SAT Historical Percentiles for 2010, 2009, 2008

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2010, 2009, 2008 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the SAT from 2008-2010, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 2000 on the SAT in 2010 the same percentile score as a 2000 in 2008? Do percentile scores change over time? In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT combined scores and section scores for 2010, 2009, and 2008. What Are Percentile Scores? Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, then you did better than 99% of the people who took the test. If you scored in the 40th percentile, then you scored higher than 40% of the people who took the test. The College Board determines its percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other high school seniors. Do Percentile Scores Change? Generally, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay the same from year to year. For example, a combined SAT score of 1800was the 81st percentile in2010, 2009, and 2008. However, percentile scores for the same combined and section scores can change very slightly. A combined score of 2100 was the 96th percentile in 2010, but it was the 97th percentile in 2009 and 2008. Similarly, a score of 640 on Critical Reading was the 88th percentile in 2010 and 2009, but it was the 87th percentile in 2008. The SAT does try to utilize its scoring system so that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same percentile scores and skill level, regardless of when the test was taken. The purpose of the SAT is to provide a valid way to compare students. A score of 1700 from April 2015 is supposed to be equivalent to a 1700 from both May 2015 andMay 2007. How Should You Use This Data and Why Is It Important? Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or badSAT score. If you scored higher than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a specific college, you're being compared to the other students who apply to that school. Most colleges publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission at a certain college, then your target score should be aroundthe school's 75th percentile score. Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. There may not seem to be much difference between a 680 on the Critical Reading section and a 600 on Math, but that Critical Reading score is the 93rd percentile while the Math score is the 74th or 75th. Raising each section score by 100 points would raise the Critical Reading percentile ranking by 6 points but the Math by about 15. If you're considering retaking the SAT, your percentile scores can help you determine how you should prioritize your time. Similarly, a small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. For example, a 1520 is the 51st or 52nd percentile but a 1760 is the 77th or 78th. Raising your score 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top 1/4 of test-takers. Finally, seeing the percentile scores for multiple years shows how little variance there is between percentile scores for the same SAT composite or section score in different years. If you're worried about how an older SAT score stacks up with more recent scores, take a look at these charts to get an idea of how it compares. Frii Spray/Flickr Composite Score Percentiles, 2008-2010 Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile 2400 99+ 99+ 99+ 2390 99+ 99+ 99+ 2380 99+ 99+ 99+ 2370 99+ 99+ 99+ 2360 99+ 99+ 99+ 2350 99+ 99+ 99+ 2340 99+ 99+ 99+ 2330 99+ 99+ 99+ 2320 99+ 99+ 99+ 2310 99+ 99+ 99+ 2300 99+ 99+ 99+ 2290 99+ 99+ 99+ 2280 99+ 99 99 2270 99 99 99 2260 99 99 99 2250 99 99 99 2240 99 99 99 2230 99 99 99 2220 99 99 99 2210 99 99 99 2200 99 99 99 2190 98 98 98 2180 98 98 98 2170 98 98 98 2160 98 98 98 2150 98 98 98 2140 98 97 98 2130 97 97 97 2120 97 97 97 2110 97 97 97 2100 97 97 97 2090 96 96 96 2080 96 96 96 2070 96 96 96 2060 95 95 95 2050 95 95 95 2040 95 95 95 2030 94 94 94 2020 94 94 94 2010 94 94 94 2000 93 93 93 1990 93 93 93 1980 92 92 92 1970 92 92 92 1960 91 91 91 1950 91 91 91 1940 90 90 90 1930 90 90 90 1920 89 89 89 1910 89 89 89 1900 88 88 88 1890 87 87 88 1880 87 87 87 1870 86 86 86 1860 85 86 86 1850 85 85 85 1840 84 84 84 1830 83 83 84 1820 82 83 83 1810 82 82 82 1800 81 81 81 1790 80 80 80 1780 79 79 80 1770 78 79 79 1760 77 78 78 1750 76 77 77 1740 75 76 76 1730 75 75 75 1720 74 74 74 1710 73 73 73 1700 72 72 72 1690 