Scores and interpretation
What is a perfect SAT score?
A perfect SAT total is 1600: 800 in Reading and Writing plus 800 in Math. The total is a scaled score, so it is not a public count of how many questions you answered correctly.
A perfect total requires both section maximums
A 790 in Reading and Writing and an 800 in Math totals 1590. An 800 in one section does not compensate for a lower score in the other beyond ordinary addition.
A college that superscores may combine section scores from different test dates. A 1600 superscore and a 1600 earned on one sitting describe different records; check what the college accepts.
Does 1600 mean every question was correct?
Not necessarily. Each module includes unscored pretest questions, and digital SAT scoring depends on item characteristics and responses. College Board does not give a universal rule such as “one wrong answer still allows an 800.”
If you are aiming at the top of the scale, review uncertain correct answers as well as misses. A guessed correct answer is useful feedback about what to revisit, even though it did not lower that practice score.
Choose a target you can explain
A perfect score is the scale’s maximum, not an admission guarantee. Compare college requirements and section expectations before deciding how much time to devote to the final score increment. The 1600 preparation guide focuses on reviewing specific errors.