Scores and interpretation
What is an SAT percentile?
An SAT percentile compares your score with a defined group. A 90th percentile means 90% of that group scored at or below your score; it does not mean you answered 90% of the questions correctly.
Name the comparison group
College Board provides comparisons with different populations, including SAT users and nationally representative students. The group and reporting period matter: the same score can have different percentile values in different tables.
Read the label on the report before comparing two percentiles. A national percentile, a state percentile, and a school percentile do not describe the same group.
Percentile is not percentage correct
Suppose a score report says 90th percentile. It describes relative rank in its reference group, not 90 correct answers out of 100 and not a 90% chance of admission.
The digital SAT does not convert a percentile back into a fixed number of correct answers. Use the current College Board table for score-to-percentile lookups instead of relying on a static list that may describe a different cohort.
Use it alongside college data
A high national rank can still sit below a particular college’s historical score range. Conversely, a college’s 25th percentile is not its minimum admitted score. Check the institution’s current testing policy and the year and population behind its score range. College score targets help organize that comparison.