71 71 71 1680 70 70 70 1670 68 69 69 1660 67 68 68 1650 66 67 67 1640 65 66 66 1630 64 65 65 1620 63 64 64 1610 62 63 62 1600 61 62 61 1590 59 61 60 1580 58 59 59 1570 57 58 58 1560 56 57 57 1550 54 56 55 1540 53 55 54 1530 52 53 53 1520 51 52 52 1510 49 51 51 1500 48 50 49 1490 47 49 48 1480 46 47 47 1470 44 46 46 1460 43 45 44 1450 42 44 43 1440 41 42 42 1430 39 41 41 1420 38 40 39 1410 37 39 38 1400 36 37 37 1390 35 36 36 1380 33 35 35 1370 32 34 33 1360 31 33 32 1350 30 32 31 1340 29 30 30 1330 28 29 29 1320 26 28 28 1310 25 27 27 1300 24 26 26 1290 23 25 25 1280 22 24 24 1270 21 23 23 1260 20 22 22 1250 19 21 21 1240 18 20 19 1230 18 19 18 1220 17 18 17 1210 16 17 17 1200 15 16 16 1190 14 15 15 1180 13 14 14 1170 13 14 13 1160 12 13 13 1150 11 12 12 1140 11 11 11 1130 10 1 11 1120 9 10 10 1110 9 10 9 1100 8 9 9 1090 8 8 8 1080 7 8 8 1070 7 7 7 1060 6 7 7 1050 6 6 6 1040 5 6 6 1030 5 6 5 1020 5 5 5 1010 4 5 5 1000 4 4 4 990 4 4 4 980 3 4 4 970 3 3 3 960 3 3 3 950 3 3 3 940 3 3 3 930 2 2 2 920 2 2 2 910 2 2 2 900 2 2 2 890 2 2 2 880 1 2 1 870 1 1 1 860 1 1 1 850 1 1 1 840 1 1 1 830 1 1 1 820 1 1 1 810 1 1 1 800 1 1 1 790 1 1 1 780 1- 1- 1- 770 1- 1- 1- 760 1- 1- 1- 750 1- 1- 1- 740 1- 1- 1- 730 1- 1- 1- 720 1- 1- 1- 710 1- 1- 1- 700 1- 1- 1- 690 1- 1- 1- 680 1- 1- 1- 670 1- 1- 1- 660 1- 1- 1- 650 1- 1- 1- 640 1- 1- 1- 630 1- 1- 1- 620 1- 1- 1- 610 1- 1- 1- 600 Enokson/Flickr Section Score Percentiles Here are the percentile scores for each section for 2008-2010. Critical Reading Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile 800 99 99 99 790 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 760 99 99 99 750 98 98 98 740 98 98 98 730 97 97 97 720 97 97 96 710 96 96 96 700 95 95 95 690 94 94 94 680 93 93 93 670 92 92 92 660 91 91 90 650 89 89 89 640 88 88 87 630 86 85 85 620 84 84 83 610 82 82 82 600 80 79 79 590 77 77 77 580 75 75 74 570 72 72 71 560 69 69 68 550 66 66 65 540 63 63 62 530 59 60 58 520 56 56 55 510 53 53 51 500 50 49 48 490 46 46 44 480 42 42 41 470 39 39 37 460 35 36 34 450 32 32 31 440 29 28 27 430 26 26 25 420 23 22 22 410 20 20 19 400 17 17 17 390 15 15 15 380 13 13 12 370 11 11 10 360 9 9 9 350 8 8 7 340 6 6 6 330 5 5 5 320 4 4 4 310 3 4 4 300 3 3 3 290 2 2 3 280 2 2 2 270 2 2 2 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 220 1 1 1 210 1 1 1 200 Mathematics Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles 800 99 99 99 790 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 770 98 98 99 760 98 98 98 750 97 97 98 740 97 97 97 730 96 96 97 720 95 95 96 710 94 94 95 700 93 94 93 690 92 92 92 680 90 91 91 670 89 89 89 660 87 88 88 650 85 85 86 640 84 83 83 630 82 81 81 620 80 79 79 610 77 77 76 600 75 74 74 590 72 72 71 580 70 69 68 570 66 67 66 560 64 63 63 550 61 61 60 540 58 58 56 530 54 55 53 520 51 51 50 510 48 48 47 500 45 45 43 490 41 41 40 480 38 38 36 470 35 35 33 460 31 31 30 450 28 28 27 440 26 26 25 430 23 23 22 420 20 20 19 410 17 17 16 400 15 15 14 390 13 13 12 380 11 11 11 370 9 9 9 360 8 8 7 350 6 6 6 340 5 6 5 330 4 5 4 320 4 4 4 310 3 3 3 300 2 2 3 290 2 2 2 280 1 2 2 270 1 1 1 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1- 1 220 1- 1- 1 210 1- 1- 1- 200 Writing Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles 800 99+ 99+ 99+ 790 99 99+ 99+ 780 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 760 98 99 99 750 98 99 99 740 98 98 98 730 98 98 98 720 97 97 97 710 96 96 97 700 96 96 96 690 95 95 95 680 94 94 94 670 93 93 93 660 92 92 92 650 90 90 90 640 89 89 89 630 87 87 87 620 86 85 85 610 84 84 83 600 82 81 81 590 79 79 79 580 77 77 76 570 75 74 73 560 72 72 71 550 69 69 68 540 66 66 64 530 63 63 62 520 60 59 58 510 57 56 54 500 53 52 51 490 50 49 47 480 46 46 44 470 43 42 40 460 39 39 37 450 36 35 33 440 32 32 30 430 29 29 27 420 25 25 23 410 22 22 20 400 19 19 18 390 17 17 15 380 14 14 13 370 12 12 11 360 10 10 9 350 8 8 7 340 7 7 6 330 5 5 5 320 4 4 4 310 4 4 3 300 3 3 3 290 2 2 2 280 2 1 2 270 1 1 1 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 220 1- 1- 1- 210 1- 1- 1- 200 What's Next? Check out the SAT historical percentiles for 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011, and learn more about how to understand your SAT scores. Also, you may be interested in this post about whether SAT scores predict success. Finally, read this article if you're wondering if you need SAT scores to transfer colleges. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!