage the high volume of students checking their results, according to College Board.

While SAT scores are typically released by 5 am EST (or 2 am PST) on the scheduled score release date, these times may vary by one’s account and test date. So, if your scores are not yet up (on the scheduled score release date), they likely will be a little later in the day!

If you took the SAT on the weekend, you already have an account. Go to Student Score Reports and sign in with your College Board username and password. If you haven't set up a College Board account yet, it's straightforward to create one by clicking “Create Account” on this page. The College Board staggers the score distribution to make it easy for millions of students to access their results.

Read also: When to Expect Your ACT Results

Understanding Your Score Report

In the Student Score Reports Portal, you'll find a detailed overview of your SAT Suite of Assessments score reports. Each entry displays the total score and section scores for that test. At the top of your score report, you'll see a prominent black number. That’s your SAT Score or total score. The percentile on the right of the total score indicates how your score compares to other test-takers. The Score Range below shows the range of scores you might expect if you took the SAT multiple times. Although the SAT comprises three tests, both the Reading test and the Writing and Language test are combined into one section. The infographic on your score sheet shows your scores in relation to a benchmark for college readiness. After section scores, you’ll see your score recipients. These are the colleges or scholarship programs you have chosen to send your scores.

Your school counselor will receive a PDF version of your score, which they can share.

A breakdown of what you'll find on your score report:

Test Scores: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math are shown with benchmarks for college readiness.
Percentiles: Indicates how your score compares to other test-takers.
Score Range: The range of scores you might expect if you took the SAT multiple times.

How Colleges Process SAT Scores

Once your scores are released, colleges will process them at different rates. You can then view your scores by logging into your College Board account.

Sending Your Scores to Colleges

With all that said, when do colleges typically receive student’s score reports? Your SAT scores are NOT automatically sent to colleges. If you originally indicated to share your scores, the College Board sends them to your selected colleges within 10-12 days after the scores are out. Be sure to consider application deadlines and plan for your score to be sent well in advance of these.

Read also: Decoding College Board Scores

How to send your SAT scores to colleges or universities:

When you registered for the SAT or took the test at school, you may have selected colleges or scholarship programs to receive your scores.

Sign in to your College Board account: Go to the Send SAT Scores page.
Choose which scores to send: For each recipient, you can choose to send all of your scores or just a specific set. If you've taken the SAT multiple times, you can send your best score.

In addition to your test scores, the recipient will also receive demographic information.

Free Score Reports

But what exactly is a free SAT score report? Well, the College Board allows you to automatically send your SAT scores to four different colleges - instead of paying the typical $12 fee per school. So, any of the score reports you send through this free service are considered “free” score reports! They can be sent for free if you choose to do so when you register for the test or for a fee after you’ve taken the test.

Additional Score Reports

For those schools that don’t receive one of your free score reports, however, you’ll have to send them your SAT scores separately. Typically, these additional score reports cost $12 each and will take between one and two weeks to be sent to colleges. However, if you’re especially concerned about sending your scores in on time, you can also use the College Board’s “Rush Reporting” service. This service costs $31 per score report rather than the typical $12 but will send your score reports within one to two business days. With that said, if you anticipate you’ll need help paying to send your SAT scores to schools (or need help paying for the exam itself), we highly recommend looking into the College Board’s SAT fee waivers!

What to Do After Receiving Your Scores

Once you receive your SAT score, and depending on what you think of it, there’s a few steps that you can take next.

Evaluating Your Score

Well, it’s first important to consider that “good” is subjective and will be entirely dependent on what types of schools you’re applying to. Ideally, however, students should aim for a score between the 25th and 75th percentile of the schools they’re applying to.

Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Review section scores to identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you excelled in certain areas, celebrate those achievements.
Analyze Percentiles: Examine your percentile ranking to gauge your performance compared to others.
Focus on Skill Insights: Delve into the insights provided for each section.
Monitor Progress: As you prepare for future tests, regularly revisit your score report.

Test-Optional Policies

More and more colleges and universities are becoming test-optional which means they do not require students to send in standardized test scores such as SAT scores in order to apply and be admitted to their school. Test-optional policies are becoming increasingly popular. Ultimately, the decision to submit SAT scores to a test-optional school should be based on your individual circumstances and careful assessment of how your application would be affected. If your SAT scores are strong, submitting them could strengthen your application!

Research the schools test-optional policy! Check if the school offers merit-based scholarships that are tied to SAT scores. Think about your personal preference!

Considering a Retake

Considering a retake? If you didn't get the score you hoped for on the first try, a retake might be a valuable option. Plan your retake strategically by considering upcoming test dates and aligning them with your college application timeline.

Before retaking the SAT, assess your previous performance - this is where the test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores mentioned above come in handy! Before retaking the SAT, understand how your chosen colleges interpret multiple scores. Many institutions practice score choice, allowing you to submit only your best scores. Consider retaking the test if your scores don't aren’t in the range of the average scores of admitted students at your desired institutions. While a retake can show determination and improvement, you want to strike a balance. Consider whether the potential benefits of a slightly higher score outweigh the time and effort required for additional preparation. We typically don’t recommend taking the SAT more than three times.

Low score? However, according to the College Board, while many students do perform better the second time around, many also have their scores stay the same or drop. Thus, if students wish to score higher on their second SAT exam, we highly recommend that they study effectively and consistently. And, since you’ve already taken the exam at this point, you likely know what you performed well on, and what you didn’t. Alternatively, maybe you need some general tips on improving your score, or think that test anxiety is hindering your ability to perform your best.

Happy With Your Score

Last, but certainly not least, if you’re happy with your score, feel free to send it off to colleges!

Planning for the SAT

Ready to Ace the SAT? Planning is key when it comes to SAT success.

Mark Your Calendar: Be proactive! Familiarize yourself with SAT test dates and release timelines.
Test Day Strategy: Opt for test dates that provide ample preparation time and align with your academic commitments.
Post-Test Readiness: Once the test is done, know what to expect.
Interpret with Insight: Score reports offer valuable insights. Learn to interpret them effectively, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

Score Validity

SAT scores do not expire; however, many colleges typically limit score validity periods to five years.

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